Writer Nasser Khan has been reflecting on significant events and people important to T&T’s history captured in song through the art form of the calypso. In the seventh of this series—History Through Calypso—Khan has chosen, in this Lenten season, the calypso the late Roaring Lion, Rafael de Leon (1908-1999), sang to welcome Pope John Paul II’s historic visit to T&T on February 5, 1985. It was recorded as a 12-inch single and Roaring Lion presented a copy to the Pope after singing it for him. The affable John Paul was touched and gave the calypsonian a papal blessing.
The Roaring Lion’s 65-year career began in the early 1930s and some of his better known compositions include Ugly Woman, Mary Ann, Netty Netty, We Come From The Glory, Tic Tic Tic, Man Centipede, J’Ouvert, Papa Chunks and Ms Dorothy. In 1934, Lion and Atilla The Hun, were the first calypsonians to record abroad. In 1986, he released his book Calypso from France to Trinidad: 800 Years of History, which traces the history of the calypso. For his contributions to culture, he was awarded the Humming Bird Medal Silver in 1981 and the Chaconia Medal Gold in 1994.
In a subsequent interview, Msgr Christian Pereira said of the Pope’s visit: “At the time, as parish priest at Laventille/Morvant, our parish took out an advertisement in the Catholic News welcoming the Pope. I remember the rain, the Roaring Lion, the whole liturgy. I especially remember the experience of community at the National Stadium. There was a sense of community and Church in the whole gathering, even through the rain.”
THE VISIT OF HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN II
Roaring Lion (Rafael de Leon)
The visit of His Holiness will ever be,
Indelibly written in our memory;
For His visit will most certainly
Herald a new epoch in our history,
So flash the news around, by telegram and radio
He has visited, the “Land of Calypso”;
Let it be known, we’re proud and glad
To welcome Pope John to Trinidad.
Chorus
So let’s get together, and welcome the Pilgrim Pope,
For He has brought us blessings, expectations and hope,
Chant, the glad tidings, and sing Hallelujah,
Our Lord is gone up, but left us His Vicar here.
He is the living memory of our Lord of all,
Halelujah! Halelujah!
Our Lord is gone up, but left us His Vicar here.
His Holiness John Paul the Pilgrim Pope
Came just when we have lost courage and hope,
We’ve sunken low spiritually
And lost all sense of Christianity,
There is so much maliciousness, wickedness and selfishness,
Our Nation is plagued by sheer lawlessness,
It seems the world is gone mad,
So we need His blessings in Trinidad.
Chorus
The Pope is the living reminder
Of Our Lord’s promise to St. Peter,
And His promise has been fulfilled,
Upon this Rock my Church shall I build,
And unto thee I’ll give the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
Whose sins you forgive, they shall be forgiven,
It’s why we’re proud and glad,
To invoke His blessings in Trinidad.