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Polish Arts Club hosts traditional Wigilia
Video
By LINDA M. LINONIS
YOUNGSTOWN
Melodic sounds of the St. Casimir Choir filled the Brier Hill Cultural Center as the koledy (Christmas carols) provided a customary musical culmination to a traditional Wigilia (Christmas vigil).
The Polish Arts Club of Youngstown hosted the event Sunday at the center, 145 Jefferson St., for about 80 people; it began with a social time and traditional meatless dinner. The center is the former St. Casimir Church, which closed.
Sandra Cika, president, said the Polish Arts Club, which will mark its 80th anniversary in 2015, always has included the Wigilia in its programming. She said for Polish people in the United States and Poles in the native land, the event “is a vigil as people wait for the birth of Christ.”
The club sponsors such events “for educational reasons” — to keep the traditions alive for younger generations, Cika said. She said there is “something magical” about it.
Traditionally, Cika said, fasting would begin on St. Andrew’s Feast Day on Nov. 30 and continue to Christmas Eve, when the meatless meal would take place. The event, which was open to the public, featured the meatless dinner with mushroom soup; bigos that included sauerkraut and mushrooms; poppyseed (for wealth in the new year) and pasta; potato pancakes; pirogi and fish. Kravitz Delicatessen catered.
Cika said the meal would also include a honey cake and “krupnik,” honey vodka, used in a traditional toast.
The festive part of Christmas, Cika said, would be Christmas Day to Feb. 2. Candlemas celebrates three occasions, according to Christian belief — the presentation of the child Jesus at the temple; Jesus’ first entry into the temple; and the Virgin Mary’s purification, which is mainly in Catholic churches.
At the Wigilia on Christmas Eve, the dinner begins when the youngest child sees the first star in the sky.
The dinner table, usually just for the immediate family, is set with an extra place at the table for the “unexpected guest,” Cika said. “That could be a weary traveler or even the Christ child.” The table is set with a white cloth and there’s straw under it to represent the manger.
The oldest person at the dinner shares the oplatek (Christmas wafer) with the diners. It has been blessed by a priest, and everyone gets a piece. “We break it with one another and offer best wishes,” Cika said.
“It sets the tone for Christ to come ... there’s no room for ill will, there must be good relationships,” Cika said.
Alexandria Copich, a 60-year club member, said her mother, Helen Orze, was a founder. “I’m 100 percent Polish,” the Liberty resident said. “These events are to educate and share the Polish culture.”
Copich said her favorite tradition is sharing the oplatek; she sends the Christmas wafers to family out of town. Copich, who belonged to St. Casimir Choir, said those who weren’t Polish learned the carols phonetically. “The melodies are so beautiful,” she said.
Copich said the carols also are a reminder of family heritage.
Bill Farragher, who serves on the board of the cultural center, is Irish but he has ties to Brier Hill. “My roots are here ... a lot of Irish lived here. My grandparents and family lived here,” he said.
He said he attended the Wigilia, in part, to observe how the facility functions for such an event. “It’s worked out well,” he said, adding the center hopes to attract events sponsored by other ethnic groups. “Brier Hill has a lot of potential,” he added.
After the meal and basket raffle, guests gathered in the former sanctuary for the koledy, singing of Polish carols. The Christmas Eve Mass called Pasterka means the Shepherds Watch, Cika said.
Three Christmas trees sparkled with white lights and were complemented by other large wreaths with white lights and a couple with red lights. The holiday decor set the mood for the choir to lead Polish carols. Though many of those gathered didn’t understand the language, the beauty of the songs transcended translation. Though their church is gone, the choir sings on in admirable fashion.
Cika said the group sings at other churches for events. The choir will host a kolachi and koledy at 6 p.m. Dec. 27; cost is $10.
For information on Brier Hill Cultural Center and events, call Cika, executive director, at 202-297-0362.