The Grace Episcopal Cathedral San Francisco reported 6000 worshippers at the 5 services over the Christmas weekend. Carol Barnwell, Diocese of Texas spokesman said that all churches held services on Christmas Day and that Christmas Eve found “record crowds” in all the churches of the diocese.
Carols at Canterbury Cathedral, Mother church of the Communion, also welcomed long queues and eager people on Christmas Eve afternoon for the service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Dean and the choir of men and boys.
Ian Ellis, editor of the Church of Ireland's Gazette told, “As usual the midnight First Communion of Christmas was the best attended Christmas service in my parish (Newcastle, Diocese of Dromore). I find that many young people come to this service. It has a special appeal. With Christmas Day falling on a Sunday, it's difficult to compare numbers with last year, but there seemed to be more people out at church this Christmas,” reported ACNS.
At Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Archbishop John Neill preached to a packed cathedral. There was also much media coverage of the Archbishop's message as it dealt mainly with immigration.
From Paris, Episcopal Bishop Pierre Whalon said, “I have received reports of heavy turnouts for Christmas 2005 from the churches of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe . Although many people in Europe travel at Christmas, the American churches tend to have high levels of visitors both from their local community as well as travellers.”
The bishop stated, “Excellent musical programs, beautiful liturgies and strong preaching are reasons that French visitors to the American Cathedral gave to me for their attendance. Several said they come every Christmas. Along similar lines, the Cathedral offers two Lessons & Carols services every year, both to packed houses. These services have become part of the Parisian cultural scene and are heavily attended by French people.
“Our services were well attended in both urban and rural areas of the Diocese,” said Bishop David Beetge from Southern Africa, Diocese of the Highveld. "The two I attended on Christmas Day were very well attended with our Cathedral almost full and the morning service at one of our biggest churches filled to capacity.”
Bishop David Hamid, from the Diocese in Europe, said, “I just heard from our priest in Pau this morning - Fr Alan Heslop, who said, ‘Christmas at Pau was amazing’ with Midnight Mass attendance being three times last year, and Christmas Day five times.”
Communications Officer Jim Naughton of the Diocese of Washington USA said, “I went to Saint Columba's, our biggest parish, and the crowds at 4, 6 and 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve were so large that they had to set up a television set in the common for the overflow.”
For Anglicans, Christmas runs through the Feast of the Epiphany, thus the 12 Days of Christmas.
