“Carols by Candlelight” has been for the past five years one of the main productions of Schola Cantorum Jubilate. Inspired by the popular Australian event it mainly consists of a Christmas concert followed by a gala dinner and all proceeds will be in aid of Guzeppa Debono Home of Ghajnsielem. This home gives warmth to babies born to single mothers. Support is given also to the mother herself, to her family or partner. Moreover, nowadays, they even take care of fostering and adoptions procedures.

“Carols by Candlelight” is being held on Saturday, 15 December at St Augustine Monastery in Victoria and starts at 7.30pm. The first part, the concert, will be held in the church which with its fine acoustics creates the ideal ambience for such a concert. Candles and special lights settings will be set under the supervision of artistic director Austin Camilleri.

Following the concert, there will be the gala dinner inside the renaissance cloister of the monastery which again will be decorated for the occasion. Then traditional food freshly prepared by the Ta’ Frenc Restaurant chefs will be served. Wine and traditional seasonal cakes will complement the evening. On reaching the cloister, those who attend can admire modern paintings exhibited in the foyer by the Gozitan artist Christopher Saliba.

During the choir’s visit to Rome and Assisi they had the opportunity to sing at the Vatican in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI, at the Basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore and St Francis in Assisi.

The seating for “Carols by Candlelight” is limited, so anyone interested should buy a ticket (for the concert and dinner) from D’Amato Records Shop in Valletta or from Bargate Bookshop, Victoria.

Ticket Hotlines: 7909-4232/7927-1226. For more information visit www.scjchoir.com