After 13 years, the Vatican is pulling the plug on its annual Christmas concert. While no specific reason was given, papal insiders say Pope Benedicts not a fan of "popular" music, preferring Mozart and Bach instead.
In Pope John Paul IIs time, the annual concert was the Vaticans way of getting jiggy with it, drawing such wholesome singers as Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick (as well as B.B. King and Bryan Adams). While Pope John Paul II usually made a point of meeting the musicians, sources say the current pontiff doesnt roll that way, preferring instead to focus on the "spiritual essence" of Catholicism.
Also, the Vatican is reportedly looking to avoid any embarrassing outbursts made by musicians, as at the 2003 concert when Lauryn Hill accused the Church of moral corruption.
"Holy God has witnessed the corruption of your leadership, of the exploitation and abuses which are the minimum that can be said for the clergy," she added, calling on the hierarchy to "repent."
Last year, a Brazilian pop singer was dropped from the concert because church officials feared she would promote the use of condoms in stopping the spread of AIDS.
Guess it's just choirs and alter boys from now on.

Lauryn Hill at the 2003 concert
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