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ST. LOUIS, MO — It was a very special spring break for some local high school students. The band from St. Louis University High School played for the Pope in St. Peter’s square.

Wednesday SLUH’s band played for and met personally with Pope Francis s part of a bicentennial spring break experience performing in Rome. The Pope stood and listened to the Junior Bills play, “Oh Sacred Head Now Wounded.”

The spontaneous personal audience with the Pope happened before a planned meeting with Greg Burke, Director of the Holy See press office. Burke is a St. Louis native who graduated from SLU High School in 1978.