Carter Brown – Staff Writer

Christmas in Christ Chapel has officially arrived once again on campus, this time with added precautions for COVID-19. “Christmas in Christ Chapel…places our stories of lament and meaning-making among the stories of the Divine.” states the Gustavus website page for Christmas in Christ Chapel (CinCC). “Through the hope of nativity, we journey to a place of inspiration and good courage…”
Starting on Thursday, Dec. 2, C in CC will begin this “journey” and will continue on for four days, ending on Sunday, Dec. 5. Each performance will begin at 7:30 PM CST, with the exception of the last performance on Sunday, which will begin four hours earlier at 3:30 PM CST.
For those unfamiliar, the performance will consist of the Gustavus Choir, the Choir of Christ Chapel, Christ Chapel Ringers, Gustavus Symphony Orchestra, Lucia Singers, and dancers. A more detailed program is available for download on the Gustavus webpage for CinCC as well.
As with all things that have in-person attendance, the presence of COVID still looms over events heavily, especially with the emergence of the Omicron variant. Due to this, CinCC has taken some measures to ensure a safe viewing experience for those interested in attending in person in recognition of the concern for safety.
According to the Gustavus website, seating capacity will be reduced to seventy-five percent (75%) to allow for spaced seating, proof of a Covid vaccination or negative test results must be produced by audience members aged twelve and up. In addition, there will be no buffet and a face mask is required. On the website page for CinCC, there is additional information on their Covid policies in addition to a FAQ.
The accommodations for the in-person audience will be accompanied by a livestream provided by Heroic Productions and those in CinCC of the performance on Saturday, Dec. 4 in order to provide viewing experiences for those who are unable to attend. This livestream will be archived on the Gustavus website and will be accessible for later viewing.