A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is the Christmas Eve service held in King's College Chapel since 1918. It was first broadcast in 1928 and is now broadcast to millions of people.
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was introduced by Eric Milner-White in 1918 to bring a more imaginative approach to worship. The service includes readings from the Bible. The opening carol is always 'Once in Royal David's City', and there is always a new, specially commissioned carol.
It is distinct from Carols from King's, which is a carol service pre-recorded for BBC television, also broadcast on Christmas Eve.
Attending A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was first conceived as a gift to the City of Cambridge and it is in that spirit that the College makes approximately half the tickets for this service available to members of the public. Tickets are distributed in advance to those who are successful in the annual ballot. There is no longer a public queue for tickets.
An online ballot entry form will be available in autumn 2025. Please check this page regularly from the end of September for updates.
Alternatively, ballot entry can be made by writing to the Dean by post. If you write you should include an email address or a stamped addressed envelope.
Each application may be for one or two tickets only and must:
- include the name of both people who wish to attend;
- include an email address or phone number;
- be submitted by 5.00pm on the stated deadline.
PLEASE NOTE this service is not suitable for very young children and babies or those who may find it difficult to remain quiet for the duration of the service.
Listening to the service
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service on 24 December at 3pm GMT (10:00 EST or 07:00 PST). The service is also re-broadcast at 1pm on Radio 3 on Christmas Day, and at various times on the BBC World Service.
In the United States the service is distributed by American Public Media and is broadcast by over 400 radio stations, including Minnesota Public Radio and WQXR in New York. As there is no list of radio stations that are broadcasting the service it's best to contact your local stations or check their online listings.