RED ARMY CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA PERFORMS FOR THE POPE

VATICAN CITY, OCT 16, 2004 (VIS) - Last evening in the Paul VI Hall the choir, orchestra and ballet corps of the Russian Army, also known as the Red Army, interpreted in song and dance traditional Russian folklore music, including songs about the Red Army, war and several traditional ones such as "Kalinka." The evening's entertainment was a tribute to Pope John Paul who today marks the 26th anniversary of his election to the papacy.

  At the end of the concert, the Holy Father thanked the artists for this tribute and underscored his affection for "the noble Russian people." He invoked on them "the protection of the 'Mother of God' of Kazan, whose icon recently returned to Russia, a land very dear to me."
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