The sun shone and children's voices echoed throughout the Cathedral on Thursday afternoon for the debut performance of Celebrating Jesus - a musical work by Fr Denis O'Gorman and Barry Hart specially commissioned for the Millennium by Westminster's primary school head teachers.

More than a thousand youngsters aged six to eleven attended. Twelve-foot long banners made by the children hung from the gallery as groups from each school performed scenes from the life of Christ with music and movement.

Eileen Weller, head teacher at St Vincent de Paul's, said: "We wanted to mark this year with something special. This project has really involved all the children, from designing and making the banners and costumes to practising the music and movement. It is a very colourful and visual show."

Maureen Glackin, lay chaplain who worked with the children from Our Lady of Dolours school, said: "The Cathedral was packed with children and they were all so well behaved. It was a great day out for them all and a wonderful opportunity for them to see their Cathedral. We took a walk round and visited the tombs of some of the special people buried there including St John Southwark and Cardinal Hume. At the same time they realised that they are special too."