austraLasia #3027
Ash Sunday in Mongolia, and Tsagaan Sar
Ulaanbaatar: 28 February 2012 -- Sr Mel David FMA, inspired by the recent testimonies of long-standing missionaries in or from the Region, would like to add her own. She remarks that as the years are moving on and she is getting older, she would like to inspire (indeed the word she uses is 'recruit') others to follow in her footsteps. She is writing on what she calls 'Ash Sunday'. Her other remark runs like this:
"Here we are experiencing a change in weather from - 43 C to -38 C. That means spring is here already!", but this is an important season for Mongolia, and for Sr Mel herself, as she goes on to tell us:
"I arrived in the missions six years ago and I continue to enjoy, love and understand the people better. The Lord provides a lot of colour combinations to make my missionary life always exciting, alive, fulfilling and meaningful.
This year has allowed me to celebrate four 'new years':
1. November 27 – The new liturgical year
2. January 1 – New Year , the Feast of the Mother of God
3. January 22 – The Lunar year welcoming the year of the dragon for China, Vietnam, Korea (SDBs in Mongolia come from these countries, amongst others) and other Asian countries.
4. February 22 –The White New Year or Tsagaan Sar.
Tsagaan Sar is the biggest national feast in Mongolia. It is a family festival celebrated on the first day of the Lunar new year to put some cheer into the endless winter months and marks the beginning of spring. This could be any date from late January to early March depending on the Lunar calendar. The celebration happens over several days, with feasting on the night of the new moon. Everyone dresses in their best clothes to visit family members. Throughout the ages the festival has been celebrated in the traditional way- family ties are renewed and in particular it is a time to honour the elderly. As a sign of respect the younger adults greet their elders in a certain way, with a special arm-hold embrace, which symbolises both support and esteem. The gesture is accompanied by the exchange of a ceremonial pale blue or white silk scarf. Gifts are usually given and received with both hands. Whole carcasses of a fat lamb are cooked in advance, and there is lot of food including steamed dumplings, fermented milk,vodka, milk tea, salads and sweets. Traditionally after long bouts of feasting , the Mongolians settle down to hours of story–telling and wisdom sayings, and in this way, oral histories have been passed on from one generation to the next.
The Apostolic Prefecture (led by Bishop Padilla) has decided to celebrate the Lenten ashes on the First Sunday in Lent, hence here we have 'Ash Sunday'! This gives people time to travel and visit their elders across this huge landlocked country.
Catholic members are few but they are making a difference in the lives of the poor, especially the young, since the majority of the population is young. Last October 2011 the President of Mongolia, Ts. Elbegdorj, visited the Holy Father, and he invited him to visit the land of Chinggis Khaan".
Sr Mel concludes by adding: "The wonders of mission life have made me more flexible, understanding, patient, open and sensitive to the needs of the people. It has enabled me to experience a paradigm shift in order to journey together with the people towards holiness through continuous self-giving. And the Lord has not forgotten to provide his grace so that I can remain joyful in the mission despite everything.
Ash Sunday in Mongolia, and Tsagaan Sar
"Here we are experiencing a change in weather from - 43 C to -38 C. That means spring is here already!", but this is an important season for Mongolia, and for Sr Mel herself, as she goes on to tell us:
"I arrived in the missions six years ago and I continue to enjoy, love and understand the people better. The Lord provides a lot of colour combinations to make my missionary life always exciting, alive, fulfilling and meaningful.
This year has allowed me to celebrate four 'new years':
1. November 27 – The new liturgical year
2. January 1 – New Year , the Feast of the Mother of God
3. January 22 – The Lunar year welcoming the year of the dragon for China, Vietnam, Korea (SDBs in Mongolia come from these countries, amongst others) and other Asian countries.
4. February 22 –The White New Year or Tsagaan Sar.
Tsagaan Sar is the biggest national feast in Mongolia. It is a family festival celebrated on the first day of the Lunar new year to put some cheer into the endless winter months and marks the beginning of spring. This could be any date from late January to early March depending on the Lunar calendar. The celebration happens over several days, with feasting on the night of the new moon. Everyone dresses in their best clothes to visit family members. Throughout the ages the festival has been celebrated in the traditional way- family ties are renewed and in particular it is a time to honour the elderly. As a sign of respect the younger adults greet their elders in a certain way, with a special arm-hold embrace, which symbolises both support and esteem. The gesture is accompanied by the exchange of a ceremonial pale blue or white silk scarf. Gifts are usually given and received with both hands. Whole carcasses of a fat lamb are cooked in advance, and there is lot of food including steamed dumplings, fermented milk,vodka, milk tea, salads and sweets. Traditionally after long bouts of feasting , the Mongolians settle down to hours of story–telling and wisdom sayings, and in this way, oral histories have been passed on from one generation to the next.
The Apostolic Prefecture (led by Bishop Padilla) has decided to celebrate the Lenten ashes on the First Sunday in Lent, hence here we have 'Ash Sunday'! This gives people time to travel and visit their elders across this huge landlocked country.
Catholic members are few but they are making a difference in the lives of the poor, especially the young, since the majority of the population is young. Last October 2011 the President of Mongolia, Ts. Elbegdorj, visited the Holy Father, and he invited him to visit the land of Chinggis Khaan".
Sr Mel concludes by adding: "The wonders of mission life have made me more flexible, understanding, patient, open and sensitive to the needs of the people. It has enabled me to experience a paradigm shift in order to journey together with the people towards holiness through continuous self-giving. And the Lord has not forgotten to provide his grace so that I can remain joyful in the mission despite everything.
