This year’s Latin Carol Service was the ninth year of this celebration, organized by the Classic department under the leadership of Father Richard Cipolla. .jpg)
Latin students from both Brunswick and Greenwich Academy, along with faculty, participated in the readings. Each year the readings are from Isaiah 11:1-5, Luke 2:1-14, the traditional Christmas story, and John 1: 1-14. The carol singing was led by the Greenwich Academy Madrigals with Beth Raaen directing and the audience singing in Latin. The Madrigals did sing two solo traditional carols. The beautiful tones of the Christ Church organ blended with the voices.
The tradition of a service of readings and carols in original ancient languages or translated into Latin, was started by Brown University sixty years ago. The format has changed little over those years but community participation in Providence, Rhode Island went from 300 to over a thousand. The Brunswick/Greenwich Academy Latin Carol service is a wonderful coordinated event for the two schools, made possible by the generosity of Christ Church as the host, and open to the community at large. Each year the gathering for this new Greenwich tradition has grown. 
Father Cipolla closed the evening with the following benediction, in Latin of course, translated below:
“The end of our service of praise is at hand. To you, therefore, from us: let all things be done in fellowship, may happiness be yours, may God’s favour shine upon you, may your families and friends flourish and grow. Let us trust in God and pray for each other. Go forth; this hour of festival has drawn to its close. Be of good cheer. Peace and joy be with you.”
And so the holiday season and the first of Brunswick and Greenwich Academy’s celebrations of that season, was offered as a community event Monday evening. Thanks to Father Cipolla for bringing this tradition to the school communities.
