The 2015 Annual Lantern Ceremony paid tribute to that night 240 years ago on April 18th when two lanterns were hung from the steeple of the Old North Church, launching what would become the American Revolutionary War. Held on the eve of Patriot’s Day, the Lantern Ceremony is now in its 140th year.
Mayor Marty Walsh was the keynote speaker at this year’s Lantern Ceremony. The evening also featured a reading of Longfellow’s poem, Paul Revere’s Ride by Massachusetts Secretary of Veterans’ Services, Francisco Urena and Jennifer Siegler. Rev. Stephen T. Ayres moderated the event as current Old North Church Vicar. The Old North Chamber Choir performed as did the 1st Michigan Colonial Fife & Drum Corps.
Part 1 Video Timeline:
- 00:00 1st Michigan Colonial Fife & Drum Corps
- 00:50 Entrance procession – Music by Old North Chamber Choir
- 04:30 Welcome by Rev. Stephen T. Ayres, Vicar of Old North Church
- 07:40 Excerpts from Paul Revere’s Letter, read by Rosalyn Fennel, National Park Service
- 12:00 Introduction of keynote speaker, Mayor Walsh, by Rev. Stephen Ayres
- 13:40 Mayor Martin Walsh gives keynote address
- 22:10 Presentation of Third Lantern to Mayor Martin Walsh by Old North Foundation Anne Baily Berman and Rev. Stephen T. Ayres
- 23:40 Interlude by Old North Chamber Choir
View Part 2 of the event at this post where honors went to a team of healthcare workers, from Partners in Health, who have travelled to West Africa, to volunteer their time and medical expertise, to aid communities and individuals effected by the deadly Ebola virus.
See also photos from the 2015 Lantern Ceremony as well as the reenactment of Paul Revere’s Ride by the National Lancers and “Two If By Sea” lanterns at the top of Old North.
Longfellow’s poem has “two if by sea” but isn’t that historically not accurate? Have read that there was only one lantern used to alert others.
Liz, Historically, Paul Revere had requested two lanterns, as a backup plan. I, too, always believed there was only one! So ‘Paul’ was rowed across the river and then continued his ride to Concord, making the lanterns redundant. He got the word just in time, and got out of town !