Dec 16, 2022 3 min read

For many, the Christmas season is silver and gold, Jolly Old Saint Nick and gifts, laughter and joy. But for others, it’s blue the way Elvis sang it.

That’s why St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon is hosting a Blue Christmas service at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21, inside the church located at 1066 Washington Road.

“We approach the Christmas season, the world says be happy, be joyful. We wanted to hold space for people who might have complicated feelings in this Christmas season. The holidays bring up hard memories of ones they have lost, or perhaps they’ve had a challenging year,” said the Rev. Laura Di Panfilo, associate rector at St. Paul’s. “We’ve been doing it for several years, at least five or six. It came about for a desire to mark the fact that the season is not a joyful one for everyone.”

Anyone, regardless of Christian background, is invited to attend the hour-long service, hosted in tandem with the Stephen Ministry. Those interested in attending but unable to celebrate Blue Christmas in person are welcome to live-stream the service on St. Paul’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stpaulsepiscopalpgh/.

The service is somber (but not depressing), with dim lights and contemplative music, Di Panfilo said. Eucharist is celebrated, but there is one moment during Blue Christmas that stands out as awe-inspiring.

“I think the part that is the most meaningful, the most powerful, is the time when we invite people forward to light candles,” said Di Panfilo.

During silent prayer, attendees are encouraged to step forward and light a candle in memory of a loved one, or in hope for a brighter tomorrow.

“It’s a really powerful image. We have this image of the darkness, the unknown – and we have light. By the end … there’s a lot of light,” Di Panfilo said. “Just knowing that people are feeling seen and understood and cared for by their church and by God. Even in a challenging time, there’s hope. That, ultimately, is the message of the service: There is hope.”

Following the Blue Christmas service, guests are invited to mingle at a small reception, where coffee and cookies will be served.

“People are welcome just to leave at the end. We leave it very open. People come and whatever serves them, that’s wonderful. There’s no pressure to do anything but just be,” Di Panfilo said.

Blue Christmas offers those going through it a different kind of holiday celebration, and Di Panfilo believes it is important to hold space for the full spectrum of emotions that come with the season.

“It is the service of sadness, of lament, and also of hope. No one leaves the service, like, joyful; that’s not really the point. I don’t think it leaves people feeling down. I think people leave feeling cared for and hopeful about the season,” Di Panfilo said. “People who attend always comment that it was so meaningful and powerful to have that opportunity to sit in the grief and challenges and loss and sorrow. It’s just an honor to walk alongside people with that.”

For more information about Blue Christmas or St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, visit https://www.stpaulspgh.org/.