Two weeks after arriving in Madagascar, we left the picturesque island of Sainte Marie and headed for Toamasina, the country’s second most populous town. We were hosted by a Polish missionary, Father Mariusz Kasperski.Thanks to his efforts, a church was built where we attended Mass. Two parish choirs took care of the musical setting.

The parish of St Eugene de Mazenod in Toamasina is a new foundation of the Oblate Delegation in Madagascar. It is located far from the town centre and was established at the request of the inhabitants themselves, who lacked a Catholic temple nearby. The originally small building has already been extended several times to accommodate the growing number of faithful.

We encourage you to read an interview with Father Mariusz, in which he talks about his activities and the problems he faces. (article in Polish)

There are two choirs at the parish – a children’s choir and a youth choir combined with adults. The melodies heard during the Mass were varied in genre and used styles from different parts of Madagascar, and the whole rite was accompanied by a joyful atmosphere. The children danced and sang at Mass dressed in typical Betsimisaraka garb. They sang in polyphony and were accompanied by the parishioners, who filled the entire space of the church despite the early hour (Mass started at 6.30am).

After Mass, the children and young people did not disperse to their homes, but enjoyed their time together over breakfast. The choirs then presented themselves to us, so we heard more songs from their extensive repertoire. Some of them were composed by the choristers themselves.

Photos and films: Jakub Kopaniecki, Łukasz Smoluch