CELEBRATION OF VIETNAMESE “TET”
Lunar New Year Festival – the occasion that marks the beginning of a new year in the lunar calendar, is also called “Tet” or “Tet Nguyen Dan” in Vietnamese. This is the most important festival in Vietnam which usually takes place annually around late January or early February. Tet is a time of meeting, especially for the gathering of family members. For this reason, wherever they may be, the Vietnamese people always feel an immense nostalgia, wishing to come back to their homeland for a family reunion and a taste of the particular flavors of the Vietnamese festivities. However, there are also many Vietnamese who, with different reasons, have to celebrate this special Festival in many other foreign countries around the world.
On February 8, 2016 (January 1, 2016 in Lunar Calendar), the Salvarotian fathers and brothers in Father’s Jordan Formation House together with the novices joyfully celebrated this Vietnamese Tet. With a great concern and support from the superior, formators, the Vietnamese brothers prepared some Vietnamese traditional foods especially Pho (noodle soup) and Chưng Cake. Chưng Cake is a unique dish on Tet holiday in Vietnam which made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, and other ingredients. It is wrapped in green leaves. Before starting the celebration, Fr. Adam Janus on behalf of the Salvatorian Family gave thanks and best wishes to the Vietnamese Salvarotian brothers as well as their families in Vietnam. After that, everybody in the community happily enjoyed the celebration. It was a great time not only for the Vietnamese brothers but also the fathers and brothers form different countries. Because as a part of the Salvarotian International Community, Vietnamese Tet is a great opportunity for all the members of the Society to know and understand the Vietnamese culture. The celebration then ended with the hope that Vietnamese Tet will be repeatedly celebrated in the years to come.
