St Paul's Christmas Carols & Services

Few places are better for traditional Christmas services and carols than St Paul's, the spiritual home of Great Britain. To meet the increasing demand, this year St Paul's hosts a series of concerts throughout the month of December peaking with the excessively popular Midnight Mass service and carol concert. St Christopher Wren's great dome, which dominates much of the City, fills with the sound of the Cathedral Choir for a large part of the month and the most special services and concerts are free and available to all. The cathedral formed the centrepiece of the reconstruction of London after the Great Fire of 1666 and miraculously went on to survive the Blitz in World War Two when most of the surrounding area was flattened by German bombing raids. It consequently acted as an inspirational symbol of British strength in the nation's darkest hour and is now an icon of resurrection and rebirth - a potent symbol of all that is associated with Christmas. The festive season kicks off with the dramatic Advent Procession on the last Sunday of November, with words and music focusing on the theme of life and death, heaven and hell, time and eternity, judgement and healing.
 
Full programme
Sun 27 Nov & Mon 28 Nov, 6pm: The Advent Procession
Wed 7 Dec, 6.30pm:
Handel's Messiah
Fri 9 Dec, 6.30pm: Sankta Lucia
Sat 10 Dec, 5pm: Ceremony
of Carols by Benjamin Britten
Thu 15 Dec, 6.30pm: Celebration of
Christmas
Sun 18 Dec, 6pm: La Natavite du Seigneur by Olicier Messiaen
Fri
23 Dec, 4pm: Christmas Carol Service
Sat 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 4pm:
Christmas Carol Service
Sat 24 Dec, Christmas Eve, 11.30pm: Midnight Mass
Sun 25 Dec, Christmas Day, 11am: Sung Eucharist
Sun 25 Dec, Christmas
Day, 3.15pm: Festal Evensong
Mon 26 Dec, 5pm: Music and Readings for
Christmas
Tues 27 Dec, 5pm: Music and Readings for Christmas

You are encouraged to arrive early to the afternoon of Christmas Eve and the Midnight Eucharist. Services and events are open to all, free and un-ticketed (except Messiah, for which you must apply for free tickets in advance). For more information please visit www.stpauls.co.uk.