Lessons & Carols: Joy on the Circle and Around the World

St. John’s Chapel filled with joy, reverence, and ethereal song on Thursday, December 15 as Groton’s favorite Christmas tradition—the Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols—embraced students, faculty, and staff in the spirit of Christmas.

The Reverend Allison Read, Groton School's chaplain, presided at each service, which began after a prelude by the Groton School Chamber Orchestra, directed by Tim Terranella.

An English tradition practiced at Groton School since 1928, Lessons & Carols is so beloved that hundreds tune in to a livestream each year to hear the Christmas readings and the choir’s beautiful carols and hymns. For about ninety minutes, the service slows down the world and encourages reflection on the meaning of Christmas. 

Once again this year (the first time since pre-pandemic), the school presented three Lessons & Carols services: the first, on December 9, was a public service primarily for our neighbors in the town of Groton, while the second, on December 11, welcomed parents and alumni. The final service, for those who live and work on the Circle, is always the most anticipated, for its beauty as well as the fact that it heralds the start of winter vacation.
  
Groton's choir, under the guidance of Choirmaster and Organist Daniel Moriarty, sang traditional hymns and carols, while honorees shared the nine religious readings—the lessons. Among the readers on Thursday night were Headmaster Temba Maqubela; Bill Polk, Groton’s sixth headmaster; College Office Administrator Ryan O’Donnell; and several students, including four form officers, a senior prefect, and a Chapel prefect. Soloists on Thursday included Amelia Barnum ’24, Oliver El Hadj ’24, Afrika Gaye ’24, Ebunoluwa Lawore ’24, Maya Luthi ’23, William Vrattos ’23, and Elizabeth Wolfram ’23. At the December 9 service, soloists were Christina Chen '23, Anders Caspersen '25, and Samuel Winkler '23, as well as Elizabeth, Amelia, Maya, and Ebunoluwa. Soloists on December 11 were Ava Bridges '24, Afrika, Oliver, William, Amelia, Ebunoluwa, and Anders.

Readers at the December 9 public service included several members of the nearby community, including Groton Chief of Police Michael Luth; the chair of the town’s Diversity Task Force, Raquel Majeski; Robert Pine, a trustee of the Groton Conservation Trust; the Reverend Sean Maher of the St. J’s Collaborative of Our Lady of Grace and Saint John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Parishes; and Lawrence Academy Head of School Daniel Scheibe. 
 
Groton School wishes a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season to all!

Watch the Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols