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THREE FILIPINO YOUTH GROUPS, ONE FAMILY: VMY Greece joins Youth Festival 2012

4 December 2012

The Filipino Youth Community

VMY Greece

St. Denis Parish Youth Group

El Shaddai Youth

During rehearsals!

The Filipino Youth Community during Rehearsals

After a month-long preparation for the event, VMY Greece, together with the Youth Community of St. Denis Parish, Panepistimiou and the El Shaddai Youth Group of St. Paul Parish, Piraeus represented the Filipino Youth Community in the Youth Festival 2012 held in the afternoon of November 24, 2012 at Leontio School, Patissia.

Organized prior to the feast of Christ the King 2012, the Youth Festival aims to unite the so many Catholic ethnic communities of young people in the capital of Greece as well as draw the young to be closer to the Church. It likewise invites the youth to know about the Catholic life and faith in other people’s countries, as well as to know better one another.

A first-time event, the Youth Festival 2012 were participated by the following youth communities: the Italian Youth community, the Polish Youth community, the Albanian Youth community, the African community and the Filipino Youth community. Members of the Greek Youth Catholic community, ΕΚΝΕ, served as organizers of the event.

As the different youth groups arrived at the event venue, they were asked to register and were given colored leaf-like paper to write their wishes for which they have to post on a specified wall. Various booths were also installed at the venue providing a taste of culture for the participating communities.

Afterwards, everyone assembled at the Leontio School Theater with Fr. George Dagas, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Youth Festival 2012, warmly welcoming the youth communities. The celebration formally kicked-off as the different youth communities brought the assembly with a variety of musical and dance performances as well as cultural presentations.

The Italians presented first as they offer a brief background of their country and an Italian song number. This was followed by the Polish community as young girls wearing black robes with flower headdresses presented a musical dance interpretation. The Albanians presented next as they provided a preview of their culture and traditions, wrapping it up with a lively group song number.

The Filipino youth community then took the center stage providing first the audience a brief background of the Philippines. From the three groups representing the Filipino youth community, VMY Greece was the first one to perform. VMY Greece started the line-up of performances rolling as they offer a Filipino gospel song entitled “Hesus”. This was followed by a dance interpretation of the song “Firm Foundation”.

Next in line was the Youth Community of St. Denis Parish. The group sang two religious songs entitled “New Hallelujah” and “We are One Body”.

The El Shaddai Youth Group followed next with a touching black-light pantomime repertoire of the song “The Prayer”.

As a final presentation of the Filipino youth community, the three groups altogether performed a modern dance interpretation entitled “In the Beginning” depicting the biblical story of Jesus Christ. Overall, the entire Filipino youth community presentation was well-received by the audience as massive applause was received by the performers.

Finally, the African community finished the group presentations as they offered a mixture of cultural performances – a choral group singing African religious music accompanied by the beating of their traditional drums, a song interpretation giving praise to Jesus, a poem and a modern dance number.

After the performances, a 30-minute break was allotted in preparation for the Eucharistic celebration as well as to give time for the participants to mingle with their youth counterparts. Confessions were likewise offered in English and Greek languages.

Everyone then gathered at the Leontio School Chapel for the Eucharistic celebration. The celebration was presided by the Archbishop of Athens, Rev. Fr. Nicolas Foscolos together with the different community parish priests.

Culminating the youth festival, a banquet feast along with a musical concert was held at the auditorium near the school’s chapel. Both African and Filipino youth community performed during the concert. Sealing the bond of friendship among them, the entire Filipino youth community ended the concert as they sang their voices out on stage singing Hillsong’s “For All You’ve Done”.