VI. DAYS OF CHRISTMAS CAROLS OF CHRISTIANS OF SLOVAKIA

BLESS LORD KINDLY ALL THIS COUNTRY

DECEMBER 6-8 1996

By: Maria Rybarova

This was the sixth time that Upper Nitra's region became the place of festival of Christmas customs, plays, wishes, carols, and artistic creations. During these days the participants were performing in churches and cultural halls throughout the Prievidza region. According to Mrs. Elza Dadikova, a member of the organizing committee this year’s festival was dedicated to the youth. Not only to young spectators, but also to young participants. I had learned the truth about these words during the Saturday's gala program in the Bojnice's house of culture. There wasn't any shortage of young participants or spectators. We could hear also the Prayer poems by Milan Rufus interpreted by children from elementary school from Chrenovec-Brusno: eleven years old Lubomir Borka, six years old Timei Keratova and ten years old Ivana Trginova. Another participants in the program were: folk dance and singing group Mala Trnka and folk music Trnka from Dolny Kubin, Folk group Ragacinka from Hrusov, Folk group Sutovo, Bystricka from Martin, Porac, Sliacanka from Liptovske Sliace, Folk singing group from Telgart, Cervenik, Lubena from Poluvsie, Folk music Small caroler's from Kosariska, Eva Krahuliakova from Dolny Kubin, Maria Tomcikova from Bratislava, Drahos Dalos from Lehota near Nitra and folk group from Chrenovec-Brusno. The festival was authored and directed by Ing. Viliam Jan Gruska. The moderator was Stefan Turna. At the end of the gala program Mrs. Elza Dadikova, in the name of all present, congratulated Mr. Gruska on his recent life jubilee as he turned sixty in September. At the end of the program the guests and the performers all sang one of the best known and renewed Slovak Carol: Daj Boh stastia tejto zemi.

Bless Lord Kindly all this country

The Christmas carol from the ecumenical festival Slovak Christian's Carol Days. Melody from the collection of Gaspar Drozd from Chrenovec(1804-1875). Text: Viliam Jan Gruska.

Bless, Lord, kindly all this country and the people here.
Give them sunshine, joy and fortune every livelong day.
May their neighbor love them too, May he give them peace and room.
Bless, Lord kindly all this country, and the people here.
Bless, Lord, kindly all this country, and the nations in.
May the love star still be shining on their own dwelling.
Give them, Lord, their daily bread, in their sickness give them health
Bless, Lord, kindly all this country and the nations in.
May the world last forever O, my Lord, we pray.
May the people of this world be happy and gay.
Give the fish fresh waters save the birds and animals.
May the world last forever O, my Lord we pray.

After the Gala program in the foyer of the cultural center, three was a display of Christmas foods combined with tasting. Here we had a pleasure to taste for instance bob, Apple strudel, cottage cheese cake, bobalky with poppy seeds or corn. Hot sauerkraut sup was also served. All foods were prepared by the participants according to the recipes from their regions of their origin.

During tasting of these Christmas foods happiness, satisfaction and good time was shining from everyone’s face. I had asked one of the participants of the festival if this sixth year of the festival was different from the past. She told me that she participated in all prior five festivals and that definitely this sixth one was the best, according to her it had it all. There were no repeats from the past years and the participants came well prepared.

Sunday, the last day of the festival at 11 AM in the Roman Catholic Church in Chrenovec-Brusno there was a Gala concert in the presence of the Christian representatives named the Message of Christmas.

Personally I can’t compare the previous years with the sixth year as I have been to the Days of Christmas Carols of Christians of Slovakia for the first time, thanks to Vladimir’s suggestion. However I can say that the participants were performing at their best. At the end I can only thank them for wonderful cultural experience and to look forward to be here again next year.

Maria Rybarova
Holleho 5
972 01 Prievidza
Slovakia

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Published in the Slovak Heritage Live newsletter Volume 5, No. 1, Spring 1997
Copyright © Vladimir Linder 1997 
3804 Yale Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5C 1P6
The above article and photographs may not be copied, reproduced, republished, or redistributed by any means including electronic, without the express written permission of Vladimir Linder. All rights reserved.