As more than ten million pilgrims flow through Rome for the Jubilee Year of Hope, few have the privilege of singing inside its most iconic churches. But one exceptional Catholic-Anglican choir from England was invited to do just that — offering sacred music in the heart of the Eternal City, just days after the Feast of the Sacred Heart.
Their four-day ecumenical pilgrimage, which began on June 30, brought them to the Church of the Gesù, All Saints Anglican Church, and the Church of Saint Ignatius — a journey marked not just by music, but by unity.
“It’s a very special choir pilgrimage because it’s the first time as Farm Street Church — the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the Jesuit church in London — that we’ve had a choir tour in Rome,” said Fr. Dominic Robinson, the parish priest accompanying the group. “And it’s special also because this is a joint venture with our Anglican brothers and sisters at the local Anglican Church at the other side of the gardens, the Grosvenor Chapel.”
For many participants, the experience was profoundly moving.
Fr. Stephen Coleman, priest-in-charge at Grosvenor Chapel, reflected on the spiritual impact of sacred music in today’s fast-paced world:
“City-center living in the 21st century — there’s no doubt — it’s intensely hectic. People rushing everywhere. You see it clearly in central London, just as I’m sure you do here in Rome. And I hear it often, from both young and older people alike — the experience of stepping into a church and hearing beautiful choral music… it allows people to connect with something transcendent. It gives them space — space to think, to reflect, to pray. And that, it seems, holds real spiritual value in their lives.”
Robert Guthrie, a long-time member of the choir, shared a similar insight:
“It’s a real joy to sing this beautiful music in such stunning spaces — they give us so much in return. I truly believe they feed the soul and express what lies deep in the human heart. And Rome — well, it’s quite simply one of the greatest cities in the world, filled with these breathtaking churches. We’re incredibly proud to be here as part of an Anglican delegation, in a city that holds such deep significance for the Roman Catholic faith. It’s a powerful symbol of ecumenical unity.”
The group also crossed the Holy Door of St. Paul Outside the Walls together and met with officials from the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity — strengthening the spiritual bond of their pilgrimage.
“Of course, Rome holds deep significance for Roman Catholics — but I believe it’s also a profoundly important place for Christian unity,” added Fr. Robinson.
“We’re here during the celebrations of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, and tonight’s concert marks the Feast of the First Martyrs of the Church of Rome. These aren’t just Catholic feasts — they’re feasts for the whole Church. Feasts of unity.”
Their visit to the Church of the Gesù, the mother church of the Jesuits, carried an added layer of meaning.
“It’s a privilege to be here in the Church of the Gesù,” Fr. Robinson concluded, “especially at this moment, just days after the Feast of the Sacred Heart, when we remember the first painting that depicted the apparitions, 350 years ago.”
In sacred song, shared prayer, and the beauty of the liturgy, the choir’s journey revealed that the path to unity runs through the heart — the Sacred Heart of Christ.
