On January 11, the Sunday After the Nativity of Christ, the feast day commemorating the forefathers—the Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, King David, and James the Brother of the Lord—a traditional Christmas Children’s Concert was held at St. Barbara Cathedral in the city of Edmonton. This event is one of the main highlights of our parish life during the joyful days of the Nativity season.

The principal organizers of the concert were the Cathedral’s Children’s Sunday School, led by senior instructor Maria Zhurova. Part of the parish hall was set aside and transformed into a stage with decorations. The performances were accompanied by the Cathedral’s Youth Church Choir under the direction of Irina Trutneva. The choir opened the concert with the solemn Christmas carol “Rejoice and Be Glad,” which set the joyful and festive spirit of our celebration in honor of the bright Nativity of Christ. This was followed by recitations of Christmas poetry.

The children then presented a short theatrical performance, “The Christmas Play,” featuring well-known Gospel characters such as the shepherds, the Magi, and the Holy Family, as well as unexpected characters—a little bird, a snake, and a crow—which beautifully complemented the spirit of the sacred event and helped deepen its perception by the audience.

This year the children especially delighted everyone with their costumes—bright, original, and made with love, humor, and artistic creativity. The dialogues were delivered very clearly and were often interwoven with Christmas poetry, while the children performed confidently and joyfully.

Each new act of the play was marked by beautifully and professionally performed Christmas hymns and carols: “Christ Is Born”; the much-loved hymn about the little robin “The Nativity in Bethlehem” (soloist: Nikodim Demyanchuk); “Night Over Palestine”; the angelic hymn “Glory to God in the Highest”; “Rejoice, Mary, Rejoice, Ever-Virgin”; and, concluding the performance, the carol-blessing “Let Jesus, the Little Child” (soloist: Nikodim Demyanchuk).

The children also performed traditional English and other Christmas pieces on the piano: Anastasia Shubina played “Joy to the World,” and Platon Shubin performed “Good King Wenceslas,” a carol about the Duke of Bohemia, the Czech Christian martyr.

The performance also featured the participation of: co-host Elena Ivanova, Dasha Anokhina, Veronika, Vasiliy Morozov, Gosha Shumilin, Nastya Shubina, Varya Holden, Kirill Holden, Artur Shubin, Lazar, Ulyana Morozova, Ksenia Holden, Daria Holden, and others (we ask forgiveness if we have inadvertently omitted anyone).

Roman Lopushinsky, President of the Patriarchal Parishes, on behalf of the parishioners, expressed heartfelt gratitude to all who worked so diligently to prepare and present this beautiful and joyful Christmas performance, as well as to those who donated their time and resources. He then invited everyone to the festive meal.

Once again, there was a table full of holiday gifts for the children, as well as a beautiful Christmas tree with presents beneath it. To everyone’s delight, the children’s beloved guest—Ded Moroz (Santa Claus), portrayed by Vladislav Morozov—visited us again, announcing his arrival with the cheerful ringing of a bell. With jokes and gentle words of instruction, he distributed gifts first to the children, and then to the adults and clergy.

At the conclusion of the meal, the Rector of the Cathedral, Archpriest Igor Kisil, once again expressed his gratitude to the Cathedral Sisterhood—Margarita, Alexandra, Matushka Natalia, Olga, Oksana, Olga, Marina—their helpers, and all those who shared their very best dishes with the church, for the wonderful meal. He also thanked the Sunday School teachers and the participants of the Christmas performance for their excellent presentation, and prayerfully wished everyone every blessing, good health, and spiritual joy from the newly born Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is born! Glorify Him!