A Somerset County Parish is getting ready to welcome a musical group of global acclaim.
All Saints Parish in Boswell will sponsor a performance by the Tamburitzans folk ensemble from Pittsburgh on October 11 at 2:00 p.m. at North Star High School in Boswell.
Tickets are available for purchase by calling the parish office at 814-629-5551 and vary in price — general admission, senior citizens, and students.
“The Tamburitzans are an easy fit for us because they are not only incredible performers, but they show the vibrancy of our ethnic heritage,” explained Father Aron Maghsoudi, Pastor of All Saints, as well as Our Lady Queen of Angels in Central City and Holy Family in Hooversville. “In that regard the Tamburitzans and our parish have the same goal. This year their performance, which is a new performance every year, will feature music, dance, instruments, and costumes from Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Hungarian, Latvian, Greek, Slovenian, Ukrainian, and because of our national anniversary, American cultures.”
The Tamburitzans performance in Boswell is a fundraiser for an upcoming two-week pilgrimage to Central and Eastern Europe for all high school students from All Saints and Our Lady Queen of Angels and one parent per family at no cost.
“The idea behind the pilgrimage is rooted in our roots,” stressed Father Aron Maghsoudi. “Virtually every student in our parishes has ancestry in one of those countries. We feel strongly if we reconnect with the places where our families originated, we will not only be able to better appreciate our faith but also be more open to see the things that make us distinct and the things that unite everyone.”
To attend the trip, the students take classes throughout the year — including theology, language, culture, music, philosophy, architecture, and history — to be sufficiently prepared to appreciate the places we will visit on the pilgrimage, Father Maghsoudi noted.
“When a person comes to our Tamburtizan performance in Boswell, it isn’t just attending a show or a patronizing a fundraiser, it is something that makes a difference in a student’s future and such a pilgrimage provides another person with a much broader perspective on life,” Father Maghsoudi added.
Prior to the Tamburitzan performance there will be Mass at All Saints Parish at Noon featuring the parish’s Polish choir singing hymns in Polish, Slovak, and Croatian.
Following the Tamburitzan performance, there will be a festive reception in the All Saints parish hall, which will require a separate ticket from the Tamburitzans performance, available by contacting the parish office.
The reception will feature all you can eat ethnic foods from five different nationalities – Croatian, Slovenian, Greek, Hungarian, and Polish.
“The food is homemade,” Father Maghsoudi said. “There will also be an open bar with beer, wine, and spirits from all over the world, games of chance, and live music. All are welcome.”