The Feast of the Nativity brought a lot of joy to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sts. Constantine and Helen in Chicago. After the children went to Sunday School, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae received carolers from the St. Innocent Byzantine Choir, from Probota, Suceava, led by Fr. Prof. Constantin Magdalena on Thursday December 21st of 2023.
On Saturday the 23rd of December, youth from ROYA performed. Dressed in traditional costumes, the ROYA youth proclaimed the Nativity of the Lord through singing traditional carols to His Eminence Nicolae and the Cathedral clergymen. The youth continued their caroling on to several families from the Cathedral on the evening of Christmas Eve.
On Saturday afternoon, His Eminence Metropolitan Andrei of Cluj, Maramureș and Sălaj addressed a special message of congratulations to the priests and faithful of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas on Christmas. With the title, "Through Romanian carols, you give to the Diaspora", the message was accompanied by carols presented by several choirs from the Archdiocese of Cluj on the Facebook network of the Metropolia of the Americas: https://www.facebook.com/mitropolia.us/videos/1999192203815342
The traditional carol concert of the choir of the Cathedral of St. Constantine and Helen in Chicago took place, like every year, on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity. This year, the concert of the choir was prefaced by the carols of Sunday School children under the attentive direction of Miss Dora Baciu. Under the direction of conductor Mrs. Roxana Iacob, the Cathedral choir delighted the audience with a rich program of Romanian carols, bringing joy to the Romanian Orthodox in the Chicago area who look forward to this caroling every year. The link to the recorded video of the concert can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weaxg4Z1S1o
Christmas Day was an occasion of prayer and joy for the Romanian Orthodox faithful in Chicago who filled the Holy Emperors’ Cathedral. At the end of the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae spoke of the major significance of the descent of God on earth as a proclamation of peace by quoting from the Christmas Pastoral:
"St. Nicholas Velimirovich says: 'When people joyfully give priority to giving glory to God in the highest, this brings peace on earth, and both [heaven and earth] become a source of goodwill among men. Jesus the Lord came to earth precisely so that the earth might exalt the glory of God on high and so that there might be peace and goodwill among men." At the Nativity of the Savior, we proclaim goodwill and peace among men. And this, according to the words of St. Gregory Palamas,[is proclaimed] in a perfect and unchanging way to all who want it.
The conclusion of these words is found through St. Gregory Palamas: "Let us keep this peace, brothers! For we have received it as our inheritance from Him Who is now born, our Savior, and Who has given us the Spirit of fire, by which He makes us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. Let us therefore be at peace with God, doing those things well pleasing to Him, understanding, speaking the truth, justice, abiding in prayer and supplication, praising, and chanting in our hearts, not only with our lips. Let us be at peace with ourselves... Let us be at peace with one another by forgiving one another, and if anyone has a complaint against anyone, just as Christ also forgave us, let us show mercy to one another, just as Christ also out of His love for us alone has shown mercy to us and come down to us, for us."
Finally, in these words, the Holy hesychast father reveals to us the Christian path to salvation through reconciliation with God and with his fellow men. Such a Christian can proclaim in these days the joy and peace that spring from the proclamation of the birth of the Savior. The troubled world of today is waiting for us to proclaim peace, to bring joy and hope to those who have suffered and still suffer from war."
Christ is born, glorify him!
A blessed holiday season to all Romanians everywhere!
