As planned, The Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan performed solo last night for Pope John Paul II last night in the Vatican as part of the annual Vatican Christmas concert, which is now in its 19th installment. The show is part of a charity to build new churches around Rome. The concert was filmed, and, according to the BBC, will be broadcasted to well over 200 million people around the world. Dolores was slated to play two songs, “Analyse” and “Panis Angelicus”.

Irish popstars Westlife were added to the billing at the last minute, and met the Pope in a private audience with him. A press conference was held on Friday, which Dolores attended in a lovely violet dress. She told the press that she was honored to have been invited to the prestigious performance. You can click here to watch a video of the press conference, but Dolores does not make an appearance in the video.

“They asked for Dolores personally, they wanted her to appear on her own. The invitation was accepted,” said Dolores’s husband, Don Burton, prior to the press conference.

In addition to the broadcast on the Italian channel Canal 5, the show will also be on the Italian radio station RTL 102.5, and on TV on Tara Digital in the UK (Christmas Day). The concert will also be on several other channels throughout the globe.

We should have much more news about the concert soon, so check back, and be sure to check your local listings for the broadcast around December 24th.

Sources: BBC, KW Musica, Irish Examiner