This evocative report was published in “The Times” on 27th December 1916.
It describes the Boxing Day carol service held at Westminster Abbey. I like the way the fog descends upon the Abbey during the service and gives it a almost ‘holy’ atmosphere. It must have been a very unique experience.
CAROLS IN THE ABBEY
CHILD SINGERS AND SOLDIER LISTENERS
In the fog yesterday the towers of Westminster Abbey stood out dimly against a smoky sky. The great doors at the west end were open and the light streamed out in long yellow shafts as the congregation went in for the Christmas Carol Service.
The worshippers were for the most part children, but there were others there as well. There were many soldiers back from the front. There were many who were about to leave again for the trenches, and all listened attentively to the singing of the carols and all will carry back with them to Flanders and the firing line the sound of those children’s voices. The Abbey was filled. The fog had invaded the nave and transepts and the clusters of hanging lights showed as little discs high up in the air. The great pillars were lost in the mists above and the voices of the choristers also found their way up to the great stone roof and echoed down again.
“En natus est Emanuel, Dominus,
Quem praedixit Gabriel, Dominus,
Salvator noster est.”
The chant, with children’s voices predominating, was very beautiful, especially to the men who had who had seen the stress and strife of war. Many of the carols were the old ones, but they were the songs sung hundreds of years ago in the same choir by similar childish voices. One there was, “Babe ys borne, I wys,” that has been in the Abbey library for 500 years.
The service lasted for almost two hours. The collection was for the prisoners of war in Germany.
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