Pope Francis will soon begin his trip through several Southeast Asian countries, including his very first stop at Singapore. A historic visit from the pope is all the more festive with a theme song, and the Archdiocese of Singapore did not disappoint, releasing the brand new tune “One Church, One People” with an accompanying music video.
The song, written by Singaporean composer Ethan Hsu, is a sweetly sung piece that sought to capture the shared history of all brothers and sisters in Christ. Performed by Hsu’s band Mystic Front, the song is rounded out with a verse from Friar Derrick Yap and further musical contributions from the Singaporean worship band ONEworship.
Written specifically for Pope Francis’ Singapore visit in 2024, the piece centers on the Trinity as the perfect model of Christian unity, which provides the foundation for a unified Church. The music video illustrates the presence of the Trinity with three interpretive dancers who maintain constant movement in every scene in which they appear.
In the song’s description, the Archdiocese wrote:
“When the Church is in unity, the collective strength, solidarity and resolve of One People moving in alignment with the Spirit forms the driving force behind our mission to serve and live out the gospel. This gives us courage to overcome fears, uncertainties and divisions in an increasingly challenging and distressed world.
“The song touches on our identity as One People through our common baptism and communion with Christ, making us ‘light for the world’ and witnesses to the faith, so that ‘all generations will know the glory of God.’”
In an interview with Vatican News, Hsu supported the Archdiocese’s sentiment, explaining that the song was meant to reflect on the liturgical principles and encourage unity within the Church. He said of the song:
“It was testimony that we found unity and hope in this project, even within our own little work group,” Hsu said. “How we dealt with conflict enabled outcomes to be positive and life-giving.”
Learn more about this papal visit theme song at the website dedicated to Pope Francis’ visit to Singapore.
