Festival of Advent Lessons & Carols shares the story of salvation
Embracing an Advent tradition that dates to 19th-century England, several parishes in the Diocese of Portland presented the Festival of Lessons and Carols during the weekend of December 13-15.
The festival combines hymns with nine readings from Scripture to tell the story of salvation, beginning with Creation in the Book of Genesis and continuing through Jesus’ mandate in the Gospel of Matthew to “Go, therefore, and make disciples.”
“I think Scripture and sacred music are so central to our worship, and to join sacred text to music is the best way to prepare for Christ, who is the Incarnate Word,” said Bridgette Wargovich, director of sacred music at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland.
Along with the cathedral, parishes that offered the Festival of Lessons & Carols include the Parish of the Holy Eucharist in Falmouth, the Parish of the Resurrection of the Lord in Old Town, Prince of Peace Parish in Lewiston, St. John Paul II Parish in Scarborough, and St. Matthew Parish in Limerick. Performances hosted by St. Rose of Lima Parish in Jay and St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish, Sanford, are upcoming on December 20 and December 22, respectively.
At the cathedral, Wargovich said the scholas and choir have been preparing since October for the festival, extending regular rehearsal time by a half hour to master the musical pieces included.
She said she selected the hymns for the festival by doing a lot of exploration and by using the experience she gained singing at the Festival of Lessons & Carols held at Saint John’s Seminary in Boston, Massachusetts.
“It was lot of exploring and listening to different Advent and Christmas soundtracks and seeing what other people were doing, considering what will best showcase the choir, and then looking at the readings and seeing how can I weave these pieces into the readings,” she said.
Both familiar and lesser known hymns were performed by the cathedral choirs and schola, including, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “Once in Royal David’s City,” “Adam Lay Ybounden,” “O Radiant Dawn,” and “Ave Maria,” among 13 others.
The festival at the cathedral opened and closed with prayers by Bishop James Ruggieri. Also in attendance was Bishop Emeritus Robert Deeley. The readings were shared by seminarians Deacon Hoa Tien Nguyen, Nicholas Hershbine, and Vinh Nguyen.
History of the Festival of Lessons & Carols
The Festival of Advent Lessons & Carols originated in Cornwall, England, in the late 19th century. The Bishop of Truro, seeking to draw people out of the pubs and to refocus their attention on the true meaning of the season, came up with the idea of combining Christmas music with Scripture readings. The first “Nine Lessons and Carols” was held on Christmas Eve 1880 in a temporary wooden structure because the cathedral was still under construction. The popularity of the service spread throughout the Church of England as well as Catholic churches in England, Wales, and beyond.
Upcoming Opportunities
St. Rose of Lima Parish in Jay will present the Festival of Lessons and Carols on Friday, December 20, at 6 p.m. at St. Rose of Lima Church, 1 Church Street in Jay.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish in Sanford will present the festival on December 22 at 2 p.m. at Holy Family Church, 66 North Avenue in Sanford.
