Polish Christmas Carol Sing-A-Long
- PostEagle
- January 24, 2014
- Uncategorized
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MASSACHUSETTS – Nearly 200 people attended the second annual Polskie Koledy Sing Along sponsored by The Polish Heritage Committee of Northampton, MA. The afternoon’s event was held January 5th at St. Valentine’s Polish National Catholic Church; hosted by the Rev. Adam Czarnecki, Pastor, and its parishioners. The lead choir was comprised of choir members from area churches throughout the Pioneer Valley. The program included eighteen traditional Polish Christmas Carols and Pastoralki with sing along sheets for the people in attendance. This year’s program included a live Nativity scene portrayed by students from the Polish language class sponsored by St. Valentine’s Church.
Rev. Czarnecki opened the event with prayer asking almighty God to open our hearts to praise Him and give glory by singing Polish Carols, which are about His miraculous Birth. During the intermission, Rev. Czarnecki blessed incense and chalk for distribution to the guests and provided a brief description of the Polish Tradition of marking the door entrance and lintels of the house with the initials 20 K+M+B 14.
Visiting priests in attendance included the Very Rev. Fryderyk Banas, Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC), Ware, MA and Rev. Pawel Lukaszewicz, Holy Mother of the Rosary PNCC, Chicopee, MA. Very Rev. Banas offered a closing prayer and made note that he compared the lead choir to the Mazowsze – the world’s best known Polish folk group.
Many of those in attendance had tears of joy as they sang – bringing back memories of years past with the hope that the event will be continued. Guests as far away as Connecticut attending for the first time assured the Committee that they will again return. One woman commented that she had recently recovered from a stroke and just had to attend to hear the beautiful Polish Christmas Carols. The event culminated with a reception and fellowship in the Church hall. Plans by the Polish Heritage Committee are to continue with the Polish Carol Sing Along annually.
– Polish Heritage Committee
