Advent, a season of preparation, is a busy time at Christ Church Cathedral as we joyfully anticipate the celebration of Christmas and the coming of the Christ child. We know you’re busy preparing for Christmas too, and we hope you’ll make time to celebrate with us. Click here to view our Christmas Eve services.
O Come, Oh Ven Emmanuel: A Journey through Lent: Make way for the coming of Christ this Advent with the CCC community. Together we will pray, reflect and practice our faith as we journey toward the birth of Christ child through the O Antiphons. The O Antiphons are most known though the hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” We warmly offer our bilingual Advent reflections book compiled by clergy and lay leaders of CCC to accompany our communal practices. Each of the Sunday forum hours throughout Advent will dive deeper yet into these ancient texts. Download your copy here.
Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, Nov. 23 at 10 a.m.: Before Advent starts pause and give thanks for the blessings of God’s abundance! We will offer a simple Holy Eucharist at 10 a.m., and we warmly invite you and your family to join us. Come dressed casually; the service lasts less than an hour and will have you back in time to see the end of the Macy’s Parade and to put the sweet potato casserole in the oven!
Circle of Lights | Friday, Nov. 24: Come enjoy this time-honored holiday celebration to watch the Solders and Sailors Monument turn into the city’s largest Christmas tree! CCC youth will sell cookies and cocoa on the front lawn to raise funds to finance activities throughout the year.
Wreath Making | Sunday, Nov. 26: Between the 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. services, we will have a festive reception with an opportunity to make advent wreaths, an annual tradition at CCC. Wreaths are made of fresh evergreens and come with the four candles to be lit each week during Advent symbolizing hope, love, joy, and peace. Bags will be available to take supplies home if desired.
Advent Lessons & Carols | Sunday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m.: The season of Advent invites us into four weeks of hope and expectation as we await the joy of Christmas. This service features dramatic passages of Holy Scripture predicting the coming of the Messiah, along with mystical Advent hymns, which are some of the most beautiful in the Christian tradition.
Day of Reflection With St. Philip’s | Saturday, Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Christ Church Cathedral continues to deepen our relationship and connection with St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, our closest Episcopal neighbor. We’re coming together for an Advent Day of Reflection to watch together The Episcopal Awakening, a powerful and eye-opening 40 minute documentary film that highlights our own historic complicity in acts of prejudice, discrimination, racism, and systemic oppression here in the Diocese of Indianapolis. Afterwards, we’ll have time to process what we’ve seen in silence, in optional conversation and other activities, and in prayer. RSVP now.
La Virgen de Guadalupe | Monday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.: Christ Church Cathedral welcomes you as we remember with joy the five appearances of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego, a Mexican farmer. Featuring a procession on Monument Circle, folkloric dancers and music from our phenomenal Coro Latinoamericano, this is a celebration not to be missed. A festive reception follows this Spanish-language service.
Las Posadas | Dec. 16-23 : Christ Church’s Posadas occur daily at 6 p.m. from Dec. 16 through Dec. 23. During the Posadas we re-enact Joseph and Mary’s journey seeking shelter for them and the New Born King. We will meet at different homes, where everybody is invited to join in. If you are interested in participating, please email Verónica Godinez, and she will email you the complete Posadas schedule with addresses. On Tuesday, Dec. 19, CCC will host la Posada in the Parish Hall. ALL ARE WELCOME!
Blue Christmas | Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.: CCC will join Roberts Park United Methodist Church for their Blue Christmas service. This service honors all those who may not feel happy or jolly during this season when others seem to be at their most festive. Address: 401 N. Delaware St.
Fourth Sunday in Advent | Sunday, Dec. 24: We will celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Advent at our traditional 8 a.m. worship service before Christmas Eve services start at 1 p.m. See our full line-up of 2023 Christmas services and events at https://www.cccindy.org/christmas2023.