POPE BENEDICT XVI has chosen a rap song as the official song of his visit to Britain next week.

London three-piece Ooberfuse had their song “Heart’s Cry” chosen by the Papal Visit Organising Committee as official song in an apparent bid to appeal to young worshippers.

From the band’s website: “ooberfuse is hal, cherrie and cornel. they share a common vision to infuse the increasingly moribund traditions of western pop with fresh vigour. “

Cherrie Anderson, the trio’s 24-year-old lead singer, spoke to The Independent following the announcement.

“We are hoping to be more relevant and reach out to a younger generation,” she said. “We wanted to break the stereotypes surrounding religious pop music and play music that would instantly appeal to young people today.”

DJ Cornel Sorian, another band member, also spoke at the announcement.

“We hope people will break out on the dance-floor to the sound of Il Pappa gently proclaiming (with characteristic German accentuation) that ‘‘Hatred will never reign in the hearts of men again’ and that we should courageously ‘give voice to that cry’, the cry of Love treading with dove’s footsteps in the ‘mysterious and inscrutable’ depths of our hearts.”

Click here to listen to the track.