An incomplete recording of a live Tyne Tees Television Religious Outside Broadcast production of a Roman Catholic Christmas mass taking place inside St Cuthbert’s Chapel at Ushaw College near Durham city in County Durham. The programme was transmitted live across the United Kingdom on Christmas Eve 1962. Title: High Mass from Ushaw College follows in a few moments After around twenty-five seconds a continuity announcer appears, behind him a selection of Christmas cards pinned to a board....

An incomplete recording of a live Tyne Tees Television Religious Outside Broadcast production of a Roman Catholic Christmas mass taking place inside St Cuthbert’s Chapel at Ushaw College near Durham city in County Durham. The programme was transmitted live across the United Kingdom on Christmas Eve 1962. Title: High Mass from Ushaw College follows in a few moments After around twenty-five seconds a continuity announcer appears, behind him a selection of Christmas cards pinned to a board. [No sound for this section] Title: High Mass from Ushaw College Durham Over a montage of still images of Ushaw College presenter Maxwell Deas gives a brief history of both Catholicism in the British Isles and development and work of the college. A procession of priests in decorative vestments make their way into St Cuthbert’s Chapel with three senior clerics making their way to the High Altar where they kneel and confession their sins. The mass begins with a censor or thurible of incense being gently swung over the Holy Gospel as prayers and chanting begins. One of the senior priests leads the congregation in an ancient Christian greeting after which several readings from the Gospels on the Birth of Christ in Latin with Maxwell providing a commentary on what is being said. Two choirs in the chapel sing and perform with more incense being burned around the altar. Following the Mass of the Faithful the high priest prepares for giving communion blessing and saying prays over the bread and wine. As the preparations continue the choirs sing ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful.’ As the priests begin to give communion the programme comes to an abrupt end.