Magnus Sanctus Paulus
A meditation on Saint Paul in words and music

compact disc to accompany the Pauline Year 2008/2009

Pope Benedict XVI announced a special jubilee year dedicated to St. Paul, saying the church needs modern Christians who will imitate the apostle's missionary energy and spirit of sacrifice.  The Pope said the Pauline year will run from 28th June 2008 to 29th June 2009, to mark the approximately 2,000th anniversary of the saint's birth.  "Dear brothers and sisters, as in the Church's beginning, today, too, Christ needs apostles ready to sacrifice themselves.  He needs witnesses and martyrs like St. Paul."

The Pauline year will feature numerous special liturgies and events in Rome, but should also be celebrated in local churches and in the sanctuaries, religious orders and other institutions that have a special link to St. Paul.  For this reason we are grateful to Stephen Moseling of St. Paul’s Bookshop by Westminster Cathedral and of The Society of St Paul for requesting that we produce this CD.

As well as being something of beauty to lovers of music, Magnus Sanctus Paulus may be used as a meditation on the great saint in words and music.  The Holy Father emphasized that the Pauline year will be ecumenical, reflecting St. Paul’s commitment to the unity and harmony among all Christians.  It is for this reason that there is a wide range of music on the CD, including music representing the Orthodox, Anglican and Wesleyan traditions as well as Roman Catholic.  Of particular note is a verse anthem of a Collect for the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, written by William Smith of Durham, which had not been performed since approximately 1690!

St. Paul was born in Tarsus, in what is now Turkey, at the start of the Christian era, sometime between A.D. 7 and 10, according to church historians. After his conversion on the road to Damascus, he became one of the church's foremost evangelisers, first among Jews, then among Gentiles.

As St. Paul’s letters are a primary source of information about the life of the early church and have strongly influenced church thinking through the centuries, we have also included extracts from his writings.

For full sleeve notes and track list see click here

The CD costs £12.50 per copy and is available from St. Paul's Bookshops and other retailers or by mail order from The Music Makers.

As an introductory offer, we are waiving our usual post & packing charge for UK orders.  For UK direct mail order please send a cheque made payable to "The Music Makers" for £12.50, together with contact details to:
The Music Makers, 41 Sansom Street, London SE5 7RD.The Music Makers, 41 Sansom Street, London SE5 7RD.

For overseas orders, please add £1 for post and packing.