It was shaping up to be a day like few others. And it was. Because it really was a marathon festival, which lasted until nightfall. And it brought us all, (a little over 400 souls we were!), emotion and joy, and we were able to prove together how beautifully a touch of humanity can bring us together in the good-fulfilled by love.
By the time after the Holy Mass, on Midsummer's Day, 32 teams from as many parishes, children's clubs, schools and high schools in Suceava County were already in the auditorium and in the foyer of the Municipal Theater „Matei Vissniec” in Suceava, eager to put to the test ChildOmenia.
And I'll tell you, even if you think you haven't asked me, some of the Good that happened there. And I do it also because it's my way of saying, again and again, thank you to all those who responded with yes-enthusiastic-and-enthusiastic-yes to our invitation to participate in the children's charity festival, with and for children, but also because I know that there are still „children of God” who strive to help in the days to come.
For almost five hours, there was no end to the spectacle, the exercises in awe and the touring of the art galleries, nor to the joy of discovery, the sharing of kind and generous thought and empathy. I say it with great confidence and gratitude, only one of the seven fine arts was missing, because - both on stage and in the exhibition spaces - music, painting, dance, sculpture, literature, architecture (present in the photo gallery) were absent.
It was sung and the music delighted. Vocal and instrumental music, folklore, children's songs, ethno pieces, but also universally acclaimed arias, performed by soloists or duets, children's choirs, artistic ensembles and traditional vocal groups. Violins, the organ, accordion and trumpet; folk songs, homophonic singing, patriotic, mournful and mournful songs, songs of mourning and longing, and songs of play and celebration.
Smaller or bigger volunteer artists? „Bilcuța” folk group, from the Secondary School „George Tofan” Bilca; „Nikolaos” Children's Choir of the Parish „Sfântul Nicolae” Sadova; „Ecclesia” Youth Center Choir of the Technical College „Petru Musat” Suceava; „Sfântul Stelian” Choir of the Sunday School of Berchișești; ”Crenguță de brad„ Folkloric Group from the Secondary School ”Iorgu G. Toma„ Vama; the folkloric ensemble of the Children's Club of Rădăuți; the ethno group ”Miorița„, from the ”Maria Cantacuzino„ secondary school in Horodniceni; the ”Flori de merișor„ group, from the Poiana Stampei secondary school; the vocal-instrumental group ”Noițele„, formerly called ”the girls with the violins", from the secondary school No. 1 Bogdănești.
Likewise, the vocal-traditional group „Ai lui Ștefan, noi oșteni”, from the „Ion Nistor” Vicovu de Sus Technological High School, a group that needs no introduction, consecrated as „young ambassador of Romanian tradition and spirituality”, a super-name confirmed and reconfirmed, awarded and applauded openly, countless times, in the 12 years of artistic activity.
And the soloists, children and young people, passionate about classical music or folklore, from: Colegiul Silvic „Bucovina” Câmpulung Moldovenesc; Colegiul „Andronic Motrescu” Rădăuți; Colegiul Național „Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi” Rădăuți; Colegiul Tehnic Rădăuți; Liceul Tehnologic „Vasile Cocea” Moldovița; Elementary School „George Voevidca” Câmpulung Moldovenesc; Elementary School Berchișești; Elementary School Bosanci; Elementary School „Mihai Eminescu” Rădăuți; Elementary School „Aurelian Stanciu” Salcea; Elementary School Nr. 1 Suceava.
Painting was also on choice. The exhibition „Children and May cherries” of the small artists from the painting workshop „Aripi înflorite” from Rădăuți; icons on glass made in the painting workshops of the School Center for Inclusive Education „St. Andrew” Gura Humorului and the Orthodox Theological High School Seminary „Metropolitan Dosoftei” Suceava; icons on wood and religious painting on stone, realized by the „Little Craftsmen” at the Berchișești Secondary School and in the religious circle of the Ostra Secondary School.
Then, the exhibition „Midsummer - flower and light” of young artists from the „Ciprian Porumbescu” Art College in Suceava; the decorative objects of the „Vlăstarele Bucovinei” circle, from the Technological High School no. 1, Câmpulung Moldovenesc and those of the children from the „Maria Cantacuzino” Secondary School in Horodniceni; the ethno-cultural products of the ”Open Hearts" circle from the Secondary School No. 2 Marginea or the handicrafts made by the students of the Secondary School Bosanci, in the optional folklore classes.
