The Annual Christmas Carol Services will return live this December to the Memorial Church Sanctuary for first time since 2019. The 112^th edition of the service will take place Sunday, Dec. 12 at 5:00 p.m., and on Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are sold out. But you can join us virtually. The Sunday afternoon service will also be broadcast live on WHRB 95.3 FM. The Tuesday evening service will be streamed live on YouTube. A voluntary collection following each service will benefit the St. Francis House, homeless shelter in Boston. 

The wellbeing of our community remains our primary commitment. All attendees must be masked. All attendees will be asked to present their Harvard ID at the door, or show proof of vaccination, or show a proof of negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours. In addition, all attendees must attest to their current health status. Thank you for your cooperation.

The Annual Christmas Carol Service, sung by the Harvard University Choir, is America’s oldest carol service. In 1910, the newly appointed University and Choirmaster, Archibald T. Davison, and Plummer Professor of Christian Morals, Edward C. Moore, devised the first annual Christmas Carol Service for Harvard University. The liturgy they prepared has remained virtually unchanged since: three lessons from scripture, interspersed with choral and congregational carols, beginning with “Adeste, fideles” sung in Latin. Over a century later, this service continues to be a cherished part of the festive season for the Harvard and Cambridge communities.