Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Hark now hear the angels sing…
By Marisa de Silva
Carol services have for decades been a popular tradition in our country. Although most of us attend these services with the idea of enjoying the carols sung, or even singing along, how many of us are aware of the significance or origin of this service? Although many of the services nowadays have been abridged and modified, there are some services that follow the traditional order of service passed down from the late 1800s.

The traditional carol service is the Festival Of Nine Lessons and Carols, created in 1880 at Truro, Cornwall, England by Rev. G. H. S. Walpole, later the Bishop at Edinburgh and Bishop Edward White Benson, later the Archbishop of Canterbury. The first festival was conducted at 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve, 1880, under the conductorship of the Vicar Choral, Rev. Walpole, and the Organist, William Mitchell.

According to A.C. Benson, “My father arranged from ancient sources a little service for Christmas Eve, nine carols and nine tiny lessons, which were read by various officers of the Church, beginning with a chorister, and ending, through the different grades, with the Bishop.”

In 1918, this service was simplified and adapted for use at King’s College, Cambridge. The first service, which was conducted on Christmas Eve, 1918, was created by Very Reverend Eric Milner-White, Dean of King’s College, who after experience as an army chaplain became convinced that the Church of England needed more imaginative worship.

The festival thus spread throughout the world. The heart of the service is the readings; according to Milner-White, “The main theme is the development of the loving purposes of God, seen through the windows and words of the Bible.” The purpose of the carols is to amplify and reinforce the message of the scriptural readings.

The customary service carried out annually at King’s College starts off with the processional hymn, Once In Royal David’s City, the first verse usually sung by a soprano voice. The Bidding Prayer is up next with a carol following straight after. Then begins the first of the nine lessons, which relate the story of salvation, from the time of creation to the birth of Christ, each followed by a hymn or carol (either congregational or choir).

So next time we go for a carol service we can, not only enjoy the décor and the music but, will also be aware of the significance of the Christmas message passed on at the service.

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