Since 1909, Trinity Church has annually hosted “Candlelight Carols” during the weekend before Christmas Eve.  A favorite tradition of the New England season and of our parish family, this year’s opening night will be Saturday, December 19, at 5:30 pm via FacebookLive and through Vimeo at our parish website.

Intending to share this treasured event with the whole city in a new way, we are pleased to welcome the Boston City Singers, conducted by Jane Money and Matthew Leese, to join the program, along with our Trinity Church Choirs and Choristers.

Moreover, our debut evening will begin from Copley Square with the lighting of Trinity Church, specially decked for this year.  We have commissioned local artist Steve Rose, of Boston Ice Effects, to create a life-sized nativity scene.  Located near the Phillips Brooks statue, this ice sculpture will stand as a loving homage to the celebrations of First Night that we and so many will miss as the calendar turns from this pandemic year.

That happy evening, we will also debut our West Porch twinkling with lights; a grove of Christmas trees enlivening a festive tableau in the Narthex; the sights and sounds of Candlelight Carols playing on the tableau’s screens and airing through speakers facing the Square; all with seasonal greenery and poinsettias framing our historic space’s center aisle, altar, and chancel crèche.

These features will comprise our “Candlelight Carols & Christmas Peek,” a program that will then continue most evenings from 4:30-7:40 p.m, through Wednesday, January 6 (the Feast of the Epiphany) and including Christmas Eve.  On December 19 and during the showings that follow, the main, West Doors will be opened to reveal the glassed nook’s “peek” into all these glad signs of the season. As though enjoying a decorated shop window of old, we hope these scenes will frame a joyful selfie, inspire a Christmas prayer, rouse a family outing, and offer a glimpse of God’s glory – all by the safest possible means.

We ask all to remain masked, to socially distance, and to keep any queue moving. There is no need to make a reservation to join in this joy!  And, beginning December 19, we will share a livestream link to see, from the inside, out, who is taking a peek into Trinity. This link can be found here.