Christians in Hiroshima both young and old are practicing Handel's "Messiah" as they prepare to restage a choir service that was held at a church near the epicenter two years after the atomic bombing.
The service was held on Dec. 24, 1947, even though the church had not been repaired after the blast.
People recently walking by Hiroshima Nagarekawa Church were treated to the sound of people practicing the oratorio, and some even joined in the singing, said Yoshiaki Nagashiba, an 85-year-old former schoolteacher.