The seventh edition of the Romanian Summer Festival took place this year again between faith and tradition, that is, between the New Gracanica Monastery, the site of Orthodoxy and the willow lake, which reminds of the Romanian lands and the waters where the women washed hemp, from which then they were weaving of our Romanian port.

Faith and tradition were the coordinates of the festival held for two days, 28 and 29 July 2018. The event organized by Ss. Constantine and Helen Romanian Orthodox Cathedral of Chicago began on Saturday morning with the service of the Divine Liturgy by hierarchs, priests and deacons in the beautiful church of the New Gracanica Serbian Monastery in Third Lake, IL. Together with HE Metropolitan Nicolae served the local hierarch, Bishop Longin of Midwest and New Gracanica, the priests and deacons of the monastery and those of Ss. Constantine and Helen Cathedral. The choir of the Cathedral in Chicago beautifully sung at the Liturgy.

The communion at the Divine Liturgy reflected the brotherly love between the two hierarchs and their communities, Romanian and Serbian. The moment of the joint ministry was greatly appreciated as it took place in the year of the Centenary of Great Romania, and when the Serbian community in America celebrates 100 years since the proclamation by US President Woodrow Wilson of a National Prayer Day for Serbia at the end of the First World War.

The program of the two days of the festival included popular music performed by Pavel Cebzan and Periniţa art group, Roxana Iacob, Monica Demeter, Călin Cavojdean, Călin Horon, and other artists. Folk dances from different parts of Romania were presented by the ensemble Miorița and the ensemble Izvoraşul. The children of the Sunday School of the Cathedral also contributed to the good performance of the popular dance program by presenting the latest dances learned. The ladies from the Sunday School prepared other recreative activities for children (art and crafts).

The Armonia Choir of girls from the Cathedral delighted us again with the interpretation of several pieces of traditional Romanian music. This talent development was completed, especially this year, with the presence of the Capriciosso String Quartet that performed the national anthems of Romania and the US, classical and popular music.

Traditional food could not miss to complete a whole that had as purpose the popular tradition, closely linked to our ancestral creed, two values ​​of our nation's identity. The volunteers at the Cathedral went over to prepare tasty dishes ... from langosi to skinless sausages, mămăligă cu brânză, goulash and barbecue.

With popular music and traditional food, the Romanian Summer Festival gathered a large number of admirers of our Romanian traditions. This was the greatest joy of the organizers, that everything that was prepared with much dedication was received with much warmth by the love of faith and the nation from which we draw our roots and from which we are so far geographically, but so close with the soul.

Many thanks are due to all artists, sponsors, and volunteers. Through their love and dedication, this year Festival was again a success.