St Peter's Parish News
Thursday 1 January 1970
Palestrina’s 500th birthday
On Monday it was the (probable) 500th birthday of the famous Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, who was born sometime around 3 February 1525. His music is still sung today by choirs all over the world – here’s a recording of the Choir of St Peter’s Berkhamsted singing Palestrina’s motet Tu es Petrus, a setting of Christ’s inspirational words to St Peter in Matthew’s Gospel, when Jesus offers him the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. It’s also our choir’s favourite anthem for our patronal festival each June!
“Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram
Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam,
Et portae inferi non praevalebunt adversus eam:
Et tibi dabo claves
Regni coelorum.”
“You are Peter, and on this rock
I will build My church,
And the gates of hell will not prevail against it:
And I will give you the keys
To the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 16:18-19
Read more about Palestrina:
en.wikipedia.org 
