School Christmas Pageant in Bethany

On December 21 and 23, the traditional Christmas pageants (yolka) were held at the Bethany Orthodox School for Girls. On Saturday, December 21, children from kindergarten and first grade performed carols and danced, and on December 23, older children showed off their talents in front of their peers and parents. The celebrations were attended by the Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), with the abbess of the Gethsemane Monastery of St. Mary Magdalene, Mother Elizabeth (Smelic). The school was especially honored by the presence of the Head of the Mission of the Russian Federation to the Palestinian National Authority, Gocha Livanovich Buachidze. After the celebrations, the school's director, nun Maria (Wall), invited the honored guests for tea.