New York’s Church of the Intercession to host 114th annual candlelight service celebrating Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’

[Episcopal News Service] The historic Church of the Intercession in Manhattan will host its annual 114th annual Clement Clarke Moore Candlelight Carol Service on Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. Eastern in honor of the seminary professor who is best known as the author of the classic Christmas poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” The service, first held in 1910, is New York’s oldest known continuing Christmas tradition and attracts an average of 600-800 visitors every year.

“It’s a festive time of year where families from all different backgrounds come together,” Valerie West, a warden at the Church of the Intercession who helps organize the service annually, told Episcopal News Service. “This time of year, we’re celebrating the birth of Christ and also St. Nicholas, who was a saint who went around giving presents to children who were not as wealthy.”

Following tradition, this year’s carol service will include children gathering on the steps of the altar to listen to a special guest read “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” New York Bishop Matthew F. Heyd will read the poem this year.

“How you visualize the story depends on who’s reading the poem,” West said. “Everyone has their own distinct way of reading it – some are dramatic, and others aren’t.”

Volunteers dressed as Santa, elves and a reindeer will also walk around during the festivities, and antler headbands will also be handed out to children. The church’s interior will be festooned with candles, flowers and other Christmas decorations. This year’s carol service will include musical performances from Roger Lent, Levern Williams, the New York Young People’s Chorus and musicians from the Institute for the Blind.”

“I always look forward to seeing the kids singing and listening to the music at this service. They’re so full of energy and having a wonderful time and laughing,” Ana Guerrero, also an Intercession warden, told ENS. “Even the adults have fun. There’s something for everybody.”

Guerrero said the opening stanza is her favorite part of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” particularly the line, “Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

St. Nicholas served in the fourth century as bishop of Myra, in a region that today is part of Turkey. A known gift-giver, he later would become the inspiration for the modern Christmas figure Santa Claus.

Moore, a lifelong Episcopalian, was serving as a professor of oriental and Greek literature, divinity and biblical learning at General Seminary in New York City when the poem first was published anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823, in the now defunct Troy Sentinel newspaper in upstate New York. He reportedly wrote and recited the poem in 1822 as a Christmas gift to his six children. In 1837, Moore was identified publicly as the author in “The New-York Book of Poetry.” Moore included the now-famous work in his own book of poems in 1844.

“A Visit from St. Nicholas,” commonly called “The Night Before Christmas” and “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” in reference to the poem’s opening line, is best known for helping later to create ubiquitous image of Santa Claus, including his white beard, round belly and fur suit. The names of Santa’s eight flying reindeer – Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen – also originate from the poem, which is now in the public domain.

The poem is also notably read aloud in classic Christmas movies, including Disney’s “The Santa Clause,”; Warner Bros.’ “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation”; and Orion Pictures’ “Prancer.”

Moore’s authorship of the poem was questioned when a daughter of Poughkeepsie farmer Henry Livingston said her father was the true author, believing him to have written the work in 1808. Livingston, who died in 1828, never claimed authorship for himself, and the daughter’s declaration took place years after the poem was first published. Debate over the authorship has continued into the 21st century.

Moore’s connection to The Episcopal Church goes beyond being a seminary professor. He was born and later lived with his own family on an estate known as Chelsea that belonged to his mother. He inherited the property after her death, and in 1819 he gave a portion of it as the site of an Episcopal seminary that had been authorized by General Convention in 1817 – General Seminary.

His father, the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Moore, had served as assistant rector and then rector of Trinity Church Wall Street in New York before becoming bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of New York from 1801 to 1815. While serving in that role, Benjamin Moore gave founding father Alexander Hamilton Communion on his deathbed. He then was the diocese’s second bishop until his death in 1816. Benjamin Moore also served as president of Columbia University, then known as King’s College.

When Moore died in 1863, he was buried in the Trinity Church Cemetery located in Hamilton Heights, uptown from Trinity Church in lower Manhattan. His wife, Catherine, and three of their children are also buried there. The Church of the Intercession is a former Trinity chapel located beside the uptown cemetery.

A candlelit procession to uptown Trinity Church Cemetery (https://trinitychurchnyc.org/cemetery-mausoleum) to lay a wreath on Moore’s grave will follow the service. Children will be given glow sticks for the processions. While gathered at the cemetery, the participants will sing Franz Xaver Gruber’s “Silent Night” and drink hot chocolate provided by members of Trinity Church.

Guerrero and West said 2020 was the only year when the formal service was closed to the public due to COVID-19. Even then, some members of the congregation laid a wreath on Moore’s grave, and post-pandemic turnout continues to grow every year.

“I’ve had phone calls from folks from all over the country asking if we’re still doing the service,” West said. “It speaks to not only tradition, but to the heart of every person.”

-Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.