The Baccalaureate ceremony is one of Yale’s oldest traditions, originating in the early days of the university.
Since Yale’s first century, Yale College seniors and faculty have gathered on the Sunday before Commencement for the Baccalaureate ceremony, a ceremony with a Baccalaureate sermon at its heart. The sermon of days past has given way to an address by Yale’s president and the readings of sacred texts.
Baccalaureate Ceremony
Processional
Brass Quintet No. 1 Victor Ewald, 1860–1935
Please stand as you are comfortable during the processional, and remain
standing during the dean’s and chaplain’s remarks.
Welcome
Pericles Lewis Dean of Yale College
Opening Prayer
Maytal Saltiel University Chaplain
Readings
The Gayatri Mantra (Hinduism)
Dinesh Bojja Morse College ’26
Itivuttaka 27 (Buddhism)
Emily Cheung Trumbull College ’26
Psalm 43:3–4 (Judaism)
Sabrina Kastner Saybrook College ’26
Matthew 5:14–16 (Christianity)
Ruyi Lu Benjamin Franklin College ’26
Qur’an 24:35 (Islam)
Sarah Mahmoud Silliman College ’26
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1245 (Sikhism)
Chiraag Sachdev Davenport College ’26
Hymn
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee
Readings
Pericles Lewis Dean of Yale College
Anthem
The Yale Glee Club
Jeffrey Jay Douma Director
Alleluia Randall Thompson, 1899–1984
Baccalaureate Address
Maurie McInnis University President
Hymn
God of all people
Benediction
David Rivera Assistant University Chaplain
Recessional
Suite from the Monteregian Hills
Morley Calvert, 1928–1991
