Sri Lankan churchgoers received a shock this Christmas when they found themselves reciting Tupac Shakur.
Organisers of the 2016 Catholic Joy to the World Festival, one of the world’s largest Christmas celebrations, erroneously printed church music programs to include the late hip-hop legend’s final single ‘Hail Mary’, instead of the sacred prayer of the same name.
The result for the congregation gathered at the Nelum Polka Theatre was that instead of remembering Mary, mother of Jesus, confused homage was paid to the gangsta rap icon.
Carol singers at the service should have been singing verse such as “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee / blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb”, rather than pondering whether they wanted to “ride or die”.
