Moravian University Christmas Vespers
Christmas Vespers is a wonderful opportunity for the campus community to share in the beautiful candlelight ceremony that is distinctive of the Moravian tradition. Music performed by our students combines with the beauty of the Liturgy in this service to usher in the holiday season for the Moravian community.
Ticket requests for Vespers in 2025 will begin in September.
Vespers Service Recording and Program
Thank you to everyone who attended Christmas Vespers in 2024. Please enjoy the recording of the livestream on Saturday, December 7, below, as well as a photo gallery.
Support Our Students in Honor of Vespers
Do you enjoy the spirit of Vespers every year? Give a gift in honor of this special Moravian tradition to support our students! Every gift—of any amount—provides critical aid to our students so they can take full advantage of the Moravian experience.
About Vespers
The Vespers service is an expression of two traditional forms of worship in the Moravian Church, the Singstunde and the Candlelight Service. A Moravian Singstunde (Singing Hour) is a service of music with no preaching. Since the 1720s, Moravians have been known for their worshipful singing.
In the service, the music has been carefully selected and arranged to bring the Christmas message without need of a sermon. The Moravian candlelight service originated in 1747 in Marienborn, Germany, when candles with red trimming were distributed at the children’s Christmas service. Bethlehem’s first candle service was in 1756.
The beloved hymn “Morning Star,” traditionally sung with a child soloist, was composed in 1836 by Francis Florentine Hagen, a member of the Moravian Theological Seminary Class of 1835.
Moravian University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Anyone who anticipates needing any type of accommodation or who has questions about the physical access provided should contact Lisa Brand at brandl@moravian.edu or 610-861-1338 at least one week prior to visiting Moravian University.