China's national orchestra had a very special guest when they performed at the Paul VI Audience Hall of the Vatican on May 7. Pope Benedict XVI was in the audience when the China Philharmonic Orchestra, accompanied by the Shanghai Opera House Chorus, launched the first leg of its European tour.

The concert is unprecedented, as Beijing and the Vatican have had no diplomatic ties since 1951.

Mozart's Requiem and the well-known Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower were presented at the concert.

Pope Benedict applauded when the hour-long concert was over and called it a "truly unique event." He also offered a "thank you" in Chinese at the end.

He said that music is a bridge between cultures and peoples, and he also expressed greetings to all the Chinese people and wished a successful Olympic Games in Beijing.

Along with the pope, some 6,000 people attended the concert, including Chinese Ambassador to Italy Sun Yuxi.

"This is a glorious moment that will be cherished long in our memories," said Yu Long, the conductor of the concert, in brief remarks to the audience before the concert began. "I hope tonight's performance will help spread a message of peace and love."

It is a people-to-people activity that through culture, art and music can be a bridge of communication among those of different cultures and religions, said an official of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China Daily, a Beijing-based newspaper, before the orchestra set off.

Yu, also the art director of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, a government-run orchestra, said that although they played in Rome in 2004, this is the orchestra's first appearance at the Vatican in an interview with China Daily earlier.

"It is a historic cultural exchange activity, like the ‘Ping Pong Diplomacy' in 1971 when American table tennis players visited China and the performance by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in Pyongyang in February," Yu said.

Music is a common channel to strengthen friendship and boost dialogue and peace, Yu said. According to him, the performance was initiated by China.

"It is a special performance to me and I think it's a great honor to play for the Pope," said the 44-year-old conductor who has cooperated with most world leading orchestras and conducted in over 20 cities overseas.

Yu said Mozart's Requiem was appropriate for the Pope as he is very familiar with the music of Mozart. He also hoped that the Pope would like the Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower and appreciate the musical aspect of Chinese culture.

"I think this performance can give the world a chance to rediscover China," said the Shanghai-born conductor who once studied music in Germany.

This is not the first time for Yu and his orchestra to play for a religious audience. Two years ago, Yu and the China Philharmonic Orchestra presented Requiem of Mozart at the St. Joseph's Church in Beijing's well-known Wangfujing Street. This April, his orchestra, together with the Shanghai Opera House Chorus, presented Requiem and Jasmine Flower in Shanghai, a performance to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the St. Ignatius Cathedral in Shanghai and raise money for the renovation of the Catholic churches in the city.

The China Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 2000 and is believed to represent the highest level of China's symphony art. A total of 150 top Chinese musicians from the orchestra and the Shanghai Opera House Chorus participated in the performance.

The orchestra and the chorus will also perform in Venice, Italy, and Vienna, Austria.