Midnight
The parish in which the scene of this story is laid was large , consequently the attendance of the people was proportionably great . On Christmas day a Roman Catholic priest has , or is said to have , the privilege of saying three masses , though on every other day in the year he can celebrate but two . Each priest , then , said one at midnight , and two on the following day . Accordingly , about twenty or thirty years ago , the performance of the Midnight Mass was looked upon as an ordinance highly important and interesting . The preparations for it were general and fervent ; so much so , that not a Roman Catholic family slept till they heard it . It is true it only occurred once a year ; but had any person who saw it once , been called upon to describe it , he would say that religion could scarcely present a scene so wild and striking . The night in question was very dark , for the moon had long disappeared , and as the inhabitants of the whole parish were to meet in one spot , it may be supposed that the difficulty was very great , of traversing , in the darkness of midnight , the space between their respective residences , and the place appointed by the priest for the celebration of mass .