by Katie Vasquez
The tables were packed at Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg as 200 people celebrated Christmas Eve early.
“I like that there’s so many food and stuff,” said Kristupis Sadzevius, a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish.
“You feel happy because, like, you’re with your family, everybody’s, like, joyful,” said Vakaris Vidugirs, a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish.
They’re taking part in a special Lithuanian holiday tradition called Kūčios. The festivities are typically held on Dec. 24, and include 12 dishes meant to symbolize the Twelve Apostles.
“This is Jesus Christ, the coming,” said Father Valdemaras Lisovski, the parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation parish. “So we have Twelve Apostles that he gathered together and 12 dishes remind us of this tradition.”
Christ was at the center of the Mount Carmel celebration from hosts called plotkeles.
“It’s like the host and it has been blessed,” said Vida Jankaus, a parishioner at the parish.
The candles on the table were lit by the Lithuanian Scouts from the Peace Light, a flame that has been burning in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem for more than 1,000 years.
“It’s a symbolic way of sharing the peace of Bethlehem and the celebration of Christmas,” said parishioner Nida Stankunas Schmedlen, “And it’s meant to bring warmth and light and hope to everyone.”
Kūčios centers on Christ’s birth, but it’s also about spending time together with loved ones.
“We come together as a family. We come to the table, we share experiences that we had,” Father Lisovski said. “We ask for forgiveness if we offended somebody because the coming of Jesus Christ is the celebration.”
As the kids put on a story about God’s creation of the world and eat the traditional dishes their parents brought, the older generation hopes the meal will be passed on.
“We’re very proud of our heritage and we want our children to be proud of it also,” said Arnas Nemickas, a Lithuanian Scouts leader.