If you’re in London over Christmas and want to get into the meaning of the season, at least before the pubs open, here are some of the major churches in central London and the services that they are having on Christmas Day.
Westminster Abbey On Christmas Eve at 11.30pm there’s a First Eucharist of Christmas & Blessing of the Crib. On Christmas Day the sevices are 8am Holy Communion (said), 10.30am Sung Eucharist, 3pm Festal Evensong. Located right across from the Houses of Parliament.
Westminster Cathedral (Roman Catholic) There’s a Vigil and Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve starting at 11.30pm. On Christmas Day the schedule of services is 8am Mass, 9am Mass with Carols, 10am Morning Prayer, 10.30am Solemn Mass, 12pm Sung Mass with Carols, 3.30pm Solemn Vespers and Benediction. The Cathedral Choir will sing at the 10.30 and 3.30 services. Westminster Cathedral is on Victoria Street, just around the corner from Victoria Station. Its set back from the road but you can’t miss it, its an original looking building with a large, orange bricked tower on the left hand side.
St Paul’s Cathedral Christmas Day 8am Holy Communion, 8.45am Mattins, 11am Sung Eucharist, Christmas Carols will be sung by the Cathedral Choir, the preacher will be the Bishop of London, 3.15pm Festal Evensong and Procession, a traditional service of seasonal music, readings, and Christmas carols. All are welcome to attend the day’s services. St Paul’s is at the top of Ludgate Hill in the City of London.
St Martin-in-the-Fields Situated in the north east corner of Trafalgar Square, you can’t miss it, its the building with the colonnaded facade and tall single spire with the blue clock faces. A unique church in that it holds regular services in English, Mandarin and Cantonese, its not far from Gerrard Street and Chinatown. On Christmas Eve they have a Midnight Mass starting at 11.30pm. On Christmas Day there’s Eucharist at 10.30am followed by a Communion Service in Mandarin & Cantonese at 2.15pm.
Southwark Cathedral Anglican church that’s close to the river on the southern side of London Bridge. They have a Christmas Eve Midnight Mass by Candlelight taken by the Bishop of Southwark(if he’s sobered up) starting at 11.30pm. The Christmas Day services are 8.45am Morning Prayer, 9am Eucharist with Carols, 11am Choral Eucharist.
Remember if you’re thinking about going to any of these services that there’s no public transport running on Christmas Day, so its drive yourself, try and get a cab or Shanks’ pony.
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