More than 500 people gathered inside one of the most sacred buildings in Toluca, Mexico, where The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square officially kicked off their multi-year world tour on Thursday, June 15.
The Most Reverend Raúl Gómez González, Archbishop of Toluca, opened the Cathedral of Toluca, located about 40 miles west of Mexico City, for the first of three concerts that the Choir will perform in the country.
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- Archbishop Raúl Gómez González of the Catholic Archdiocese of Toluca delivers a welcome message during the Tabernacle Choir’s concert at the Cathedral of Toluca in Mexico on June 15, 2023.
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- Members of The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square pose for a picture with a leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, June 15, 2023. From left: L. Whitney Clayton, first counselor in the Tabernacle Choir Presidency; Michael Leavitt, president of The Tabernacle Choir; Mack Wilberg, music director; Archbishop Raúl Gómez González of the Catholic Archdiocese of Toluca; and Gary B. Porter, second counselor in the Tabernacle Choir Presidency.
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- The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square perform inside the Cathedral of Toluca in Mexico on June 15, 2023.
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- Concert narrator Alex Melecio speaks to the audience at the Cathedral of Toluca in Mexico on June 15, 2023.
- Monsignor Raúl Gómez González, Archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Toluca, greets Mack Wilberg, Music Director of the Tabernacle Choir, following the Choir's concert at the Toluca Cathedral on June 15, 2023.
- Choir members backstage before the first concert of the Tabernacle Choir's world tour at the Cathedral of Toluca in Mexico on June 15, 2023.
- Concert attendees inside the Cathedral of Toluca where the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performed on June 15, 2023.
- Choir members sing inside the Cathedral of Toluca in Mexico on June 15, 2023.
- The Cathedral of Toluca in Mexico where The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square held the first concert of their World Tour on June 15, 2023.
- Music Director Mack Wilberg during the Tabernacle Choir's concert at the Cathedral of Toluca in Mexico on June 15, 2023.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
“Today, many of us, [including] our brothers and sisters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, feel that the Lord is telling us to be more solid in our unity and the communion of faith and hope,” Archbishop Gómez González said.
Choir President Michael Leavitt said the cathedral provides the ideal backdrop for the Choir’s first concert as it magnifies the Choir’s mission for all people to feel a greater connection to the divine.
“In opening their Cathedral, Archbishop Gómez González is opening one of their most sacred spaces of worship to their brothers and sisters of all faiths,” President Leavitt said. “It was interfaith collaboration and unity in action. We are grateful for their generosity and the spirit of common purpose we share."
Download PhotoThose in attendance included several religious and civic leaders who gathered for a special dinner at the Jose Maria Velasco Museum before the concert, including Archbishop Gómez González; Monsignor Daniel Alberto Medina Pech, president of the Interfaith Council of the State of Mexico; Pedro Mena, director of religious affairs of the State of Mexico; and Rafael Martinez, religious affairs director for the City of Toluca.
“This was an experience and a hug from God for all of us. In this house built for the glory of God, [we’ve had] a shared house for two big families that believe in Jesus,” said Monsignor Medina Pech.
“I have been in tears many, many times and they have just treated us like angels. And to be able to be here in this venue, where we hear the acoustics and the beauty of our music coming through, is just phenomenal,” said Choir member Cami Purtschert.
The Choir and Orchestra, made up of about 400 singers and musicians, presented a wide repertoire of multicultural songs and hymns in multiple languages including Spanish, English, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), and Yorùbá.
“I really enjoyed Handel’s ‘Hallelujah’ because of its lyrics and the brilliance of the Choir and orchestra. He is telling us that Christ is the key, always and forever,” said Archbishop Gómez González.
Two more concerts — with every seat filled — will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18, at the National Auditorium in Mexico City. Also, for the first time in the Choir’s history, a live stream of the Saturday concert will be available on YouTube.
Download PhotoAll three concerts are free of charge to the public.
“The concerts are a gift to the people of Mexico because we love them. You can’t put a price on a gift, otherwise, it’s not a gift,” L. Whitney Clayton, first counselor in the Tabernacle Choir Presidency, said during a press conference held with local media on Friday, June 16.
During the news conference, President Clayton also said that the Choir has plans for the tour to continue through 2026 with locations in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Exact dates and locations will be announced at a future time.