Christmas Candlelight Service

Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life

Candlelight Service: Chior (LARGE)

Bucknell's annual Christmas Candlelight Services have become a beloved tradition for students, staff, alumni and area residents. Modeled on the Kings College Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols, the Candlelight Services feature the Rooke Chapel Choir and the Rooke Chapel Ringers, under the direction of Dr. William Payn. The services also include traditional Bible readings and congregational singing.

The service is celebrated three times each year, and the dates for 2009 are December 4, 6, and 8, at 7:30 p.m. each night in Rooke Chapel. Tickets are required.

Please note: Bucknell has made arrangements with WVIA to film this year's December 8 Candlelight Service for re-broadcast locally and nationally on public television beginning with the 2010 holiday season and for DVD distribution. Previous recordings of this service have proven highly popular, but it is time to update the recording since the last one was done in 2003. As in previous recordings, several cameras, including a small boom camera, will be used during the filming to ensure the highest-quality recording. Bucknell and WVIA are working closely together to ensure minimal intrusion of the cameras into the Candlelight Service. Please be aware that anyone attending the December 8 event consents to having their image recorded and included in the re-broadcast and resulting production.

Ticket Policy 

Tickets will be made available first to the campus community on a first-come, first-served basis on Monday, October 26 beginning at 11 a.m. at either the Elaine Langone Center Bookstore Box Office or the Weis Center Box Office. Only those with a Bucknell ID can go, in person, with their ID, to receive up to four (4) tickets per person for any one night's service. All tickets are free of charge, but monetary donations for a local charity will be accepted at the services.

Any remaining tickets will be available, also on a first-come, first-served basis, to the general public and remaining Bucknell ID-holders (4 per person for any one service) beginning at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 27, and following days until all tickets are distributed.

No phone, voice-mail, e-mail, campus mail, or US mail orders will be accepted.

For ticket information and box office hours phone the Campus Box Office at 577-1000.

DVD or CD copies of the 2003 service, taped by WITF, Harrisburg, are available by calling: 1-800-366-9483.