The Moravian Vespers Tradition in Bethlehem
The candlelit musical ceremony roots residents in the importance of community during the holiday season.
By Lola Offenback
I have attended Bethlehem’s Vespers ceremony annually for three years now, and each year, chills run through my body as the angelic vocals reverberate through the church.
The Moravian Christmas tradition stems from the first 1747 ceremony in Marienborn, Germany, and was quickly adopted in 1756 in the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, settlement.
In Bethlehem, the Moravian University Choir takes the stage for six nights over the course of two weekends in December, at the Central Moravian Church at the corner of Main St. The ceremony used to occur exclusively on Christmas Eve, but due to such high demand, has been heavily expanded.
While technically a religious ceremony, the service is enjoyed by all in the city for its non-scriptural, music-only performance. The university’s choir director and professor of music, Paula Zerkle, selects new compositions each year along with certain staples, such as Morning Star, O Cheering Sight.
This is one of my favorite songs performed each year because it brings a strong connection to the local Bethlehem community, featuring a child soloist who sings above the crowd, on the upper balcony in the church.
Students in the choir spend the entire fall semester preparing for these performances, with other students volunteering their time as ushers. Bethlehem residents come together to celebrate and rejoice in the holiday spirit, remembering the community values that the Moravians founded the city with.
Vespers is a reminder of what the holiday season really stands for, both the religious and non-religious meanings. The angelic voices highlight the themes of the season: unity, serenity, peace, joy, love, and hope.
Towards the end of the service, beeswax candles wrapped in red paper are passed to all inside the church. As one of the final songs plays throughout the church, the candles are lit and lifted above the crowds’ heads. As the final notes of the song ring out, the candles are blown out, and a serene, otherworldly silence takes over the church.
Vespers is a Christmas tradition celebrating the arrival of Christ, with the candlelit portion symbolizing the light of Christ through the darkness of sin. Many of the hymns sung in the Bethlehem ceremony hint at the 26-pointed Moravian star and refer back to Bethlehem’s history.
Rooted in the Moravians’ deep community values, Vespers is a city tradition that I wish more people had the chance to experience. It is an opportunity for people to slow down from the holiday hubbub and truly be present, if only for a short moment, and be reminded of what the holiday season is truly all about.
