VATICAN CITY: ALBANIAN OPERA SINGER GEZIM XHAXHAJ GIVES HEARTFELT RENDITION OF AVE MARIA IN ST PETER'S SQUARE

Record ID: 566146

  • Title: VATICAN CITY: ALBANIAN OPERA SINGER GEZIM XHAXHAJ GIVES HEARTFELT RENDITION OF AVE MARIA IN ST PETER'S SQUARE
  • Date: 2nd April 2005
  • Summary: (EU) VATICAN CITY, ITALY (APRIL 2, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. BACK VIEW OF ALBANIAN OPERA SINGER GEZIN XHAXHAJ SINGING AVE MARIA AS CROWD OF PEOPLE AND PHOTOGRAPHERS WATCH 0.09 2. CLOSEUP XHAXHAJ'S MUSIC SHEET WITH POPE PHOTOS ON IT 0.11 3. FRONT VIEW OF XHAXHAJ SINGING 0.27 4. CLOSEUP YOUNG WOMAN LISTENING TO SINGING 0.29 5. CLOSEUP NUN LISTENING TO SINGING 0.33 6. VIEWS OF XHAXHAJ SINGING (2 SHOTS) 0.44 7. CU: WOMAN WIPING TEARS FROM HER EYES AS SHE LISTENS TO SINGING 0.51 8. CU: ANOTHER WOMAN LOOKING EMOTIONAL AS SHE LISTENS TO SINGING 0.59 9. MORE OF XHAXHAJ'S SINGING 1.05 10. PHOTOGRAPHER 1.08 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) GENZI XHAXHAJ SAYING: "The Vatican and the world needed a Polish Pope to pull down a wall that all the powerful countries in the world did not manage to bring down". 1.22 12. CAMERA LENS, PAN TO ST PETER'S SQUARE 1.32 13. LV: WORKERS WITH MECHANISED EQUIPMENT DISMANTLING STAGE IN SQUARE 1.38 14. CLOSER VIEW OF WORKERS DISMANTLING STAGE 1.46 15. SLV: TRUCK LEAVING SQUARE 1.55 16. WIDE OF SQUARE 2.00 17. SCU: STATUE 2.03 18. PEOPLE IN SQUARE (2 SHOTS) 2.12 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 17th April 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VATICAN CITY
  • Reuters ID: LVA4VMKTR52U5RWIDVIE60S412FN
  • Story Text: Albanian opera singer gives heartfelt rendition of
    Ave Maria in St Peter's Square.


    An Albanian singer from the Tirana Opera on Saturday
    (2 April) sang for Pope John Paul II and gave an emotional
    rendition of Bach's Ave Maria in front of a crowd of
    pilgrims at St Peter's Square.

    Gezim Xhaxhaj told Reuters Television that since the
    ailing Pope has no family to keep him company as he lies on
    his death bed, he decided to go to the Vatican to offer his
    songs to him.

    A crowd gathered round Xhaxhaj as he sang. Some wiped
    tears from their eyes, clearly overcome with emotion.

    In an interview, Xhaxhaj expressed admiration for the
    Pope, saying that the Polish-born pontiff was a great
    unifier.

    "The Vatican and the world needed a Polish Pope to pull
    down a wall that all the powerful countries in the world
    did not manage to bring down", Xhaxhaj said.

    On Saturday (April 2) morning, a Vatican spokesman said
    Pope John Paul was slipping in and out of consciousness. As
    the news came that his condition was worsening, Roman
    Catholics around the world prepared for the death of the
    Pontiff who fought communism and defended church orthodoxy.

    In St Peter's Square, several thousand people, some
    singing, dancing and clapping, gathered to be close to the
    Pope, who was lying in his bed in the papal apartment
    overlooking the square.

    Outside the Vatican, cranes could be seen dismantling
    the stage that has been routinely staged for Papal masses
    and other Papal public events, fueling speculation that the
    site is being prepared for funeral services.


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