Parishes and choirs across the diocese this Christmas season will learn beloved Italian hymn “Tu Scendi dalle Stelle” (From Starry Skies Descending). The song, composed by St. Alphonsus Maria de Ligouri (1696-1787) in 1744, is traditionally sung at the conclusion of Midnight Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Luciano Lamonarca, an acclaimed award-winning Italian singer, launched an initiative last December to celebrate and preserve the song’s cultural and spiritual legacy.
Lamonarca’s project received the approval of Pope Leo, who blessed the initiative. Bishop Earl Fernandes was named global ambassador. The bishop requested that all parishes and choirs in the Columbus diocese learn “Tu Scendi dalle Stelle” this year.
