Powerful retelling of Easter story draws hundreds to Coventry church

A 300-strong crowd gathered at a Coventry church for a 'powerful' retelling of the Easter story performed by pupils from eight city schools.

Around 120 children from across the Romero Catholic Academy came together to perform Born for This - a musical reflection on the Stations of the Cross - with families, friends and churchgoers soaking up dramatic sequences and choir music inspired by the Passion and death of Jesus Christ.

The schools, who had been rehearsing individually before coming together for a final group practice on March 14, performed a mixture of sombre and uplifting songs to encourage reflection on the Easter story at St Patrick's Catholic Church on Deedmore Road.

Between 10 and 15 children from all seven Romero Catholic Academy primary schools performed in the choir, with pupils from Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School taking lead parts.

The story covered the Last Supper and the arrest of Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane, his trial with Pontius Pilate and three falls with the cross, and his crucifixion and resurrection, with a spoken reflection, physical performance and song in each section.

Some pupils also acted as the 1st century crowd bearing witness to Jesus's persecution.

Tom Scott-Machin, Lay Chaplain at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School, said: "The performance was absolutely brilliant, and it was a really wonderful experience to come together and share it with the church.

"We had not been in the space or rehearsed any elements of the show together until just before the main event, so it really was a remarkable undertaking and testament to talent of our students, who we are extremely proud of.

"It is a beautiful piece and something which can really help us in preparing for Easter. The sadness is overcome by the joy at the end, which is a really important message.

"With a prayerful moment after each section of show, the church was perfect for a performance like this as the location itself encourages the audience to reflect.

"It has been a fantastic opportunity to bring everyone together this year, which is so important not just in showcasing the talent across our schools, but in connecting with our community. We have been able to bring individuals from across the city together to put on something powerful."