CHARLOTTE — The ongoing pandemic means that this year’s celebrations of Tet, the lunar new year, will be more subdued than usual, but there will still be plenty of fun to enjoy.
Large public gatherings are out, but St. Joseph Vietnamese Parish will commemorate the new year this weekend with decorations, lucky red envelopes, traditional Vietnamese foods, and – always a favorite – performances by the parish’s lion dance team.
The parish will offer scaled-down festivities after each Mass this Sunday, Jan. 30: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
“We will decorate the church in our traditional way for the occasion. We will have regular Masses, and at the end of each one, we will give to all the faithful our ‘good luck’ envelope,” said Father Tri Truong, pastor.
The little red envelopes, which contain a dollar bill and a note with a Scripture verse, are an expression of appreciation from the parish and a wish that the new year is one of health, prosperity, happiness and success.
Also, at the end of each Masses, the Hidden Dragon Lion Dance team will offer a brief performance. The team, comprised of parish youth with an aptitude for acrobatic dance, practices all year long to perfect this physically intensive art form. During the colorful dance, the littlest audience members gleefully place dollar bills in the giant lion’s mouth as a wish that the coming year will be full of prosperity and happiness.
The parish will also offer traditional foods for sale – from its famous pho soup to banh chung, a rice cake containing green beans and pork covered in banana leaves.
This year on the lunar calendar corresponds to the year of the Tiger, an animal considered the king of the mountains and forests, that represents courage, majesty, wealth and protection.
Father Truong invites all the faithful of the diocese to join the parish in this special celebration of the lunar new year.
“We will be waiting for you all. We are going to be at Mass, worshiping God and celebrating our Vietnamese culture and tradition at the same time – together in our Catholic faith,” he said.
St. Joseph Vietnamese Church is located at 4929 Sandy Porter Road in Charlotte.
— César Hurtado, Reporter