Wieczor Koled

The 22nd Annual Wieczor Koled was performed this past Sunday January 8, 2006. The presentation of Polish Christmas Carols rotates among the Polish Toledo Parishes year to year. This year it was held at St. Hedwig on Lagrange. I love this church because it reminds me so much of St. Stan’s interior in Cleveland where I was Baptized. The performances by St. Adalbert’s, St. Hedwig’s and St. Hyacinth’s Polish, English and Folk Choirs were outstanding.

Particularly pleasing to hear was a kapela comprised of Flute, French Horn and Clarinet accompanying several of the songs in addition to the church organ.

By some accounts the attendance was a little off this year for some reason. The Polish Christmas season is in full swing until Three King’s Day – the Epiphany – but, traditionally lingers on till Candlemas is celebrated on February second. I am all for observation of an extended Christmas season, when peace and good will are more apt to be in the hearts, minds and souls of Christians. In most other countries the twelve days of Christmas from December 25th till January 6th still mean something. In America, we kick off the Christmas season at Thanksgiving (the secular holiday), so anything on or after St. Stephen’s Day (the second day of Christmas) seems anticlimactic.

Earlier on Sunday I attended Polish Mass at St. Adalbert specifically to pick up blessed chalk so that the annual ritual of writing K+M+B and the year above my front door steadfastly remains in my arsenal of Polish traditions I adhere to. Omitting a ritual here or a custom there leads to the slippery slope of losing my Polishness.

What’s above your door?