And also art, photographic art, in the exhibition-gallery „Beautiful soul, hand in hand with Christ”, signed by Ms. Irina Ursachi, photojournalist in the Media and Communication Sector of Archdiocese of Suceva and Rădăuților, partner in the project. A gallery of the „children's liturgy” from the liturgies of the Sundays and holidays spent by them in our churches and monasteries, in which the values of order are: faith, prayer, innocence, family, friendship, education, culture, hope, reading, generosity, care for God's creation and love of neighbor. And I could go on and on, but you will - soon - be able to revisit the gallery I am talking about.
We were convinced of the fascination and rigor of ballroom dancing and the emotion conveyed through choreography by the dance group ,,ADALIS Jr.” and „Dinamic” from the Suceava Children's Palace.
We did not miss literature, I was telling you, nor the forays into snoave, poetry and theater; the cheerful moment, ”The skillful lad„, the talented Luca Vasile Lucan, first grade, from the Giimnazială School ”Iorgu G. Toma„ Vama; the dramatization of ”The nectar poppy„, after Valeriu Anania, an artistic moment performed by the ”Voievod's Children„ group from the ”Grigore Ghica Voievod„ secondary school in Suceava and the carefully distilled lyricism of sensitivity, depth of meaning and long and repeated hours of study, demonstrated again and again by the young Adela Șulea, from the ”Miron Costin" secondary school, who is always present at cultural events that bring poetry back to us.
Moreover, in our charity event we also organized a book fair, „Church School”, consisting of books signed by children and young people, students and teachers, offered by the authors precisely to contribute to the success of the project. From the children, the booklet „The Queen and Friendly Fruits”, signed by Efrema-Ecaterina Matei, from 1st grade, from the ”Grigore Ghica Voievod” Secondary School in Suceava; from the teachers: Aura Mihoc, from Ipotești Elementary School; Lenuța Rusu, coordinator of the Vocal Group „Moldava” of the Children's Club of Fălticeni; Oana-Diana Onesim, from the Technical College „Petru Musat” Suceava; Vasile Schipor, from the Technological High School „Ion Nistor” Vicovu de Sus; Fr. drd. Cezar Onesim, and, yes, also Moara (mea) de gânduri, recently published by Crimca Publishing House of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților.
For whole hours, they accompanied us and told us about and supported us the Midsummer's, because it's impossible to have a children's show, on Midsummer's, without Midsummer's. And the little ones, especially, are in great need of other children and young people around them who are „beautiful to follow”. As they are: Bianca-Gabriela Roman, student at the Faculty of Education Sciences, „Stefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, and referent in the eparchial center of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților and Alexia Ursuțu, student sergeant major, from the National Military College „Stefan cel Mare”, Câmpulung Moldovenesc, member of the national Olympic team in religion, this year, facilitator for socio-educational activities in the Sunday School of Bogdănești.
We have fulfilled a dream for which we have twinned with the Good and for which the Good has also helped us. With what he has gathered ChildOmenia,we're gonna send Bold on the road to knowledge five children from the Center for Protection Services for Children in Need Rădăuți - Solca, respectively the Solca „Friendship” Family Home, and we will also prepare their suitcases for their vacation days. Moreover, the children volunteers from the project team have „advised” us, and I believe that their thought comes from above and is welcome, to organize five summer schools in villages where nothing seems to happen (sorry, if it hurts!); we will buy (as much as we have) the necessary materials and we will volunteer for the hours of facilitating learning and socio-educational and cultural animation. And we are „here”, if you think you can (still) help us.
Peace and full joy for the children of the world come to us!
Daniela Ceredeev, school inspector for religion,
project coordinator
(*Children's Sânzienele, a cultural and philanthropic marathon-festival for children and young people is a project coordinated by the Suceava County School Inspectorate, in partnership with the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuților, through the Media and Communication, Educational-Theological and Cultural sectors, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Calinic, the Municipal Theater „Matei Vișniec” Suceava and Monitorul de Suceava).
