¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony brought a crowd of over 500 people, including students, community members, elected officials, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and, of course, Lucas the Stag.
¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp was pleased to extend and invitation to the greater Fairfield community for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony on Thursday, December 7. A crowd of over 500 people filled the area outside of the Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola and created an evening filled with music and merriment, capturing the true spirit of the holidays.
Following a welcome with hot chocolate and cookies, Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J., rector of the ¶¶Òô»ÆƬapp Jesuit Community, blessed the crowd and the tree, and thanked both for shining a bright light on the holiday season. University president, Mark R. Nemec, PhD, was then joined by his family for the official lighting, complete with a giant candy cane to flip the switch. Then, Fairfield’s a capella groups, Sweet Harmony and the Bensonians, sang to the crowd the songs of the season.
And finally, because the event is part of a CBS special that will air nationally on Christmas Eve, the entire crowd gathered in front of the newly-lit tree and shouted “Merry Christmas,” to people across the country.
And to all, it was a good night.
