Making Hip-Hop History at St. Paul's Chapel

St. Paul's Chapel, where worshippers are accustomed to the rumble of subway trains during services, recently gave the subway lines a run for their money. For one service, the thumping bass and spitfire lyrics of hip-hop music provided the soundtrack for the Holy Eucharist.

Lower Manhattan's first ever hip-hop mass couldn't have had a more incongruous setting than St. Paul's, one of New York City's oldest churches. Nevertheless, you can now say of the chapel that George Washington prayed there, and D-Cross beatboxed.

The mass celebrated the Hip Hop Prayerbook, recently published by the Church Publishing Group.

A group from Trinity Episcopal Church of Morrisania, located in the Bronx, led by the Rev. Timothy Holder, raised the St. Paul's roof for about 90 minutes, joining parishioners from Trinity-St. Paul's and other congregations in worship. Fr. Holder is the founder of a group called "HipHopEMass" in the South Bronx.

Trinity Television and New Media has provided scenes from the mass, as well as reactions from leaders and participants, available in video at the right. A special sermon by the Rev. Dr. James H. Cooper, rector of Trinity Church, is also available.

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