On the eve of the traditional Festival of Christmas Carols, which will take place on January 11 at 3:00 PM at the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchial Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, we spoke with the cathedral’s rector, Father Roman Pitula, who has been serving at the cathedral for the past ten years, about the origins of the festival, the power of caroling as prayer, and its ability to bring people together in the joy of the Christmas season.
How many years has the festival been held?
I believe it has been about twenty years. The original idea came from the previous Metropolitan-Archbishop Stefan Soroka. He passed this initiative on to one of my predecessors, the cathedral’s rector, Father Ivan Demkiv, and blessed the establishment of a shared caroling event. Over time, this initiative grew into what we now call the Festival of Christmas Carols.
How many groups will participate this year?
This year we already have eleven groups registered. This is a fairly standard number. There were years when we had as many as seventeen groups, and sometimes fewer, but in general we usually host between ten and fourteen different ensembles each year.
When does the festival begin, and why was this time chosen?
We begin at 3:00 PM. All the groups arrive around that time. We host various choirs, vocal groups, and ensembles from different cities and even different states. People need time to travel after the Divine Liturgy, so 3:00 PM is the most optimal time. It allows two to three hours after the service to arrive and still ensures there is daylight so that everyone can return home safely afterward.
Where are the participants coming from this year?
Most participants come from within our Archeparchy — from Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We will also have guests from New York. In previous years, groups came from Washington, D.C., but not in recent years.
Why is it important, in your opinion, to preserve the tradition of caroling?
We all understand that prayer is a conversation with God. One form of prayer is praise, and caroling is a prayerful act of glorifying God. It opens us inwardly and helps us move beyond purely formal prayers. I am not opposed to traditional prayers — on the contrary, they are very important. At the same time, I deeply value personal, sincere prayer in one’s own words. Caroling glorifies God, unites us, and allows us to be more open and receptive to God.
We turn to the little Child — a helpless infant who is at the same time the Almighty God, who takes on our human nature. Through song, prayer, and caroling, we experience this closeness.
It is also important that people can gather together, spend time with one another, carol together, and glorify God. As Saint Augustine said, “He who sings prays twice.” Caroling is one of the ways we can pray twice.
Will the cathedral choir participate?
Of course. The cathedral choir traditionally opens the festival every year.
What does this festival mean to you personally?
It brings me great joy — the joy of seeing different groups: children, youth, elderly participants, and performers of varying levels of experience. But most importantly, it is the joy of seeing people come together.
When you see participants standing on the steps before the iconostasis in our beautiful cathedral, and when the cathedral is nearly full of people who have come to carol together, it brings true fulfillment. Preparing the festival does require a great deal of work — organizing the program, selecting carols so they are not repeated, and considering the composition and level of each group — but it is a joyful labor.
Does the festival have an impact on the Ukrainian community?
Absolutely. In addition to Ukrainians by heritage, many people attend who are Ukrainians “by choice.” Music and song know no boundaries. Even if people do not understand the words, they can still feel the meaning. We strive to preserve the traditional nature of caroling, although sometimes more modern pieces are included. After the festival, we always receive very warm and grateful feedback.
We invite everyone to join us for the Festival of Christmas Carols — let us carol together!
All are warmly welcome!
By Oksana Loziak
