Church dinner upholds tradition

By John w. Goodwin jr.

The play and dinner have been held annually for five years.

CAMPBELL — A Christmas Eve celebration combined with 12 holiday food items and a list of traditions passed on through generations of faithful followers was on display at St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church this weekend.

The Carpatho-Rusyn Society Youngstown-Warren-Sharon Chapter sponsored a traditional Carpatho-Rusyn Christmas Eve Dinner. Carpatho-Rusyns are from the Carpatho-Rus’ region along the Carpathian Mountain Chain in Slovakia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary and Romania.

The Carpatho-Rusyn Society is determined to not only tell Carpatho-Rusyn Christmas Eve tradition, but show the traditions associated with the holiday as well. The society staged a play complete with actors in period clothes and a table boasting all the traditional Christmas Eve foods.

On Christmas Eve, a Holy Supper — Svjaty Vechur/Velija — consisting of 12 Lenten dishes is served. The 12 dishes collectively represent the 12 Apostles chosen by Christ to preach his Gospel.

Bettianne Diles detailed the meaning behind other items on the table.

“A white tablecloth could be used representing the swaddling cloth Mary used to wrap Baby Jesus. The straw on the table represents the straw in the stable. Nuts were scattered as a sign of good fortune. In the center of the table is Christmas bread in a circle with no beginning or ending to remind us of eternity,” said Diles.

James Basista, presidentof the Carpatho-Rusyn chapter, said the society has been holding the annual celebration for the last five years as a way to remember years of tradition and to teach new generations of young people.

“This is primarily to maintain this tradition, all this heritage and to have a nice social event,” he said. “We are trying to educate the new bunch, let them know how it was.”

Faith Sekerak, 13, is getting the message being delivered to the youth. She has participated in the annual play every year and says more young people need to learn their history and about God.

“It’s all very important. This is about Christ, and everything done here represents something,” she said.

Dan Malarcik, 65, of Boardman remembers when the traditions represented onstage were taught in the dining area of his grandmother’s home in Pennsylvania.

He was a young child when his grandmother, a Ukrainian immigrant, would prepare the traditional 12-course meal on a wood-burning stove for more than 30 family members.

“There was no such thing as a children’s table. We all sat at the table together, and there was always an empty chair for deceased family members,” he said.

“My brothers and sisters and I didn’t appreciate the food as much as we do now. We reminisce all the time about how we wish we could go back to that table and sit with those relatives.”

Maryann Sivak, founding member of the Carpatho-Rusyn Society, said it is important to keep the traditions alive with so many descendents marrying people who are not of Carpatho-Rusyn descent or growing up away from the traditions and customs.

She said one comforting thing she has noticed is that many who are not of Carpatho-Rusyn descent fill her home on holidays for the experience of taking part in the traditions.

Basista said anyone looking to experience the Christmas Eve traditions can join the society for another Holy Supper next year.

jgoodwin@vindy.com