I asked NYC Tourist Guides about their favorite churches for Christmas in New York
St. John the Divine may have an absolutely gorgeous midnight mass on Christmas Eve. St John’s JUST reopened after the renovation from the last fire; it’s beautiful.
St Patrick's Xmas day mass is nice. Xmas Eve tickets are gone.
Holy Cross on W 42nd, old neighborhood church
Grace Church on Broadway in the Village.
St. Peter's Lutheran does a really nice midnight mass with professional choir.
https://www.saintpeters.org/
Two Brooklyn options for different experiences: All Saints Episcopal on 7th Ave (Park Slope) has a free concert before the service by Grammy winning pianist/composer Arturo O’Farril (with his orchestra) and a very nice service in a fine church.
Else Herskind Grotrian 9pm concert and 10pm service at All Saints. Sit up front on the left. No one ever does and you get to sit right by the performers. They stay for the service and play the offertory.
1st Presbyterian (Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights) has a spectacular gospel-style choir and a gorgeous 1846,Tiffany-windowed church with a beautiful service.
The Basilica of Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral on Prince and Mott.
Christmas Eve
Vigil mass 5:30pm
MIDNIGHT MASS
11:00PM
PRECEDED BY CAROLS
10:15pm
Christmas Day
9:15AM (English)
10:15AM (Chinese)
11:30AM (Spanish)
12:45PM (English)
any Catholic would get a huge kick out of the history that's baked into the place, and also the amount of famous bishops that are interred or honored there.
Riverside Church.
Abyssinian Baptist Church for Eve or Day.
St Francis Xavier on West 16th. For Midnight Mass, arrive at 10 for a seat and carols. Architecturally very attractive.
First Presbyterian in Manhattan.
St. Luke's in the Field, on Hudson Street.
Church of the Ascenson on 10th Street and Fifth.
St. Malachy’s aka the Actors Church on W 49th. Where the Broadway actors used to attend mass. It was delightful...good singers as you could imagine! RC