At an audience with the St. Cecilia Association, Pope Francis emphasizes that music "represents a way of evangelization at all levels, from children to adults. The Liturgy is in fact the first 'teacher' of catechism".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - To engage in singing as an "integral part of the liturgy", it is worth taking inspiration "from the first model, Gregorian chant". This is the advice that Pope Francis gave today to the Scholae cantorum of Saint Cecilia, an association founded in Italy 140 years ago that enjoyed the affection of Pius X and Paul VI.

There were singers, choir directors, organists who had come from various parts of Italy present. Quoting the Montini Pope , Francis emphasized that there are some fundamental characteristics for music to be integrated into the liturgy: "Not just any music, but a holy music, because the rites are holy; endowed with the nobility of art, because to God one must give the best; universal, because everyone can understand and celebrate ”.

He also urged - citing Benedict XVI this time - "not to forget the musical heritage of the past, to renew it and increase it with new compositions".

Then affirming the importance of "helping the whole people of God to sing, with conscious and active participation in the Liturgy", Francis pointed out that "a beautiful and good music is a privileged instrument for approaching the transcendent, and often helps to understand a message even those who are distracted "and that music" represents a way of evangelization at all levels, from children to adults. The Liturgy is in fact the first 'teacher' of catechism ".

In performing sacred music, the pontiff also pointed to two tasks. The first is to "weld together Christian history: Gregorian chant, polyphony, popular and contemporary music resound in the Liturgy. It is as if at that moment all past and present generations were praising God, each with their own sensitivity ".

The second: "Sacred music - and music in general - creates bridges, brings people together, even the most distant; it knows no barriers of nationality, ethnicity, skin color, but involves everyone in a superior language, and always manages to harmonize people and groups of very different backgrounds ".