SCARBOROUGH — Lessons and Carols Advent Religious Service to be celebrated by St. John Paul II Catholic Parish on Dec. 13.

At 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13, St. John Paul II Catholic Parish will gather at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church on 150 Black Point Road in Scarborough to celebrate the traditional Advent event “Lessons and Carols” in preparation for Christmas.

The event is free for parishioners and the public, but requires those wishing to attend to register on the parish website http://jp2me.org The event can also be livestreamed on the website or on its social media pages.

St. John Paul II Communications Associate Ryan Bilodeau said regarding the history of the event, “Dating back to its inception in the 1800’s, this Advent celebration couples songs, prayers and 9 passages from the Bible that highlight all of salvation history from the promise to Adam and Eve to send a Messiah in Genesis all the way until Jesus’ command to His disciples to preach the gospel.”

In July, St. Bartholomew Parish in Cape Elizabeth, St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish in Scarborough, and St. John and Holy Cross Parish in South Portland joined to form the new St. John Paul II Parish. The three churches maintained their individual names under the common patronage and intercession of St. John Paul II.

The mission of St. John Paul II parish is to live and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ as disciples called to evangelize, inspire, and make of the Church a welcoming, supportive environment. For more information, visit http://www.jp2me.org.