The harmonic singing of hymns by Fiji's Olympic athletes, coaches, and staff during their worship gatherings in Paris' Olympic Village has captured hearts worldwide, going viral on social media. Australian water polo player Matilda Kearns, who was housed near the Oceania teams' building, shared the moving scenes on Instagram, showing the Fijian athletes gathered in worship on a Sunday afternoon.
"Having the best seat in the Village being next to the Oceania building," Kearns wrote in a post that has now been liked by over 559,000 people. "Still not sick of it!"
Just five days earlier, Kearns posted another video from inside her room, listening to the Fijian worship hymns, which garnered over 600,000 likes. "So beautiful," she commented. "Everyone has come out onto their balconies to listen to it."
In the videos, the Fijian athletes can be heard singing the hymn "Mo Ravi Vei Jisu." According to Classical FM, the hymn translates to: "Put your trust into the Lord, and He will guide your way."
In Fiji, where approximately 64% of the population identifies as Christian, faith plays a crucial role in their customs. Singing worship songs is a deeply ingrained way for many Fijians to engage in worship.
On July 21, Team Fiji shared a video of their members singing the full hymn during their Sunday service. "Team Fiji singing a hymn during their Sunday Service this afternoon," the post read.
Athletes have shared with the media how they have been pleasantly surprised by the early morning hymns sung by seven Fijian rugby players. "They tend to start around 6:30 a.m.," an Australian team staffer told Reuters. "No one is bothered by it. ... It just sounds beautiful."
The Fijian men's rugby team, known for their strong performances in past Olympics, secured gold medals in the 2016 and 2020 games, and this year earned the silver medal. After their 2020 victory, the men's rugby sevens team gathered to sing the hymn "E Da Sa Qaqa."
"We have overcome, we have overcome, by the blood of the Lamb, in the Word of the Lord, we have overcome," they sang in their native language.
At the time, Captain Jerry Tuwai shared with The Guardian that the team begins and ends their day with prayers and songs. "That song says that our God is a loving God, and that while we always tend to go astray from what He expects from us, He still loves us, and gives us good things," he explained.
