The St. Thomas Liturgical Choir will sing in the midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome this Christmas.

Pope Francis will preside over the Mass in which the Liturgical Choir will be an accompanying choir to the Sistine Chapel Choir, which sings at all Masses involving the Pope.

“The opportunity for a Roman Catholic college student from Minnesota to participate in one of the most highly-regarded and sacred Masses in the Catholic faith is once in a lifetime,” said sophomore choir member Brandon Carney.

Senior choir member Francesca Karas also felt that the magnitude of the Mass makes it special.

“To me that’s a really big thing, not just because we’re going to Rome and singing, but that it’s that particular service. For Catholics that’s one of the hugest Masses of the year. To be doing it there is just awesome,” she said.

St. Thomas was chosen to sing at the Mass from a group of around 30 choirs. The choir sent in a recording of their music earlier in the year and found out they got chosen in the spring.

Carney, who is one of the section leaders in the choir, said being on the selected choir is an incredible honor.

“To me, as a Catholic musician, this is the highest honor I will ever receive as a musician in my field,” he said. “Being able to sing for the leader of one of the largest religions in the world on one of the most holy days in Catholicism is an honor that very few are graced to receive.”

Karas said that being chosen for the Mass was made sweeter due to the fact that there was a degree of uncertainty.

“It’s huge, absolutely huge,” Karas said. “It took months until we heard. It was no guarantee that we’d get it, so it was a huge honor.”

Carney said that he expects it to be an unforgettable experience.

“I expect the atmosphere in St. Peter’s Basilica to be very reverent and breathtaking,” he said. “I can’t even imagine how beautiful the stained glass windows and artwork will look under candlelight, and not only being under the same roof as the Pope, but hearing him perform Mass.”

It is not uncommon for the choir to travel, although this will be the first time many of its members get the chance to sing abroad.

They will depart on Dec. 23 to head to Rome. After Christmas, the choir will tour various Italian cities, including Assisi and Florence.

“The opportunity to travel to a foreign country with friends and classmates doesn’t come around often, especially to a place as beautiful and historic as Rome,” Carney said.

Spencer Flaten can be reached at flat6148@stthomas.edu.