‘Born is the King of Israel’: A pictorial look at parish Christmas celebrations

Christmas unfolded with beauty and splendor across the four counties of the Diocese as parishioners gathered in their parish churches that were festively adorned with life-sized Nativity scenes, poinsettias, trees, candles and decorative evergreens. The Christmas celebration was brought to life by the faithful of all ages who joined in singing the traditional hymns and prayers that accompany the Mass of the Nativity of the Lord and by all who shared their talents and time in numerous ways to help make Christmas a true feast for all. The numerous parish choirs that held choral preludes before the start of Mass and the presentation of Christmas pageants depicting the Christmas story by children and youth in parish religious education programs and Catholic schools are but two ways in which the spirit of Christmas was lived out around the Diocese. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, several of The Monitor Magazine’s freelance photographers were on the road, visiting parishes and capturing ways in which Christmas was celebrated in those communities. Photo galleries can be seen at TrentonMonitor. com>Multimedia>Photo Galleries or by clicking on the following links:

St. Mary of the Assumption Cathedral, Trenton

St. Mark Church, Sea Girt

St. Hedwig Church, Trenton

St. Aloysius Church, Jackson

St. John Neumann Parish, Mount Laurel

Creole Mass in St. Anthony Church, Hamilton