A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Join with family and friends for a festive evening of traditional English carols, anthems, and readings at Helsinki Cathedral.

The format of this service is based on an order drawn up by Edward Benson, later Archbishop of Canterbury but at that time Bishop of Truro, for use on Christmas Eve, 1880. Tradition says that he organized a 10 p.m. service in a wooden shed which then served as his cathedral in Truro and that the purpose of the service was to keep men out of the pubs!
The original liturgy has since been adapted and used by other churches all over the world. Numerous Christian denominations have adopted this service, or a variation of this service, as part of their Christmas celebrations. In Finland, this would be ‘Kauneimmat joululaulut’.

The best-known version, of course, is the annual broadcast from King’s College, Cambridge! The service follows that same order which can also be found in Common Worship: Times and Seasons of the Church of England. The tradition of this Festival in Helsinki by the Anglican Church in Finland dates back, at least, to the 1960s.

The service is led by The Rev’d Maria Obafemi-Onuigbo,  Chaplain of St Nicholas’ Anglican Church in Helsinki.
The Service is sung by St Nicholas Chamber Choir with the children’s choir of the International School of Music, conducted by Erik Johannes Riekko.