St. Andrew's Church on Chester and Lombard was founded 60 years ago in the Russian Orthodox Tradition. Today, the Church Community is made up of people from a wide variety of ethnicities and cultures. The Church still observes traditions that are celebrated in Eastern European countries where the Orthodox Church is dominant.

One of these traditions is the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 5^th and 6^th. Members of St. Andrew's may have various ways to celebrate. Fr. Michael Roshak, pastor of St. Andrew's, suggested that one popular way is to put one's shoes outside the door on December 5^th, the Eve of the feast of St. Nicholas, hoping to see goodies in your shoes by morning. This tradition precedes the modern day Santa Claus. Orthodox churches traditionally celebrate the Great Vespers Service on the eve of the feast. In Baltimore, all local Orthodox congregations gather at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Highlandtown to join the church in celebrating its patronal (or patron saint) feast. All are welcome to the service and reception on December 5^th at 7:00 PM at St. Nicholas Church at 520 S. Ponca Street.

Another tradition that St. Andrew's Church families will observe on Christmas Eve is the Holy Supper. Before the meal, the Christmas story is read from the Bible and Christmas hymns are sung. There is often straw placed in the center of the table to remind family members of the manger where Christ was born. The meal usually consists of 12 courses, with all soups and entrees being Lenten or fasting foods. This means that they are prepared without meat or dairy products. Examples of traditional dishes include a dumpling stuffed with prunes, boiled wheat or barley with mushrooms, and various vegetarian soups. The Holy Supper is usually prepared early, and shared before the Christmas Eve services.

St. Andrew's Church will celebrate Christmas Eve services at 6:00 P.M. on Sunday, December 24^th. The Christmas Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday, December 25^th at 9:30 A.M. All are welcome.

Fr. Michael Roshak also records a weekly message with all the events of the week on Sunday evenings. For an updated listing of St. Andrew's Church events, please call the information line 410-276-5322. You can also check the church calendar on the Internet at www.BaltimoreOrthodox.org.

The Catholic Community of St. Michael and St. Patrick is the place of worship for many Latino members of our community. A special feast for this community is Our Lady of Guadalupe. The feast commemorates the appearance of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus to a poor Mexican peasant on a hilltop in 1531. This peasant, an Aztec named Cuauhtlatoatzin, received his Christian name Juan Diego when he and his wife were baptized by Franciscan missionaries circa 1525. When she appeared, Mary revealed herself as the Ever-Virgin, Holy Mary of Guadalupe. She told Juan Diego to tell the local Bishop that a church should be built on the place of her appearance. When the Bishop was doubtful of Juan's story, the Virgin appeared again and told Juan to pick some roses and deliver them to the Bishop. Juan wrapped the rose petals in his cloak. When Juan visited the Bishop and dropped the rose petals, they observed the imprint of the face of Mary on his cloak. A small basilica was indeed built on the spot of the Virgin Mary's appearance. To this day, pilgrimages are made to the church. The feast is often celebrated with foods prepared with rose petals.

Juan Diego was praised by Pope John Paul II for his humility and simple faith, and was declared as Blessed in April 1990. In 1999, Pope John Paul II officially decreed that the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is to be celebrated by Catholics throughout the Americas annually on December 12^th.

The parish of St. Michael and St. Patrick will celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe on the morning of Saturday, December 9^th. The service will begin with a dramatic interpretation of the apparition (or appearance) of the Virgin Mary to Juan Diego and a serenade to Mary called "Las Mananitas". Mass will then be celebrated and followed by a festive Mexican breakfast. All are welcome to honor the Patroness of the Americas. For more information contact St. Michael the Archangel Church at 410-276-1646 or St. Patrick Church at 410-675-0640.

On Sunday, December 10^th, the parish will join the entire Baltimore Diocese at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen for the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe. A bus will leave from St. Patrick Church at 12:30 P.M. and from St. Michael Church at 1:00 P.M. The celebration will begin at the Cathedral with the dramatic presentation at 2:00 P.M. Mass will be celebrated at 3:00 P.M. with a reception to follow. All are welcome to celebrate the Diocesan feast.

This year the Jewish celebration Hannukkah (Chanukah) begins on December 22^nd. The holiday originated when Judah the Maccabee and his followers reclaimed the temple in the village of Modi'in from Syrian King Antiochus IV. The temple was cleansed and prepared for rededication. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means "dedication." When the sacred temple Menorah (candelabra) was relit, there was only enough sacred oil to burn for one day. Yet, according to tradition, the oil miraculously lasted eight days until more purified oil could be found.
On each of the eight nights of Hannukah at sundown, the menorah is lit. The Hannukah menorah is called a Hannukiah in Hebrew. Children receive gifts of gelt (in remembrance of the coins minted by the new independent Maccabee state) or money and play games of dreidel (a spinning four-sided top.) The dreidel game is not only fun, but it also has a real tie with the Hannukah holiday. Each of the four Hebrew letters on a dreidel stands for a word. Together, they mean, "A great miracle happened there." The tradition of receiving a gift on each of the eight days of Hanukkah is fairly recent. Since Christians exchange gifts at Christmas, Jews have come to exchange gifts other than coins at Hanukkah, which comes at the same time of the year.
The traditional foods consumed during the Hanukkah holiday are symbolic of the events being celebrated. Most are fried in oil, symbolic of the oil that lasted eight days. Loukoumades are deep-fried puffs dipped in honey or sugar to represent the cakes the Maccabees ate. Pancakes are a traditional dish, serving as a reminder of the food hurriedly prepared for the Maccabees as they went into battle, along with the oil they are fried in as a reminder of the miraculous oil. Latkes are another food eaten during Hannukah; they are also known as hash browns, shredded potato fried in oil.

Kwanzaa is an African-American spiritual, festive and joyous celebration of the oneness and goodness of life, which claims no ties with any religion. The seven-day festival focuses on seven principles or Nguzo Saba with particular emphasis on the unity of Black families. The Seven Principles are: UMOJA (Unity), KUJICHAGULIA (Self-Determination), UJIMA (Collective work and responsibility); UJAMAA (Cooperative economics), NIA (Purpose), KUUMBA (Creativity); and IMANI (Faith)

As the time of Kwanzaa nears, families arrange the Kwanzaa symbols on a low table or on the floor. These include: a straw mat (Mkeka); a candle holder with seven candles of black, red and green in the center of the Mkeka (Kinara with Mishumaa Saba); an ear of corn (Muhindi) for each child in the family are placed on either side of the Mkeka; the Unity Cup (Kikombe Cha Umoja); water and soil (Tambiko); and a basket of fruit (Mazao) on the Mkeka. A Flag of the Black Nation (Bendera Ya Taifa) is hung facing the East.

The Kwanzaa celebration begins on December 26 when the Mtume (leader or minister) calls the family together. When everyone is present, the Mtume greets them, "Habari Gani", and the family responds "Umoja". A traditional Kwanzaa ritual then follows. The Karamu or Feast is held on the night of December 31st. and includes food, music, dance, etc.