{"id":2188,"date":"2022-12-15T12:50:42","date_gmt":"2022-12-15T17:50:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/?p=2188"},"modified":"2024-11-14T12:46:39","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T17:46:39","slug":"silent-night-holy-night-midnight-mass-celebrations-around-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/silent-night-holy-night-midnight-mass-celebrations-around-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Silent Night, Holy Night – Midnight Mass Celebrations Around the World"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Christmas season is the most joyous time of the year for millions of people around the world. Whether it be singing carols or decorating Christmas trees, Christmas has a way of bringing out the best in people and reminding everyone what it felt like to be a child again.<\/p>\n

But, while Santa Claus and the exchange of presents are important parts of this tradition, Christians throughout the world know very well that the very essence of the holidays is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

And one of the most moving ways to celebrate the birth of Jesus is by attending the traditional Midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Worshippers typically gather after a night of holiday festivities to remind themselves of what all the celebration is really for.<\/p>\n

What’s more, midnight mass on Christmas Eve is celebrated throughout the world. Here are some of the most iconic, inspiring, and reverent midnight mass celebrations around the world.<\/p>\n

St. Peter’s Basilica — Rome<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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The most popular choice for midnight mass in Rome is St. Peter\u2019s Basilica.<\/a> The mass is led by none other than the Pope himself. Which makes complete sense, since Rome has been the heart of the Catholic Church for nearly two millennia, making it one of the most desirable locations for travelers interested in attending a midnight mass on Christmas Eve.<\/p>\n

The Christmas season in the Eternal City begins in earnest on December 8, which marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Residents of the city celebrate the arrival of the Christmas season by singing carols in the streets with the accompaniment of flutists and bagpipers. On Christmas Eve night, the city prepares for the arrival of the baby Jesus by sitting down with family and friends for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, a traditional seafood dinner that has become synonymous with Italian Christmas celebrations.<\/p>\n

While entry into the basilica requires a special ticket, thousands gather in the square outside to watch the solemn ceremony on projectors. Those who cannot get a ticket can still enjoy the pope\u2019s blessing — known as Urbi et Orbi<\/em> — the following day, when he addresses the faithful from one of the Vatican\u2019s balconies at noon.<\/p>\n

Church of the Nativity — Bethlehem
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Travelers hoping to experience the wonder of Jesus\u2019s birth from the spot where it supposedly happened can visit the Church of the Nativity<\/a> in Bethlehem. The site is the oldest church in the Holy Land. The first basilica on this site was built by the Emperor Constantine in 327 CE. Midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity is celebrated by the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, who heads the Catholic Church in the Holy Land.\u00a0Along with the mass, visitors to the Church of the Nativity can also descend to the caves below the basilica to visit the Grotto of the Nativity, an altar that purportedly marks the very place Mary gave birth to Jesus with a 14-point star.<\/p>\n

Basilica of Santa Mar\u00eda del Mar — Barcelona<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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The basilica of Santa Mar\u00eda del Mar<\/a> in Barcelona offers a Christmas Eve mass like no other. Built in the 14th century, the basilica is the most impressive example of Catalan Gothic style in the world. The church\u2019s beauty is highlighted by an immense vaulted ceiling, an architectural element that adds to the solemnity of the Christmas Eve celebration and amplifies the musical elements.<\/p>\n

Santa Mar\u00eda del Mar\u2019s midnight mass begins with “El Cant de Sibilla,” a Gregorian chant that has been performed at the basilica during Christmas Eve masses since the medieval era. The chant tells of the end of the world and the promise of salvation that awaits the faithful. The basilica\u2019s midnight mass is known as la Misa de Gallo, which translates to “the mass of the rooster.” This name is part of a larger legend in Spain relating to the birth of Christ: legend has it, a rooster was the first animal to learn of Jesus\u2019s birth and announce his arrival.<\/p>\n

