Vatican City, May 6, 2011 / 08:32 am
Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the sixth anniversary of his election as Pope on May 5, at a concert featuring works of sacred classical music from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Italy's President Giorgio Napolitano offered the afternoon concert, featuring the orchestra and choir of the Opera Theatre of Rome in a performance of Antonio Vivaldi's “Credo” and Gioachino Rossini's “Stabat Mater.”
Pope Benedict said the “splendid execution of the two works of art,” conducted by Jesus Lopez Cobos and Roberto Gabbiani, gave him a “moment of musical elevation” to mark another year as Pope.
This year, the original date of the Pope's 2005 election – April 19 – coincided with Holy Week, forcing the celebration to be pushed back until Easter celebrations and the beatification of Bl. John Paul II had concluded.