The very popular Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols take place in the Cathedral on Sunday (22nd December) and on Tuesday next (Christmas Eve) at 4.00pm. With the restoration of the historic Cathedral Organ now complete, this year’s renditions of the wide range of choir carols alongside the usual well known Christmas hymns and carols sung by all present, promise to be particularly spectacular. Both services begin at 4pm sharp. Early arrival is advised both for the purpose of obtaining a good seat and to allow the services to begin uninterrupted.
Christmas day services begin on a quieter note with a said Eucharist at 8.00am with the principal celebration being the Blessing of the Crib, Lighting of the Christmas Candle and Festival Choral Eucharist at 11.15am. As is customary on Christmas Day the celebrant and preacher will be the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Revd Dr Paul Colton.
The musical setting will be Joseph Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai and the communion motet will be Harold Darke’s setting of In the Bleak Mid-winter. The Organ Voluntary at the end of the service will be the spectacular Final from Symphony no. 6, op. 42/2 by Charles-Marie Widor.