The meeting began with a Eucharistic celebration led by the canon of the Vrhbosna chapter and the rector of the cathedral, Rev. Marko Zubak with the concelebration of three priests.

Rev. Zubak, at the beginning of the celebration, pointed out that the reasons for their gathering were to praise God "with their voice and stature, with their soul and song", and that "we grow together as a Church, celebrating and praying that the Kingdom of God will be more and more present among us".

The joy of togetherness

After the biblical readings, rev. Zubak delivered an appropriate homily in which he referred to the apostolic letter Entering the new millennium of St. Pope John Paul II, in which he calls on the faithful to make the Church a home and a school of communion. "Because God himself is the unity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, there is nothing more natural if we are his image, for us to be like that and do it with all our being and always support those who do it", the preacher reminded, then thanked the choirs on behalf of the Archbishop of Vrhbosna, Msgr. Tomo Vukšić on the "expressions of spiritual communion to which you contribute every day by participating in this joint assembly, but also everyday through singing rehearsals and the performances themselves at Sunday and holiday celebrations".

Saying that the most perfect instrument is the human voice and that "there is nothing more magnificent than to use this gift of God and to use it for the glory of God and for the salvation of human souls", he spoke about the reasons for their gathering. "We are here today to first of all thank the dear God for the gift of life, for the talents we have, for the possibility and opportunity to glorify him with our voice, and then also for the health and community that we achieve and receive by incorporating ourselves into the great orchestra called the Church of Christ, which shines to all people and shows the way to eternity", explained rev. Zubak.

In the following, he warned that today's man often talks too much and listens too little, and that he is afraid of silence and what he might find in it, and in fact, "if we give our silence to God, we will find him in it."

At the end, he encouraged the believers "let this musical gathering of ours be the joy of communion with God and with each other and the realization of all that sacred music signifies and serves, which is the celebration of God through our communion and song".

The liturgical singing was animated by the cathedral mixed choir Josip Stadler, directed by Rev. Marko Stanušić, regent chori of the Sarajevo Cathedral and coordinator for church and liturgical music of the Vrhbosna Archdiocese, who has been the organizer of gatherings of choirs for years, and members of all five choirs participated as well.

Occasional concert

After the end of the Holy Mass and after a short break, a concert of spiritual music followed, during which five choirs treated the audience with performances of 10 polyphonic or Gregorian chants. The leader of the program was sister Rahela Brkić.

After the theological choir of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary Stjepan Hadrović, whose conductor is Rev. Ivan Rako, the parish choirs who performed were: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Uskoplje, conducted by sister Renata Lizatović; St. Anthony of Padua Bugojno, led by sister Auksilija Milić; St. Anthony of Padua, whose choir director is Rev. Predrag Stojčević; and the cathedral mixed choir Sarajevo, under the direction of Rev. Stanušić.

After a short address of rev. Stanušić, rev. Zubak handed over certificates of appreciation to the choir leaders, followed by a joint photo shoot and socializing at the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary.