International Federation of Pueri Cantores

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OFFICIAL NAME

Foederatio Internationalis Pueri Cantores

 

ACRONYM

FIPC

 

ESTABLISHED

1947

 

HISTORY

FIPC began as the Schola cantorum of the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois, founded in Paris, France, by two music students, Paul Berthier and Pierre Martin, following the publication of St Pius X’s Motu proprio Tra le sollecitudini (1903), on the renewal of Sacred music in the service of worship. In it the Pope offered the Church instructions regarding the liturgy "almost as a legal code of Sacred music". In 1921, the Schola joined up with the Belleville choir. 1931 was the year in which the choir began to travel to spread the ideals of the Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois throughout the world. In 1947 the first federation of the Pueri Cantores was officially recognised as a movement of Catholic Action by the Assembly of French cardinals and archbishops. In 1951, following the third International Congress in Rome, the Holy See approved the first statutes of the Federation. On 31 January 1996, the Pontifical Council for the Laity decreed recognition of Fœderatio Internationalis Pueri Cantores as an international association of the faithful.

 

IDENTITY

FIPC promotes liturgical singing, from Gregorian chant to classical and modern polyphonic music, and contemporary music, composed according to the ecclesiastical instructions in each country; the spiritual, intellectual, musical and aesthetic training of choirmasters and child choristers; understanding, friendship and mutual assistance between the members. In the pursuit of its purposes, FIPC, by enabling children to experience the joy of serving God through liturgical singing, offers them a pathway of education in the faith and in the practice of human virtues. Regularly, an international congress is organised in Rome to enable all young choristers to meet the Pope at least once in their lives as choristers.

 

ORGANISATION

The official bodies of FIPC are the General Assembly, composed of the Presidents or delegates of the national federations; the Executive Board, elected by the General Assembly and comprising the President, two Vice Presidents, the Ecclesiastical Assistants, the Treasurer and the Secretary; the Executive Committee, composed of the President, Secretary and Treasurer. National federations (or single choirs) which do not meet the eligibility requirements under the statutes may join FIPC as corresponding federations.

 

PUBLICATIONS

Elecrtonic quarterly Newsletter

 

WEB SITE

http://www.puericantores.org

 

HEADQUARTERS

Foederatio Internationalis Pueri Cantores
c/o Pontificium Institutum de Musica Sacra
Piazza Sant'Agostino, 20a
00186 Roma
Italia