It's a Korean Christmas Miracle!

Well, it's been awhile (again). And since it's been such a very long time, I think I shall tell you about my Christmas.

This was my first Christmas away from home. All years before this were spent at my ancestral home in Virginia. Every Christmas, our family went to midnight Liturgy at our Melkite Greek Catholic church, where everything is beautiful. If you've never been to a Melkite service you need to go. It's an hour or so of culture shock and you come out of it full of confusion and joy, smelling of incense. I've never gone anywhere else, nor have I ever had the inclination to do so. Therefore, this year was to be my very first year not only away from home, but also attending Christmas services at a Roman Catholic church. It was a sort of double feature cultural experience. Knowing that I had to do it right, I decided to go to the Vigil Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral. I'd say I made the right choice. Despite jumping in a cab immediately after work and arriving an hour and a half before Mass, I was still unable to get into the cathedral. It was packed to the brim, and I had to be happy with the overflow room in the church hall. They set up a projector and speakers, and seated everyone on little plastic stools because they'd also run out of chairs. I can't complain, though. The overflow room filled up soon after I arrived, and the overflow for the overflow was outside the church in the cold. (But next to the nativity scene, so there's always that!)

The nativity!

Before Mass, the choir gave a splendid concert, and this was the time when I most wished I could have made it inside the church proper. The choir is a top-notch group and the church has excellent acoustics, neither of which came across properly over the speakers. But I digress. Mass was wonderful, and it lived up to all of my expectations. The bishop came, the music was perfect (full baroque orchestra!!!!), and the Mass was done respectfully and thoroughly. Mass at the cathedral is always right and just. Of course, I couldn't understand a word of what was said, but through the magic of smartphones, I at least had a translation of the readings. I think what I enjoy most about Korean Catholicism is everyone's willingness to participate. There weren't enough hymnals to go around, and yet everyone knew the hymns and, as Fr. Rocca would put it, sang with full heart and voice. Plus, everyone went to communion no one went home early, even though Mass was two hours long and the room was freezing because Koreans don't believe in paying for heat.

When Mass was over, I left the building to discover that it was snowing, the grotto to Mary was alight with candles, and from the top of the hill I could see the light of Seoul twinkling all around. I even managed to make it inside the cathedral to hear the postlude (Bach, of course). It was a wonderful Christmas. I will not deny that I danced all the way home while listening to Handel's Messiah.

I finally got a picture of the interior! Note the sweet mosaics of the apostles behind the altar.

The choir, baroque orchestra, and sweet organ. Check out all the Koreans taking pictures.

Mary is the best!!!!!

The cathedral from behind.

The next day, I slept in late, had a full American breakfast (including bacon!), skyped with my family, unwrapped presents, and spent the rest of my time watching Adventure Time, drinking wine, and cooking with as much dairy as possible. So in case you were wondering, I had a fantastic Christmas in Seoul.