“Te Deum Laudamus” on Mother’s Day

“Te Deum Laudamus” – the letters made in an artistic way (each of them was a tiny masterpiece) on the stage of the Polish Culture Centre in Vilnius added splendour and announced the 13^th Religious Song and Poetry Festival.

In the concert lasting over three hours participated church choirs, a family band, talented school youth and guests from Poland, who praised the Lord with singing and music.

Jan Mincewicz, the major organizer and author of the event, Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) and the chairman of the group “Wileńszczyzna” (“The Vilnius Region”), stated at the beginning of the concert that this festival has been cultivated since the first year of independence of Lithuania, since the religion classes were introduced to the school curricula. – The first edition of this festival was participated by the young people, who afterwards became priests (among others – Priest Tadeusz Jasiński) alongside the young Saszenko girls, who later became worldly-known singers.

I am pleased that the number of contestants has not decreased, even though the youth is different in comparison to the previous generations, that young people still feel attracted to God, often recite their own poems and compose their own songs. I am delighted that this bond does not end with a single performance, on the contrary, that it continues to be present in their lives – commented Jan Mincewicz.

Some of the most exquisite pieces of the classical music reached the audience from the stage. „O mio Signore ascolta” by T. Albinoni was sung magnificently by Natalia Sosnowska and Agnieszka Dubicka with the accompaniment of Algirdasa Biveinisa. The song „O Salutaris” by Ch. Gounod, performed by Natalia Sosnowska and Katarzyna Miłto, also made an astounding impression, as well as “Alleluia” by W. A. Mozart alongside „Maria Mater Gratiae” by Pr. Guidiego performed solo by Natalia Sosnowska. Nijolė Čičinskienė from Pogiry sang splendidly „Amen, Alleluia” by G. F. Haendl with the accompaniment of Jurgita Umaraitė.

The church choirs from the Vilnius Region also took part in the aforementioned festival, among others “Schola Franciscana” from Vilnius and “Bemolki” from Marijampolė in the Vilnius Region, both led by Waldemar Dadela. Joanna Liksza brought her own two groups – “Mościszczanka” and the children group “Wesołe nutki” (“The happy tunes”). Another two arrived from Vilnius church of Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis – the church choir “Gaudium” and “Confido” led by Ilona Jurewicz, who dedicated this performance to the all Mothers in order to commemorate the Mother’s Day. Moreover, the church choir from Maišiagala (led by Wioletta Leonowicz) and “Śpiewające Rafałki” (“The singing Raphaels”) from Vilnius (led by Krystyna Grelecka) appeared in the festival.

Joanna Fediuk, the manager of “Vox Carmeli” from Nemėžis, also arrived, as well as Natalia Maciulevičienė with “Rycerze św. Franciszka” (“The Saint Francis Knights”) from Vilnius, Irena Szejbak with “Strumyk” (“The Stream”) from Kolonia Wileńska (Žemasis Pavilnys), Jarosław Królikowski with “Przyjaźń” (“The Friendship”) from Rudomino (Rudaminos valsčius) and  – last but not least – Lucyna Własienko with “Barwy Podwileńskie” from Ławaryszki (Lavoriškių).

The singing Romaszewski family certainly conquered the hearts of the audience as well. Seven children, endowed with an exceptional aptitude for music, played the violin, the guitar, the pipe and the drum, convincing full of verve that “the good is good and the evil is evil”. As it turned out, we have also our own Vilnius “Arka Noego” (“Noah’s Ark”), performing with enormous potential.

Donata Korwiel and Karyna Pawtel from Kiena (Kinė) along with Gabriela Boroszko from Medininkai, led by Alicja Iwińska, also put on their performances. Another group that participated in the event  was one from Korwie (Karvys) led by Grzegorz Pilecki and the community of the Saint John Bosko Complex Schools in Jałówka.

Undoubtedly, all these groups were the source of unique reflection, emotions and thrill to the audience.

The unaffiliated youth also proved that they can both sing and move people’s hearts. Two 11^th -year students of the Adam Mickiewicz Grammar School in Vilnius, Karolina Dawsewicz and Elżbieta Oleszkiewicz, attended the festival, as they adored singing and were trying to participate in all the available concerts. In a way, this was a debut of Karolina, who for the first time in her life entered the stage in front of a wide audience, holding her guitar, which was her 16^th birthday present. She learnt to play the guitar owing to… the Internet. Assisted by Mirosława Salnik, both girls adjusted their repertoire to the needs of the festival.

Joanna and Faustyna Zawalska from Vilnius also put on an outstanding performance, playing the guitar and the violin.

The highlight of the final programme was the performance of the church choir “Iskierki wiary” (“The faith sparks”) from Głownia in Poland. The manager, Karolina Nowak, exclaimed that these young people do not feel forced to sing, but they are willing to do it. Apart from the fact that they are group of close friends and meet one another after classes, they sing to praise Our Lord:

– This provides us with an enormous strength and joy for each and every single day. We are delighted that we can be here and participate in this festival along with the Lithuanian Poles.  We are members of the church choir affiliated with the Saint Jacob Church in Głownia, we are aged 10 and over, up to twenty something, but we are all young in spirit… (she laughed). We have arrived with our Priest Józef Podkoński, who put forward our participation in this festival. We have been there for the first time and – by the way – we also visited Vilnius. Our Priest, who admires Vilnius, has shown us this stunning city. Two days are definitely too short for the sightseeing, we have been on a hurry all the time, but it is truly magnificent – declared Karolina Nowak.

Eventually, all the contestants came in first, as the participation in the festival was a prize itself. The event was finished by singing “Trust Your Lord Today” with the expectation for the following meeting, which will take place in one year, on the second Sunday of May.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2013/07/15/69-rocznica-operacji-ostra-brama-w-krawczunach/

Tłumaczenie by Joanna Mirek w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Joanna Mirek within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.