Numerous Locations — The Philippines<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Christmas Eve ceremonies in the Philippines are the pinnacle of a months-long celebration to mark the birth of Christ. Christmas decorations start going up in September in many locales in the Philippines, making it one of the most festive countries in the world. Churches in the nation start their official celebrations far later, however, on December 16. In a tradition known as Simbang Gabi<\/a><\/em>, or “night mass,” the faithful attend services from 3 A.M. to 5 A.M. from December 16 to Christmas Eve. After midnight mass, congregants enjoy the Nochebuena feast, a meal that consists of ham and queso de bola<\/em>, a ball of cheese coated in red wax. Along with Simbang Gabi<\/em>, the Philippines embraces a plethora of other traditions that mark the lead-up to Christmas, including caroling and reenacting parts of Jesus\u2019s Nativity.<\/p>\n

Westminster Abbey — London<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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London\u2019s Westminster Abbey<\/a> is one of the most revered buildings in the United Kingdom. The choice venue for royal weddings, coronations, and funerals, the iconic church is steeped in history. It’s also the burial ground for many of England\u2019s greatest monarchs (Edward the Confessor, Elizabeth I, Edward V, Anne of Cleves) and most venerated citizens (Charles Darwin, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens, Geoffrey Chaucer). Visitors to Westminster Abbey can feel this sense of history in its Christmas Eve midnight mass as well, which the abbey refers to as the “Sung Eucharist of Christmas night.”<\/p>\n

As can be gleaned from the title of the mass, the abbey\u2019s choir is by the far the biggest draw for visitors at Westminster Abbey on Christmas Eve. In years past, the choir has entered in a solemn procession to the hymn \u201cO Come, All Ye Faithful,\u201d after which a priest blesses the church\u2019s Nativity scene. In truly one of the most spiritually uplifting ceremonies in Britain, approximately 12,000 worshippers gather for the church\u2019s midnight mass.<\/p>\n

You may also like: <\/strong>From Darkness to Light! 5 Winter Solstice Celebrations Around the World<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

St. Patrick’s Cathedral — New York City<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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Christmas is one of the most special times in New York City, and the solemnity of the occasion is reflected in St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral<\/a>, the very heart of the city’s Catholic community. Throughout the seasons of Advent and Christmas, St. Patrick\u2019s is adorned with some of the most festive decorations in the city, ranging from wreaths to Nativity scenes to a full mockup of the city of Bethlehem. In years past, the cathedral has also put on Christmas concerts throughout the season with full choirs and beautiful organ performances.<\/p>\n

The celebration of the birth of Christ culminates in midnight mass on Christmas Eve, an event that is led by the archbishop of New York. Due to the high-demand nature of the mass, the cathedral also streams its midnight service online for all to see. Before the mass, those flying to New York City<\/a> for the holiday season can check out the Christmas wonderland that can be found in department store window displays on Fifth Avenue or pose for a photo in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, which is directly across the street from St. Patrick\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Hallgrimskirkja — Reykjavik<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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One of the most striking buildings in all of Iceland — in all the world, really — Hallgrimskirkja<\/a> should be a priority to anyone interested in heading to Iceland<\/a> for the holidays. A stunning chapel, serving Reykjavik\u2019s Lutheran community, Hallgrimskirkja is only 36 years old and features elements of both minimalist and Neo-Gothic architecture. At 246 feet tall, it’s also one of the tallest buildings in Iceland, proudly dominating the skyline around the capital of Reykjavik. Midnight mass at Hallgrimskirkja is celebrated with Christmas carols performed by the cathedral\u2019s choir and the recitation of passages from the Bible relating to Jesus\u2019s birth.<\/p>\n

The cathedral further embraces the joy of the Christmas season with concerts in the days leading up to and following the holiday. A special feature of these concerts is the cathedral’s organ, which is the largest musical instrument in the country. Visitors should also consider taking the elevator to the cathedral\u2019s top spire for a panoramic view of Reykjavik.<\/p>\n

Do you have a favorite midnight mass that you love to attend? Tell us about it in the comments below! <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Christmas season is the most joyous time of the year for millions of people around the world. Whether it be singing carols or decorating Christmas trees, Christmas has a way of bringing out the best in people and reminding everyone what it felt like to be a child again. But, while Santa Claus and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":2215,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[84,101,102,4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2188","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-destinations","8":"category-holiday-travel","9":"category-international-travel","10":"category-travel-inspiration"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2188"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6925,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188\/revisions\/6925"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2215"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.ca\/getting-there\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}