The Feast of the Nativity of the Lord was celebrated again this year in Chicago with much joy and many events. On Christmas’ Eve, Sunday, December 24th, over 100 children from Sunday School and the Romanian Language School sung carols for the faithful of Ss. Constantine and Helen Cathedral of Chicago. Mos Craciun carol was repeatedly sung until Santa came with gifts for all children.        

The Christmas’ Eve evening was a blessed one by the celebration of Christmas Vespers followed by the Christmas concert offered by the Cathedral’s choir. The repertoire included traditional Romanian carols, as well as some carols from the international repertoire in the interpretation of the six teens, members of the Armonia group of the Cathedral. The joy of announcing the Nativity of the Lord through carols was shared with all those present in a pleasant surprise by the quality and richness of the selection. The Christmas’ Eve continued with caroling of the houses, the first one being HE Metropolitan Nicolae’s at the Episcopal residence.     

The Christmas Day, Monday, December 25th, was blessed with sun, but with low winter temperatures. Ss. Constantine and Helen Cathedral was full of believers eager to be part of the liturgical celebration. At the time of the sermon, HE Nicolae spoke of the reconciliation brought by the Son of God through the Incarnation, reconciliation of man with himself, with his fellows, with God, and with creation. Along with the clergy of the Cathedral, the Divine Liturgy was also served by Protosynghellos Anastasie Berbecel, who brought for veneration a copy of the icon of the Mother of God from Nicula Monastery in Romania. The icon of the Mother of God is from early November on a pilgrimage through the parishes of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States of America, a pilgrimage that ends in mid-January 2018. The joy of the faithful was thus complemented by the chance to venerate again the icon of the Mother of God. The Feast of the Nativity continued in Chicago on Tuesday and Wednesday through the service of the Divine Liturgy.