Popera singer Lim Hyung-joo to perform at pre-Mass event in Ulaanbaatar

South Korean popera tenor Lim Hyung-joo will perform at a pre-event for the Mass that will be led by Pope Francis in Ulaanbaatar on Sunday, according to his agency, DGN COM, and the local Catholic community.

They said Thursday that Lim will sing three songs — “Ave Maria,” “You Raise Me Up” and “Panis Angelicus” — to close the event at Steppe Arena. Before him, a Mongolian traditional performance group and a Vietnamese traditional dance troupe will perform.

Lim, a Catholic himself, was reportedly invited to the event as a musician representing South Korea.

He is also known for his extensive contributions to world peacekeeping activities and various charitable endeavors.

In recognition of these efforts, he became the first South Korean to receive the United Nations Peace Medal in December 2010 and currently serves as a UNESCO goodwill ambassador.

Pope Francis will visit Mongolia from Thursday to Monday to become the first pope ever to visit a country where Catholics are a minority. Mongolia, with a population of around 3.3 million, has approximately 1,450 Catholic followers.

“This is the greatest honor in my 25-year musical career,” Lim told Yonhap News Agency. “As a Catholic, I will share and serve more in the future.”