The Saint Anna Festival
Festivals are an extension of liturgical celebrations in historically Orthodox Christian regions. The faithful observe a Great Feast of the Church or honor a community's patron saint through prayer. The liturgy following the festal Liturgy of the people, after the celebration of the Divine Liturgy for the Feast, encourages the wider community to share in the joy of the feast and to experience Christian hospitality.
Many of our parishes have hosted ethnic festivals rather than explicitly celebrating the Orthodox Christian faith and our holy days. Thank God, these festivals have introduced countless people to our faith and cultures, primarily to address the financial needs of our parishes. While these festivals have benefited our communities, they have sadly not reflected the true spirit and purpose of our celebrations.
Our parish festival has been held on Memorial Day weekend for over twenty years. The choice of the weekend was practical. Following the pandemic and the construction of the new Sanctuary, we decided to hold a two-day festival on the weekend closest to the Feast of Saints Joachim and Anna, September 9, although the primary feast of our community is the Dormition of Saint Anna on July 25. This September feast day firmly roots our festival in Orthodox tradition, reminding us of the blessing of our Holy Ancestors of Christ, whose Holy Relics are with us; 2) celebrating what is holy and pleasing; 3) honoring the makeup of our parishes that share a common Eastern cultural heritage; and 4) offering Christian hospitality and introducing our faith to the larger community.
Because the parish festival is an extension of our lives in Christ, prayer services are held throughout, depending on the specific days of the festival—September 8 also marks the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God. Great Vespers, Orthros, the Divine Liturgy, the Blessing of the Water, and the Supplication Service to the Holy Ancestors of God, and an Akathist of Thanksgiving may all be prayed. In essence, we integrate our festival into the liturgical calendar.
May our Christian faith, hospitality, cuisine, diverse ethnic cultures, and Orthodox Christian beliefs be blessings to members of our greater community. Let us ensure our festival reflects our commitment to Christ, His Church, His Saints, and the joy of serving others. And may our Good Lord, through the intercessions of Ss. Joachim and Anna, be well-pleased with our offerings to His glory!