Thursday, October 1, 2026
One hundred singers from the St. Agnes Cathedral Choirs, under the direction of Michael L. Bower, recently toured Italy, singing in prestigious places including St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, San Lorenzo in Florence, and St. Mark’s in Venice. The choir was accompanied by another 150 family members and friends. The concerts were performed to standing room-only audiences and the choir was requested to sing Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” in the Vatican, where hundreds of people continued to gather as it was performed, followed by thunderous applause.
Bower said he was pleased with the performances. The touring ensemble was drawn from singers from five different choirs that he directs. “Even after jet-lag, being up at 5:30 a.m., and walking in the blazing sun through the Coliseum and the Roman Forum, the groups just stood up and sounded magnificent. Long Island and the Diocese of Rockville Centre were well represented,” he said.
The picture above is from a rehearsal in Santa Maria Sopra Minerva in Rome, a church that pre-dates St. Peter’s Basilica. Two popes were invested there. It contains a famous fresco and a sculpture of Michelangelo.
