When: annually, December 24 and 25.
The term ‘night’ has a broad definition in this case, as it refers to the period from about 9.30pm to about 1.30 am. We are talking about December 24 and December 25 and this is the period between Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. A period during which religious services take centre stage.
Source: Unsplash.
Service in St Peter's Basilica
The best-known Christmas Eve service, actually a Christmas (without a capital letter) is the one held by the Pope in St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Although there were once celebrations there that started at midnight, that is no longer the case. Services start at 10 pm. There was an exception in 2020, when the service started at seven in the evening due to the pandemic-related curfew then in force.
The services are known for the large number of visitors. The churches and other buildings where the services take place are busier than usual.
A mass at Christmas, midnight mass or Christmas Eve service?
What name do you use? A mass at Christmas, a midnight mass or a Christmas service? Simple, you may use all options, as long as you align them with the religious movement. For an Anglican or a Catholic service, you use Christmas (without a capital letter) or Midnight Mass. You don’t use those terms for a Protestant service. Then it is a Christmas Eve service. Unless there is a church service that takes place before midnight. Then there is no night mass or night service. Not even when it takes place in St Peter’s Basilica. It is only called so. So actually it does involve a Christmas Mass. It is just not a midnight mass. It is about an evening mass.
Bron: Unsplash.
Father Christmas
Last but not least, there is something else. On the night of 24-25 December, you might come across Father Christmas. Yes, Father Christmas or Santa Claus. He’s busy delivering presents to some part of the world. So it depends on which part of the world you live in if you’ll receive any presents. Of course, it also depends on whether your behaviour…
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