Although Lent, which began on Feb. 22 this year, is traditionally a 40-day period of prayer, reflection and sacrifice in preparation for Easter, it also can be a time of celebration.

Three of those Easter celebrations are coming up through a concert tour by singer Tajci. She and her entourage will be visiting churches in Columbus, Piqua and Lebanon to present Christ’s moving Crucifixion Story through music.

Her current tour, called, “I Thirst — The Crucifixion Story,” takes its name in part from the “I Thirst” album she released in 2004.

Tajci is now based in Cincinnati, where she lives with her husband and three sons.

Her journey

Tajci was named Tatjana Matejas, and grew up in Croatia, which was then part of communist Yugoslavia. By the age of 4, she was singing in her father’s band.

She studied classical piano at the Croatian Music Conservatory and became an overnight sensation at the age of 19 when she performed in the Eurovision Song Contest.

The release of her single “Let’s Go Crazy” happened to coincide with the fall of the Berlin Wall. A pop star was born.

Unfortunately, her subsequent platinum records, adoring fans and media hoopla only made her feel lonely and confused. She decided to escape it all by coming to America when she was 21.

She changed her name and for a while took on menial jobs in New York. She also took lessons in English and studied musical theater.

In her newfound freedom, she started composing new music, but this time it had a spiritual slant.

On a retreat at the Carmelite Sisters house in Los Angeles, she met her future husband, Matthew Cameron.

With his support, she began to sing again — but only as a backup to her testimony. She can now bring her moving story to numerous audiences in nine languages.

On the road

When on tour, Matthew handles all the lighting and the sound at the various venues. All three sons (Dante, Evan and Blais) help set up and tear down tables and equipment when they arrive at a concert site.

Tajci’s tours started out with a donated minivan. That has since turned into a Dodge Sprinter, with loads of room for the kids and the equipment.

The Cincinnati family travels 100 days a year. They even returned to her Croatian homeland for a series of concerts this past year.

The upcoming regional performances will include Denny Bouchard on keyboards and Janel Leppin on western and Indian cello.

A fan testimonial

“I feel like a groupie. I’ve got the ‘(I Thirst) Crucifixion Story’ DVD at home; it’s beautiful,” said Marilyn Himes, a secretary for the past 22 years at Lebanon’s St. Francis de Sales.

“She performed before at our church during Christmas of 2010. They are a very down-to-earth couple; when they come, they bring their three boys.”

CDs for $15 can be purchased online at the http://idobelieve.com (by clicking the store icon). A television concert special DVD filmed in 2004, which includes a documentary about Tajci’s life, costs $25.

Contact contributing writer Pamela Dillon at pamdillon@woh.rr.com.