(CP) The harmonic singing of hymns praising God by the Fiji Olympic athletes, coaches and staff during their worship gatherings in Paris’ Olympic Village has gone viral on social media.
Australian water polo player Matilda Kearns, housed near a constructing hosting teams from the Oceania countries, shared videos on Instagram of the Fijian athletes gathered in worship on a Sunday afternoon.
“Having the very best seat within the Village being next to the Oceania constructing,” she wrote in an Instagram post that has been liked by over 559,000 people. “Still not sick of it!”
Five days earlier, Kearns shared one other video from inside her room listening to the Fiji worship hymns that received over 600,000 likes.
“So beautiful,” she said. “Everyone has come out onto their balconies to hearken to it.”
In the videos, the Fijians are heard singing “Mo Ravi Vei Jisu.” According to Classical FM, the Fijian hymn translates to: “Put your trust into the Lord and he’ll guide your way.”
The people of Fiji, who’re about 64% Christian, reportedly view faith as an important a part of their customs. Singing worship songs is a technique many often engage in worship.
Team Fiji shared a video of the members singing the total song in a July 21 Facebook video.
“Team Fiji singing a hymn during their Sunday Service this afternoon,” the post reads.
In interviews with the media, athletes have reported that they’ve been pleasantly surprised to listen to singing from seven Fijian rugby players early within the morning.
“They are likely to start around 6:30 a.m.,” an Australia team staffer told Reuters. “No one is concerned by it. … It just sounds beautiful.”
The Fijian men’s rugby team made headlines in past years, taking home the gold medals within the 2016 and 2020 Olympic games before taking home the silver medal this yr.
After winning the gold in 2020, the the boys’s rugby sevens team united to sing the hymn “E Da Sa Qaqa.”
“We have overcome, now we have overcome, by the blood of the Lamb, within the Word of the Lord, now we have overcome,” they sang of their native language.
Captain Jerry Tuwai told The Guardian on the time that the team starts with prayers and songs and ends with prayers and songs.
“That song says that our God is a loving God, and that while we all the time are likely to go stray from what He expects from us, He still loves us, and offers us good things,” he said.
