SINGAPORE – Angelic voices of the Cathedral Choir of the Risen Christ filled the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Queen Street during its 50th annual diplomatic Christmas concert on Dec 3.

Forty heads of mission in Singapore – including ministers, ambassadors, high commissioners, defence attaches and the Apostolic Nuncio, the Pope’s representative – graced the event, with each head of the foreign delegations placing an ornament bearing the respective country’s flag on the Tree of Peace.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, who was the guest of honour, accompanied by the choir’s founder director, Dr Peter Low, and the latter’s wife Linda, lit up the tree with the press of a button.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong and Archbishop Marek Zalewski, the Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, placed ornaments with the flags of Singapore and Vatican City, respectively, on the symbolic tree.

Guests were treated to a repertoire of 23 sacred, classical, pop and international songs of peace sung in English, Latin, French, German and Swahili, with the concert ending with the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah.

The 78-member choir, led by Dr Low, was formed in 1970 and presented its first Christmas concert in 1973. It marks its golden jubilee concert in 2023, with proceeds from ticket sale donations going to the Assisi Hospice.