Find Midnight Mass near you
Search your town or use your location to find Catholic and Anglican churches nearby, then check their Christmas Eve times on the church website.
Two traditions, one night
In the Roman Catholic Church, the Mass During the Night is the first of the Masses of Christmas, celebrated after dark on 24 December with the Gloria sung for the first time since Advent began. In the Church of England, and in the Church in Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Ireland, the equivalent service is usually billed as Midnight Mass, Midnight Communion or the First Eucharist of Christmas. Methodist, Baptist and other free churches less often keep a midnight service, though some hold a late evening communion or a quiet watchnight gathering that ends as Christmas Day arrives. Whichever tradition you choose, the shape of the night is similar: a darkened building, candlelight, the great Christmas hymns, the Nativity reading from Luke or John, and Holy Communion celebrated as 25 December begins.
When does Midnight Mass actually start?
Rarely at midnight, despite the name. Start times of 23:00 or 23:30 are the most common, timed so that Communion, or the whole service, reaches its climax around midnight itself. Plenty of churches begin earlier still: 21:30 and 22:00 services are increasingly usual, particularly in Catholic parishes where one priest serves several churches, and some parishes now hold their Mass During the Night at 20:00. A few keep a strict stroke-of-midnight start, often with carols sung for half an hour beforehand. The only reliable rule is to check the individual church. Christmas Eve times are published on parish websites, newsletters and porch noticeboards from early December, and the listings in this directory link through to church websites and contact details so you can confirm before you set out.
What to expect in the service
- Length. Allow roughly an hour to an hour and a quarter. A sung Mass with incense and a procession to the crib will run longer than a simpler said communion.
- Music. Expect the strongest carols of the season, often ending with a full-throated final hymn as the lights come up. Larger churches may add choir and organ voluntaries before the service.
- Communion. In a Catholic church, receiving Communion is reserved for Catholics, but anyone may come forward with arms crossed for a blessing. Anglican churches generally invite baptised communicant Christians of any tradition, and again a blessing is open to all. Staying seated is always fine.
- Atmosphere. Midnight Mass draws a wonderfully mixed congregation: devout regulars, extended families home for Christmas, students, and a cheerful contingent arriving after a festive evening out. Clergy take the mixture in their stride.
- No expertise required. Everything you need to say or sing is printed in the order of service, and copying your neighbours covers the standing and sitting.
Arrive early for the busy ones
This is the one night of the year when many churches approach capacity. Cathedrals, city-centre churches and well known parish churches can fill half an hour before the start, and some cathedrals ask worshippers to collect free tickets in advance for their midnight service. Arriving 20 to 30 minutes early earns you a seat, a carol sheet and a moment to take the building in; at a cathedral, make it 45 minutes. Wrap up warm, as ancient buildings hold the cold, and note that on-street parking near town churches disappears quickly on Christmas Eve.
Finding a service near you
Use the finder above to see churches close to you, or browse our Roman Catholic and Church of England listings, where each church page includes the website and contact details you need to confirm Christmas Eve times. If a late night does not suit, our guide to Christmas church services covers the whole season, from carol services to Christmas morning, and every one of them welcomes newcomers.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be a churchgoer to attend?
No. Midnight Mass has long been the service people come back to once a year, and churches plan for exactly that. You will not be asked about your beliefs or pressed to return.
Is there a collection?
Usually, often for a charity or the church's community work. Many churches now take card or contactless donations as well as cash, and giving is always optional.
Can I bring children?
You can, though the hour defeats most of them. Families generally choose an afternoon crib or Christingle service on Christmas Eve instead, then come to church again on Christmas morning.