A REMARKABLE CHRISTMAS

Caroling appeared first in Europe thousands of years ago. This activity was a band of people gathered together sung Christmas songs but these were not Christmas Carols. Historically speaking it was a pagan activity. The pagan songs were sung at the Winter Solstice celebrations as people danced round stone circles. Early Christians took over the pagan solstice celebrations for Christmas and gave people Christian songs to sing instead of pagan ones. In 129, a song called “Angel’s Hymn” was sung at a Christmas service in Rome. However, not many people liked them because they were all written and sung in Latin, a language that the normal people couldn’t understand.

In 1223, St. Francis of Assisi started his Nativity Plays in Italy. The people in the plays sang songs or “canticles” that told the Christmas story during the plays. Sometimes, the choruses of these new carols were in Latin; but normally they were all in a language that the people watching the play could understand and join in. Influenced by it – the “spirit of caroling”, we – the Postulants and aspirants of the Servants of the Paraclete in Vietnam, are “carolers” bringing the joy of Christmas to our benefactors and families’ friend as a hearted and thankful gift to their generosity to us.

The remarkable of this activity falls on December 19th, our postulant house had a friendly meeting with Dominican sisters of Annunciation. Our meeting program was taking place at 3 pm with an opening prayer and followed by a beautiful dance named “Such A Happy Day”. The activity was following with the choir of our brothers performed some Christmas songs. It was the generated fascinating atmosphere. The highest point of activity was the celebration of the Eucharist in the chapel of their community. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. JB. Trinh Van Hoan, s.P. In his homily, he said that the best way to understand God’s will must be the silence. And in silence, our heart will be fulfilled with the presence of the Lord. Closing a joyful day with a mini party called “Agapé” at 6:00 pm.