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Similar to the better known Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols for Christmas Eve, the Procession with Carols on Advent originated at King’s College in Cambridge, England by Dean Eric Milner-White in 1934. Dean Milner-White wrote: ‘In the old English liturgies, the Advent Offices made a preparation for the coming of our Lord to this earth far more vivid and eager than those of our present [1662] Prayer Book. So an Advent Carol Service, if without precedent, is not without suitability, if it helps to express “the desire of all nations and ages.”‘ The purpose of the service is ‘not to celebrate Christmas, but to expect it.’

The ecumenical service has become a beloved tradition in the Tyler community, drawing a crowd from across the region to celebrate the Christmas season with a solemn, candlelit festival.