Midnight Mass

In many

Holy Communion.^{[citation needed}

History

The tradition of a midnight

By the twelfth century, the practice of midnight Mass had become more widespread as all priests had been granted the faculty of celebrating three Masses on Christmas Day (previously reserved to the Pope), provided the three different propers were celebrated at their appropriate times of midnight, dawn and day.[1]

Traditions

Advent Wreath is traditionally completed with the lighting of the Christ Candle in many church services

.

Roman Catholics have traditionally celebrated Midnight Mass with church services beginning at midnight. Since 2009 the Vatican has conducted a liturgically similar Christmas Eve Mass earlier in the day, first at 10:00 pm,^[2]

designated a Mass during the Night, then subsequently earlier in the evening.

In Splendoribus Sanctorum is used for the Communion chant during traditional Catholic midnight mass.

Lutheranism

Lutherans often observe Midnight Mass in addition to Christmas Vespers and Matins

. In his famous work, Cérémonies et coutumes religieuses de tous les peuples du monde, Bernard Picart describes the Lutheran Midnight Mass:

In some Lutheran Countries, the People go to Church on the Night of the Nativity of our Blessed Saviour with lighted Candles, or Wax-Tapers in their Hands. The Faithful who are met together in the Church, spend the whole Night there in singing, and saying their Prayers by the Light of them. Sometimes they burn such a large Quantity of Incense, that the Smoke thereof ascends in the Form of a Whirlwind, and their Devotees may properly enough be said to be wrapt up in it.[3]

Anglicanism

Churches of the Anglican Communion also traditionally celebrate Midnight Communion for Christmas at 11 or 11:30 pm.

Methodism

church bells

when the stroke of midnight is reached.

Presbyterianism

The Church of Scotland observes a service just before midnight which involves the singing of carols, although it does not include Mass and is called a watchnight service (held elsewhere on New Year's Eve).

Eastern Christian traditions

While Midnight Mass is not observed in Eastern traditions,

All-Night Vigil is common on Christmas Eve and involves the celebration of Matins, the hour

which is traditionally observed at midnight.

References

^ ^a ^b "The Tradition of Midnight Mass". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2016-12-21.
^ Rome, Nick Squires in (7 December 2009). "Pope to hold Midnight Mass at 10 pm".
^ The Ceremonies and Religious Customs of the Various Nations of the Known World with Additions and Remarks Omitted by the French Author, London: 1741, p. 511

[aquinasandmore.com-1] "The Tradition of Midnight Mass". Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2016-12-21.

[2] Rome, Nick Squires in (7 December 2009). "Pope to hold Midnight Mass at 10 pm".

[3] The Ceremonies and Religious Customs of the Various Nations of the Known World with Additions and Remarks Omitted by the French Author, London: 1741, p. 511

[1]

[2]