Cathedral Basilica continues beloved caroling tradition in December
Each year, eager crowds fill the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ, for a series of holiday carol concerts that celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the spirit of the Christmas season.
That beloved tradition will continue when the Cathedral Basilica’s Spanish and Children’s Choirs lead the 18th Annual Navidad Latina on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 8 p.m. The evening of Latin American and Spanish Christmas carols will also include guitars, flutes, and percussion instruments, along with a children’s Nativity scene.
The following week, on Wednesday, Dec. 17, and Thursday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. the Archdiocese of Newark will host the 54th Annual Carol Sing. The concerts feature Christmas carols performed by the Cathedral Choir, accompanied by organ and an instrumental ensemble. One highlight of the evenings will be the performance of Silent Night, during which more than a thousand candles will illuminate the cathedral.
Attendees of the events, part of the Cathedral Concert Series, will find themselves transported not only by the beauty of the music but also by the magnificence of the cathedral basilica itself.
Folk songs, sacred music, and a snowstorm
The tradition of caroling has a rich history, with roots in Jewish religious custom and early Christian services. Folk songs and dances also contributed to the development of Christmas carols, which, over time, integrated secular and sacred music in “caroles” performed during religious processions and medieval mystery plays.
It was during the 18th and 19th centuries that Christmas caroling assumed its present-day form. Most of the traditional carols and Christmas hymns we sing today come from this period.
The caroling events at Newark’s cathedral basilica began in 1969, when a snowstorm prevented the organist from attending a holiday recital. John Rose, then the cathedral’s music director, led the disappointed crowd in an impromptu carol sing-along. It proved a big success. The first official Candlelight Carol Sing was held the following year.
The cathedral’s first Navidad Latina, featuring Latin American villancicos—Spanish Christmas carols—was held almost two decades ago.
All the caroling events are free to attend, with free-will offerings gratefully accepted. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early due to limited seating.
The events will also be livestreamed:
To view the livestream of the Navidad Latina on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m., click HERE.
To view the livestream of the Candlelight Carol Sing on Dec. 18 at 8 p.m., click HERE.
For more information, visit cathedralbasilica.org.
Featured image: The Cathedral Choir performs Silent Night during the 53rd Candlelight Candle Sing in 2024. (Photo by Julio Eduardo Herrera / Archdiocese of Newark)
