It’s not often a priest steals the show at a wedding.
But that’s what happened to couple Chris and Leah O’Kane when they were recently married at the Oldcastle church in Meath, Ireland, by Father Ray Kelly who broke into an incredible custom-made cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.”
The online viral video shows Kelly sing as the couple prepares to walk down the aisle. Their friends and family are stunned as the priest belts out lyrics such as, “As Leah is walking up the aisle and Chris looks on and gives a smile” and “They join their hands to show their love and say those most important words I knew-yaaaa … Hallelujah … Hallelujah …”
The priest is very serious with the song and it’s not until after almost two minutes pass that he glances at the couple and cracks a quick smile.
Kelly told BBC Radio the couple had no idea what to expect. The couple is not from the area and chose the church because the reception was nearby, he said.
“We had the rehearsal on Thursday evening and at the end I said, ‘Sure, maybe I’ll sing a song for you myself.’ Leah grinned and said, ‘OK, sure,’ but I don’t think she was taking it too seriously.”
The clergyman said he is a trained singer and is working on his third album.
“I enjoy singing, but I wouldn’t want to do it full time — I love what I’m doing as a priest,” he said. “The way I look at it is, it’s a gift one has, and if you have a gift you use it.”
jlandau@nydailynews.com Follow on Twitter @joelzlandau
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