Sunday morning we attended St. Seraphim for Liturgy. It is just a short three block walk from our pension and it was wonderful not to have to drive to church! We were given front pew seats and listened to the beautiful Carpatho-Rusyn chant typical of this area. Fr. Jan Lakata presented Archbishop JOB with some gifts and spoke fondly of Jim Brinda and his friendship with the parish and efforts to help support them. We all had tears in our eyes. And like typical Slovak hospitality, they invited us to a wonderful luncheon in the church basement.

We then drove to the village of Tichy Potok where Mayor Lubica Dzuganova welcomed us and ushered us in to the Cultural Center for a meal of Paschal foods. We then toured their gift shop which sells rugs, lace and other items. We also visited the Greek Catholic church there followed by yet another meal of holubki and potatoes. We have all vowed to go on diets once we return home!!!

But by far the highlight of the evening was the program presented by their folk group which consisted of a reenactment of a Rusyn weddding. Afterwards we were invited to dance with them.

The trip home in the dark was uneventful sans a couple of wrong turns along the way. Does anyone know of someone in the DOT who can make these Slovaks some road signs???

We had been given many leftovers from the past two days so an impromtu party was held at the pension. Tomorrow is a free day so many of us will be visiting our villages. Until then...