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Sacred night of music: Sistine Chapel choir performs for one night in Brookville

Sacred Voices of the Cardinal Bartolucci Foundation traveled all the way from The Vatican to New York for six performances across the state.

Mike Lamorte

Aug 11, 2025, 2:47 AM

Updated 4 hr ago

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A rare sound from The Vatican filled the air in Brookville Sunday night, as singers from the Sistine Chapel Choir brought centuries of sacred music to St. Paul the Apostle Church.
“It felt like you were sitting in the Sistine chapel,” said parishioner Jim Black.
Sacred Voices of the Cardinal Bartolucci Foundation traveled all the way from The Vatican to New York for six performances across the state. The choir's tour ended on Long Island.
"We're so lucky to have experienced this," said parishioner Doris Gribbin. “We didn’t even have to go to Italy.”
According to Executive Director Alessandro Biciocchi, this year marks a special jubilee for sacred music.
“This year we remember the fifth centenary of the birth of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina," he said. "He's the most important composer of the Catholic Church during the renaissance.”
To honor the occasion, Sacred Voices recorded an official CD published by the Governorate of the Vatican City State.
Before coming to New York, the production was presented to Pope Leo XIV, at the Sala Regia of the Apostolic Palace on June 18. The choir offered a complete performance of the famous Missa Papae Marcelli to mark the first official concert attended by The Holy Father since his papacy began.
Sacred Voices will return to the United States next year, with performances in Chicago.