Beechwood Cemetery’s 30th anniversary Christmas candlelight service

It was standing room only at the Beechwood Cemetery’s 30th anniversary Christmas Candlelight Service.

Close to 150 area residents attended the annual outdoor event, braving the chilly temperatures on the evening of Sunday, December 8.

“It’s a sense of community,” explains Nicolas McCarthy, Beechwood’s Director of Marketing, Communications and Community Outreach, when asked of the service’s broad appeal.

He notes that for many, Beechwood Cemetery’s 30th anniversary Christmas Candlelight Service has become a family tradition, a special way to usher in the holiday season and to remember loved ones who have passed. It’s also a way to support the local food bank, Partage Vanier. Those in attendance brought with them enough non-perishable food items to fill an entire SUV, he said.

The bilingual event opened with remarks from Nicolas, the Blessing of the Fire, during which attendees lit the candles they received upon arriving at the site, and prayers from Capt. Rev. Michael Perreault and Monseigneur Gilles Lavergne.

The University of Ottawa Choir, led by Director Dominique Lapointe, was on hand to lead the participants in the singing of numerous carols. A highlight for many was soloist Violet Wyche who delivered a touching rendition of O Holy Night/Minuit Chrétien, sung in both English and French.

A concluding prayer from Rabbi Idan Scher and the singing of Joy to the World, Il est né le divin Enfant, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, put a bow on another memorable ceremony.

This article was written by Ryland Coyne.