Pentecost Sunday, 4 June 2017, sees the first joint Choral Evensong led by the joint choirs of St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral Melbourne and St Paul’s Cathedral.
Marking the end of the week-long shared prayer for Christian Unity in the Southern hemisphere, the two choirs will for the first time share in leading worship together. While St Paul’s Cathedral Choir has, in the past, been privileged to perform at St Patrick’s, the two choirs have never performed together in their more than 125 year history.
The preacher at this special Evensong will be the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd John Salvano.
Anglican Dean of Melbourne, the Very Revd Dr Andreas Loewe, said: “We are delighted to share in worshipping together at the culmination of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. As part of the northern hemisphere’s celebrations, a first Evensong took place in St Peter’s Basilica: it’s therefore highly appropriate that we are able to share this beautiful liturgical tradition and invite our friends from St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir to sing with our own choir”. Dr Loewe said that the service would bring together more than 50 singers: “It will not only be an historical occasion, but quite a spectacular musical performance”.