The ritual starts in the chapel, immersed in reflective music, after the sun sets. The candles are lit. Then there is a type of procession into the dark along a path of luminaria to a fire, where people join in a collective prayer.

The decade-old rite at Crystal Spring Earth Center in Plainville marks "the coming together of darkness and light" in celebration of the winter solstice, said Sister Carole Rossi, one of three Kentucky Dominican nuns at the center.

The winter solstice, the longest night or shortest day of the year, occurs on Dec. 22 in the Northern hemisphere this year.

It is the astronomical beginning of winter and is recognized in celebrations around the world, in different cultures with different interpretations.

At Crystal Spring, the ceremony to be held on Dec. 16 and which has grown in attendance over the years, is symbolic of "the way we enter the mystery of darkness and then enter into the light" and rebirth, Sister Rossi said. "For us, it's an important celebration. We're celebrating our oneness with the whole of creation." It is recognition of an event whose dawning has grown in recent years, she believes. "When we first started it was unique," said Sister Rossi, noting there are now more activities planned around the solstices.

"It's remembering and recapturing the earth's festivals," she said. "I think for many people it's an alternative to the crazy commercialization of Christmas."

Many cultures celebrate a holiday, including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and new years as well as Christmas, near the winter solstice.

In ancient years, it would mark the start of a long hard season in which communities would be faced with struggling to survive the next nine months, until the return of the warmth and light.

In Rhode Island, the Newport Tower, commonly referred to as the Old Stone Mill, has been linked by an historian to use as an astronomical calendar based on its architecture and alignment of the windows with the summer solstices and winter equinoxes and dating to the 12th century.

At the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, there is a Sunwheel where the public is invited to gather for the solstices and the changing of the seasons, led by Dr. Judith Young of the college's astronomy department. The winter solstice gatherings are scheduled for Dec. 21 and 22 at 7 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Included are explanations about the significance of the solstices and equinoxes, the cause of the seasons, the changes in the sun's position in the sky during the year, the phases of the moon and the story of building the Sunwheel. There will also be an explanation of the moon's 18.6-year cycle, since 2005-07 is the peak of this cycle, also called the Major Lunar Standstill, according to the college's Web site.

Murray Unitarian Universalist Church in Attleboro typically holds a winter solstice service.

And at the Hunakai Studio School of Fine Art in Foxboro, the solstice celebration on Dec. 21 will return to historic interpretations and "bringing back the sun," said Carla Carey, director of the non-profit school.

She said a group of young students is currently researching the solstice and beliefs throughout history in the planning of the celebration to include an art project creating luminaria to later be brought to the rock garden behind the building "to light up the dark." There will also be story-telling, among other activities. It's the third year for the event, which has taken a different tack each time, Carey said.

Here isF0IL0 a listing of some winter solstice events:

FILDec. 16, 6:30 p.m. Crystal Spring Center for Earth Learning, 76 Everett Skinner Rd., Plainville. Ritual and song. Reservations are required. Call 508-699-7167 or e-mail: cryspr@comcast.net. Or go to the center’s Web site: www.crystalspring.org.

Dec. 21, 6:30 p.m. Hunakai Studio School of Fine Art, 106a Mechanic St., Foxboro. Winter solstice celebration with art, story-telling and ceremony. Open to the public, free of charge. Call 508-543-5665 for more information. Or go to: hunakaistudio.com.

Dec. 21 and 22, sunrise and sunset solstice gatherings at the Sunwheel at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, located south of Alumni Stadium, just off Rocky Hill Road. A $3 donation is requested to help with the cost of stone pathworks and exhibit expansion which are planned for the Sunwheel. Contact Dr. Judith Young at young@astro.umass.edu, or at 413-549-5139. Or go to the college’s Web site: www.umass.edu.

Dec. 22, 6:30 — 8:00 a.m. Sunrise Winter Solstice Hike at New Dawn Earth Center in Cumberland. Join Denise for a hike through the fields and greet the sun on this shortest day of the year. Enjoy coffee and muffins back at the Center. Call 401-333-1341 to register. Donation: Free will. For more info visit www.newdawnearthcenter.org:

Dec. 22, 6 — 7:30 p.m. Winter Solstice Celebration. New Dawn Earth Center in Cumberland. On the shortest day of the year when darkness permeates Earth, celebrate the return of light through music, reflection and the lighting of the fire. Donations accepted. Call 401-333-1341 to register. For more info visit www.newdawnearthcenter.org:

Susan lahoud can be reached at 508-236-0398 or slahoud@thesunchronicle.com.