On Christmas Night, the “Et Incarnatus Est” by Mozart

A favorite of Pope Francis

At the Midnight Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Et Incarnatus Est of Mozart’s Mass in D Minor was performed. The piece is said to be among Pope Francis’ favorites. 

The passage—along with the Gregorian chants included in the liturgical celebration—refers to the Prologue of St. John’s Gospel: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." Members of various orchestras from Rome, conducted by Austrian Maestro Manfred Honeck of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, came together for the event. Chen Reiss, a soprano from Israel, sang Mozart’s Et Incarnatus Est.