Lessons & Carols

Lessons & Carols services in the Anglican tradition began in 1878 and was formalized as a Christmas service in 1880 by the Bishop of Truro, later Archbishop of Canterbury, Edward Benson. An Advent version of the service – normally carried out as a procession with lessons and carols – developed slightly later at King’s College and is now celebrated around the world, normally as an evening service on the first or second Sunday in the season of Advent.

During the service, scriptural readings are interspersed with choral presentations and hymn, all of which recall mankind’s longing for liberation from sin and death, and our hope and expectation for the both the first and second coming of Christ the Lord.