Grace Cathedral is one of the most iconic churches in San Francisco, famous for its gorgeous stained glass windows, mosaics, floor labyrinths, and overall French Gothic design. It’s a beautiful place to attend for any church service, but at Christmastime it is especially spectacular.
Check out these amazing special events coming up on the calendar, many of which are Christmas-themed. They’re open to everyone, whether or not you’re a frequent church attendee. Weekly church services, morning prayers, and Bible studies will continue to take place, but advance registration or ticket purchase are necessary for most of these special events.
Performances
- Sing you a Merry Christmas (Dec. 21, 22): A family sing-along event led by toys brought to life from St. Nicholas’s workshop!
- A Cathedral Christmas (Dec. 23): The Choir of Men and Boys will perform classic Christmas carols accompanied by a full orchestra and organ.
- Bishop’s Christmas Pageant (Dec. 24): The Christmas story told by the Right Rev. Dr. Marc Handley Andrus, Bishop of California, accompanied by children portraying magi, angels, and shepherds.
- Lessons & Carols (Dec. 24): The Choir of Men and Boys will perform an Anglican tradition of readings, hymns, and anthems.
- Choral Eucharists (Dec 24-25)
- Christmas Eve: A mixed-voice choir sings the first Eucharist of Christmas.
- Midnight Mass: The Choir of Men and Boys and a full orchestra celebrate Christmas.
- Christmas Day: A mixed-voice quartet celebrates Christmas Day.
Installations
- World Tree of Hope (through January 7): Grace Cathedral is home to the largest origami Christmas tree in the world. They partner with Rainbow World Fund to decorate it with over 17,000 handmade origami cranes and stars, each of which is inscribed with wishes and hopes for the future. You can send your wish to be inscribed on a crane for free and added to the tree. They’re accepting volunteers to help trim the tree, and you can see the installation process throughout November.
- Projecting Grace: Christmas Celebration (6:30-9:30pm daily through Dec. 30): Gorgeous visual Christmas stories will be projected onto the cathedral’s façade with accompanying music.
- Grace Light (recurring Mondays, restarting Jan. 9): Illuminate and Grace Cathedral present an enormous light installation by George Zisiadis, accompanied by an original score by Gabriel Gold. See a 100-foot-tall shifting beam of light shine down onto the labyrinth. Tickets are released at 12pm on the 15th of each month for the following month.
- Yoga on the Labyrinth (Tuesdays): Captivating weekly yoga classes set to live music. See our article about Yoga on the Labyrinth for more info!
Find Grace Cathedral at 1100 California Street in Nob Hill, San Francisco.