A vast, gorgeous, brightly-lit Christmas tree sits at Davison Hall, signaling the start of one of Saint Anselm College’s one of the most highly anticipated times of the year. In a whirlwind of seasonal events such as their charitable program, Christmas Giving Tree Project to their annual Gingerbread Decorating Contest, it is no wonder that collegemagazine.com hailed Saint Anselm College as the top college with Christmas spirit. Adorned in Christmas wreaths and a variety of festive decorations strewn up by students and staff alike, Saint Anselm College revels in this exciting and joyful season. Click here for more on Saint Anselm College located in Manchester, New Hampshire and follow them on Facebook.

Also a time of contemplation and community in the Benedictine tradition, the community, students, colleagues, and alumni cherish gathering each year at The Abbey Church to celebrate DecemberSong, a free event by candlelight, at the start of the advent season. Featuring the Saint Anselm Abbey Choir, this year’s DecemberSong service took place on a peaceful, clear, and chilly Saturday evening on December 3 at Saint Anselm Abbey Church, 100 Saint Anselm College Drive in Manchester, Massachusetts at 7:30 p.m.

Brick laden and adorned with an amber jeweled cross floating aloft the altar, the Abbey Church offers a warmth and subtlety in its surroundings. Overhead is a domed, carefully detailed acoustic ceiling that gathers light and reverberates sound.   A full house greeted the Saint Anselm Abbey Choir when they entered the church dressed in black in white, each carrying a single lit candle. Their voices lift and resonate, greeting the church with Bach’s Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme.   What followed was an evening of well known advent songs such as O Come, O Come, Emmanuel and Ave Maria, traditional Christmas songs such as The First Noel and Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, and in between inspirational readings, prayer, and sacred scriptures shared by candlelight. Readings included A Christmas Hymn by Martin Luther, advent hymns, and Susan Cherwien meditations. Led by Director of Liturgical music Eric J. Bermani and accompanied by Brother Andrew Thornton, DecemberSong published the words and music of the evening’s songs to encourage audience participation.

First envisioned by Director Emeritus of the Choir, Father Bede Camera O.S.B, this year marks DecemberSong’s 18^th year and the Saint Anselm Abbey Choir will celebrate their 30^th anniversary in 2017. Click here for further information about the Saint Anselm College Choir.