09/20/2026
The first Moravian lovefeast held in North Carolina happened on November 17, 1753, the very day the first Moravian settlers arrived at Bethabara. The Christmas Eve version of the tradition is now more than 250 years old. 🕯️
A lovefeast is simple by design: congregants share a sweet bun and a cup of coffee together while hymns are sung, a communal meal meant to represent unity rather than a formal communion service. Only the Christmas Eve lovefeast includes candles, a tradition added later as a visual lesson for children, meant to show that grace itself is the light of the world. The candles are still handmade from beeswax and tallow today, each one trimmed with a red paper frill.
In Winston-Salem, the tradition continues every December in Moravian churches across the city, often preceded by a stop at the historic Winkler Bakery in Old Salem for fresh sugar cake and lovefeast buns straight from an oven that's been in continuous use for generations.
Two hundred and seventy years later, it's still just coffee, a bun, and a candle passed hand to hand. ✨
