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Greeting the Christmas dawn at Bishop Hill
Sunday, December 25, 2016 @ 6:00 am - 7:00 am
Site to host traditional Swedish ‘Julotta’ service on Christmas morning at historic church
Bishop Hill State Historic Site is preserving the Swedish tradition of “Julotta” with a nondenominational church service before dawn on Christmas morning.
The public is welcome to attend the 6 a.m. service at the restored Colony Church, built in 1848 by Swedish immigrants. Christmas morning in Sweden begins with the Julotta service, and since 1970 the service has been a tradition in Bishop Hill to reaffirm the community’s heritage.
The word Julotta comes from the Swedish words for “yule” and “before dawn.”
The worship service will be led by the Rev. Dan Wright of Greater Annawan Parish. Music will be provided by organist Ann Larson and soloist Courtney Stone. The reader will be Terri Wigant.
Visitors are encouraged to dress warm. Coffee and rusks, a Swedish pastry similar to biscotti, will be available in the Colony Church Museum after the service.
The community of Bishop Hill, founded by Swedish pioneers in 1846, is located 20 miles south of I-80 and 17 miles east of I-74 in Henry County, Illinois.
Many of the buildings are original, and many of the residents are descendants of the original settlers. The Colony Church is administered by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The site will be closed December 25 (except for the Julotta service) and January 1.
For more information, visit www.bishophill.com.
The site is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. IHPA protects the state’s historic resources, which contribute to education, culture and the economy. IHPA sites include ancient burial mounds, forts and buildings erected by settlers, and homes connected to famous Illinoisans.
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