Tour to Rome and Vatican

Zbor sv. Nikolaja visited Rome and nearby area from 29th November to 3rd December in 2008. It sang at holly masses and concerts in the Abbey Fossanova, the church of St. Gregorio VII and Slovenik in Rome.



Slovenik, a place where all Slovene people who work or study in Rome meet, prepared a very warm welcome for the choir. A Slovene mass and a concert afterwards were filled with emotions and Slovene songs echoed in the room long after the concert had finished. With tears in his eyes chancellor msgr. dr. Jožko Pirc thanked and congratulated the choir for wonderful singing.



The most special moments for the choir during the visit in Rome represented singing in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican, where the choir among other songs performed the holly mass of Hugolin Satner Missa Serafica with Katja Ložar playing the organ. The choir was also accompanied by a string sextet.



The choir met the Slovene ambassador at the Holly Seat Ivan Rebernik, cardinal Franc Rode and attended the audience of the Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope greeted the choir in Slovene language saying: “I kindly greet the members of Zbor sv. Nikolaja choir and all pilgrims from the parish Litija in Slovenia! Sing to the Lord, who is coming, and prepare a place for him in your heart in advent season. May my blessing be with you!” At this occasion the singers also sang to the Pope.

The pilgrimage to the eternal city has been a special experience for the singers, in which everyone could find and treasure something new. The faces of the audience told of deep emotions when listening and absorbing the messages of the songs.



In their free time the singers went sightseeing and among other places saw the Basilica of St. Paul outside walls, the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Circus Maximus, the Colosseum, Forum Romanum, Venice Market, Capitol, the Basilica of St. Peter, the Tomb of John Paul II, the Kalisto catacombs, Navona Market, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Holly Staircase, the Basilica of Maria Maggiore, …



A special thanks for the successful tour goes to p. Igor Salmič, who organised the visit and accompanied the singers at all times during their stay in Rome.

Nova kultura Litija, Valvazorjev trg 1, SI-1270 Litija, Slovenija | e-mail: info@litija.org