This evening I attended the University of St Andrews Christmas Carol Service. At 7 pm Katherine, Rebecca and I queued up outside of Holy Trinity Church (the city of St Andrews' parish church) in below-freezing temperatures in order to get good seats (Rebecca was adamant: 'in the middle without a pillar'). The service wasn't set to begin until 8, but already there was a line forming outside of the medieval building. They let us into the church around 7:15, and from that moment right up until the service started at 8, people--the vast majority of whom were University students--poured into the church. By 7:45, it was practically standing room only, as roughly 1500 students, staff and townspeople filled the pews and transepts. The air was filled with excitement, expectation, and merriment. The scarlet undergraduate gowns worn by a large portion of the students lent to the atmosphere of festivities, as did the ball gowns, tuxedos, and formal kilts sported by those students who were headed off to the Christmas Ball after the service. There were people in their Sunday best, and students wearing jeans. I even saw a student with a mohawk in attendance.
I remarked to my friends that you wouldn't see such a sight as this at an American university, unless it was a Christian school. Not only did the secular University sanction this event as a significant event on the academic calendar, the authorities took an active part in the service. The University Choir sang and the University Organist (when your institution in 600 years old, you have such a position!) conducted the singing. And the Principal/Vice Chancellor (President) read the First Chapter of John (which also happens to be my favorite passage). I guess it is difficult to argue with 600 years of tradition!
The University even filmed the service in order to post it on the University's website. I was hoping to post the link at the bottom of this post, but it isn't up yet. As soon as they upload it, I will post it here. Since the service ran for an hour and a half, I'm not suggesting that you watch the whole thing, just the first carol, it will give you a sense of the event!
It was a beautiful service in which the Gospel was preached by the reading of Scripture, the prayers of the Honorary Chaplain, and the message of the University Chaplain. And over 1000 students, many of whom would never willing set foot in a church under normal circumstances, freely chose to listen and take part. They had even come early and waited outside in the cold!
We sang a number of familiar Christmas carols and some familiar carols to different or unfamiliar tunes (We sang 'Angels From the Realms of Glory' to the tune of 'Angels We Have Heard On High'). Every British carol service, I have been told, opens with 'Once In Royal David's City', which, two Christmases ago was new to me, but has since become a favorite. We also sang 'O Come All Ye Faithful'. In Latin. It was beautiful! (The title of this post is from the verse which is loosely translated as 'Sing choirs of Angels, sing in exaltation')
The cords of the organ reverberated to the rafters, the strains of the brass quartet echoed through the nave, and the voices, over one thousand strong, lustily filled the evening with the message of Hope and Salvation, and the Redeemer born in a stable.
Happy Christmas!
