Charles Wesley, the British hymnwriters whose words form the background track for so much of Christian life-“Hark the Herald Angels Sing”, anyone?-got a long-overdue audience in Rome when Catholics and Protestants came together to celebrate his 300th birthday with a Vatican hymn-sing.

As Catholic News Service points out, given that much of Wesley’s hymnody is a staple of Protestant worship, the event was not insignificant.

The Rev. John Barrett, president of the World Methodist Council said, “It was mind-blowing really” to celebrate Wesley and sing his hymns “in Rome with an ecumenical gathering.”

“I think Charles Wesley would be thrilled. He did not write these hymns just for Methodist people, but because they expressed Christian truths,” Rev. Barrett said.