The Pope and the Cantor at Ground Zero

WOSU 89.7 NPR News | By Christopher Purdy

Published September 28, 2015 at 11:19 AM EDT

Pope Francis (left) and Ari Schwartz is Cantor at New York's Park Avenue Synagogue.

Pope Francis participated in an interfaith service at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center in New York.

The world knows that His Holiness captivated the crowds wherever he went in Washington, New York and Philadelphia.

This Irishman from Boston can be forgiven for suggesting that the Pope, who began foremost in everyone's mind, lost center stage when this young man got up to sing and pray.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ6QItyQnGY

Azi Schwartz is Cantor at New York's Park Avenue Synagogue.

You needn't be a person of faith to kvell at the voice and the emotion behind it. I'll be the Pope did....kvell, I mean.

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Christopher Purdy

Christopher Purdy is Classical 101's early morning host, 7-10 a.m. weekdays. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.

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