Astoria parish concludes holiday season with annual "prosfora" community dinner (02/22/98)

Astoria parish concludes holiday season with annual "prosfora" community dinner

by Nick Czorny

ASTORIA, N.Y. - It is truly special when an annual tradition is celebrated in such a way as to bring the community together in a heartwarming manner. The Holy Cross Ukrainian Catholic Church here succeeded in doing just that at its "prosfora" dinner held at the close of Christmas festivities in January. The mood was set at liturgy, prior to the community supper, by the choir's renditions of beloved Ukrainian Christmas carols.

Filled with the spirit of the carols, everyone filed into the school auditorium, which was full - not a seat left in the house. The tables were beautifully set, carefully arranged with "kutia" and other traditional Christmas foods, including plates of delicious homemade baked goods.

It was refreshing to see the younger generation so well represented. Dashing in and out, around the stage and throughout with the typical restlessness of the young, they energized the audience anticipating the start of the program.

The pastor, the Rev. Philip Sandrick, lead the invocation that began the prosfora and the entire congregation joined in the singing of Christmas carols. The Rev. Christopher Woytyna, provincial superior for the diocese joined the pastor in presiding over the event. They were joined by the Rev. Cyril Iszczuk and Deacon George Malachowsky.

The program opened with dancers from the renowned Roma Pryma Bohachevska's dance ensemble. In "A Winter Fairytale," little snowflakes and birds danced across the stage and delighted the audience. Next came the older group, which danced the Hopak and other traditional favorite dances.

The Prolisok Choir followed, maintaining the audience's total attention. Consisting of members of the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM-A) from New York City, and under the very capable direction of Andrew Stasiw, the choir sang such Ukrainian carols as "Schedryk," "Sleep Baby Jesus," and "Christmas Bells" to heartwarming applause.

Closing out the program with more delightful renditions of Christmas carols was a young bandura ensemble under the direction of Alla Kutsevych, a prominent performer from Ukraine.

Culminating the prosfora, Ms. Kutsevych was joined in song by the parish's own Fathers Philip and Kyrylo. The audience's final treat was a solo performance by Ms. Kutsevych, a very accomplished and gifted bandura player.

The annual prosfora was a great success - a delicious, traditional community dinner with the very best of Ukrainian entertainment in dance, choral music and the bandura. A truly special tradition continues in Astoria.

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