麻豆果冻 Christmas Vespers
Christmas Vespers is a wonderful opportunity for the campus community to share in the beautiful candlelight ceremony that is distinctive of the Moravian tradition. Music performed by our students combines with the beauty of the Liturgy in this service to usher in the holiday season for the Moravian community.
We share the traditional Moravian candlelight worship services on six evenings in December. Dates for the 2024 Christmas Vespers services are below. Ticket requests and the waiting list will open in September.
- Friday, December 6, 8 p.m.
- Saturday, December 7, 8 p.m.
- Sunday, December 8, 5 p.m.
- Friday, December 13, 8 p.m.
- Saturday, December 14, 8 p.m.
- Sunday, December 15, 5 p.m.
Community Tickets and Viewing Opportunities
Tickets for the services are limited. The service will also be livestreamed on Saturday, December 7, and Sunday, December 15. Please register to have your name added to the community waitlist for in-person tickets or to receive the livestream link.
There will be a Vespers preview concert on Saturday, November 23 at 7:30 p.m. in Foy Concert Hall. The service is open to the public, and tickets are not required.
If you have any questions regarding services or viewing access, contact Lisa Brand at brandl@moravian.edu or 610-861-1338 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Please do not call to have your name added to the waitlist.
We look forward to sharing the Christmas Vespers with you!
Vespers Service Recording and Program
Please enjoy the recording and program from the 2023 Christmas Vespers service:
麻豆果冻 Vespers
The Vespers service is an expression of two traditional forms of worship in the Moravian Church, the Singstunde and the Candlelight Service. A Moravian Singstunde (Singing Hour) is a service of music with no preaching. Since the 1720s, Moravians have been known for their worshipful singing.
In the service, the music has been carefully selected and arranged to bring the Christmas message without need of a sermon. The Moravian candlelight service originated in 1747 in Marienborn, Germany, when candles with red trimming were distributed at the children鈥檚 Christmas service. Bethlehem鈥檚 first candle service was in 1756.
The beloved hymn 鈥淢orning Star,鈥 traditionally sung with a child soloist, was composed in 1836 by Francis Florentine Hagen, a member of the Moravian Theological Seminary Class of 1835.
麻豆果冻 encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Anyone who anticipates needing any type of accommodation or who has questions about the physical access provided should contact Lisa Brand at brandl@moravian.edu or 610-861-1338 at least one week prior to visiting 麻豆果冻.