In the run up to Christmas, St Paul’s will be hosting a number of special services and events ranging from candlelit processions and charity concerts to celebrity readings and family carols.
Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Very Revd Andrew Tremlett, commented:
“As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, St Paul’s will be welcoming all those across London, the UK and the world to join us in prayer and song. Our upcoming services and events will bring together people from different communities, areas and backgrounds, unified by our profound love of God.
“We hope our jubilant services will fill people’s hearts with the spirit of Christmas, inspiring generosity and kindness and reminding us all of the love shown by Jesus, and the importance of passing this love onto others.”
Throughout the festive period, the Cathedral will be working with charities to celebrate some of the fantastic volunteers and charitable organisations across London and the UK. These include Maggie’s, a charity for cancer patients, JDRF, the type 1 diabetes charity, the Prince’s Trust, which provides support for young people, and the Royal Osteoporosis Society. Concerts in support of these organisations will feature special guests including Dame Joanna Lumley DBE, as well as festive readings from Nick Knowles, Susan Hampshire CBE, Diana Moran BEM and Dr Amir Khan. This will be coupled with a solo musical performance from the cellist, Sheku Kanneh-Mason, as well as other renowned musicians, with Michael Chance, founder and Artistic Director of the Grange Festival, working with the Cathedral to arrange this.
The world-famous St Paul’s choir will be performing to audiences throughout Christmas, re-telling the life of Christ through Handel’s Messiah, whilst the Cathedral choristers will be singing Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, written on his sea voyage from the US to England in 1942.
The special services will also bring together communities from across London, with the annual Swedish Christmas service, the Sankta Lucia Carol Concert, involving a candlelit procession from members of the Swedish Church in London with music from the choirs of both churches.
As Christmas edges closer, the Cathedral will host its ‘Joy to the World!’ service, involving the Blessing of the Crib and the Lighting of the Christmas Trees, given to the Cathedral by the royal family. On Christmas Day, St Paul’s will be holding two services, both of which will be free and unticketed. In the morning, there will be the Choral Eucharist, the principal service of Christmas Day with carols for the Choir and congregation, whilst in the afternoon the Festal Evensong will take place, sung by the St Paul’s Cathedral Choir.
The Dean added:
“I would like to thank all those who are taking part and have arranged for these special services to take place, which I hope will bring joy to all those attending.”
With the number of attendees expected to be at extremely high levels this year, the Cathedral will be ticketing some of these events
