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Carole Mikita Reporting The young singers of The Madeleine Choir School had what they describe as a life-changing experience recently-- performing at the Vatican.
That moment was captured on camera for us.
They describe being inside St. Peter's Basilica as awe-inspiring. And then, they received something special from the Pope.
Most Catholic choirs only dream of this moment.
Singers from Madeleine Choir School in Salt Lake City just returned after performing during mass in the famed St. Peters's Basilica, The Vatican.
Dion Granger/ 7th grader, Madeleine Choir School: "It was big and gold and powerful. It was just... just blew my mind."
David Payne/ 7th grader, Madeleine Choir School: "I walked in and looked up and the ceiling was really high. It was huge. I was just amazed."
Pope Benedict XVI did not attend that mass, but the children saw him and he blessed them.
Lauren Rathbun/ 8th grader, Madeleine Choir School: "He was in his window and he was announcing all the groups that were there. He mentioned the group from Salt Lake City, and everyone started cheering and clapping."
This choir sings a couple of times a week in the Cathedral of the Madeleine, but this trip took them to performances in cathedrals in Milan, Florence, Assisi and Rome. The young people say they would return 'in a heartbeat.'
Dion Granger: "It means so much to me. I mean, the memories that I have. I can tell my kids later on in life, and just bragging rights. I'll say, 'Oh yeah, I went to Italy.'"
The Madeleine Choir School will travel again in two years, this time to Spain. But there are plenty of performances this Christmas season. For information, click on the link above.
