12/05/2016．Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Lighting up the Night Sky of Kaohsiung with Love and Hope

 【News release: Public Relations Office】

     With the approach of the annual Christmas season, the Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, which was founded by the Order of Saint Ursula, organized a series of Adventus-related activities to welcome the holiday starting in December. The first in the line of events is the “Lighting Ceremony” taking place at the track and field on December 2nd. This year, in response to Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter “Praise Be to You”, in which the topic of environmental protection was highlighted, the School called upon hundreds of students and faculty members to line up in the pattern of a pair of gigantic leaves. All the participants raised their cell phones, turning on their lights under the evening sky, heralding in the Christmas season with blessings. At the same time, Chen Li-yen, Vice President for Administrative Affairs at Wenzao University, led the children of the School faculty in lighting up a 14-meter-high (roughly 3.5 stories tall) gigantic Christmas tree, adding a green message to the Christmas celebrations this year.

     Wenzao University’s “Lighting Ceremony” was organized by the Center for Ursuline Education, attracting the enthusiastic participation of students and faculties. Hundreds of students and teachers showed up at the event venue, gradually turning up around 5 PM in the afternoon at the track and field. At the start of the event, students from the All Korean Club and the Break Dancing Club took to the stage to heat up the atmosphere. A series of performances followed to bring the event to a climax, including American dance and concert, jazz piano and choir music.
    
     The highly-anticipated lighting ceremony kicked off with Chen Li-yen, Vice President for Administrative Affairs, leading the participants in offering prayers during the ceremony and jointly lighting the 14-meter-tall Christmas tree. This year, the theme of the Christmas celebration and events of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages is “Green Manger.” The Lighting Ceremony was the first spotlight of Wenzao’s Christmas event series. During the period of the Adventus, each of the candles on the Advent wreath was lit up each week as a countdown to receiving the birth of baby Christ, kicking off a series of activities in waiting for the birth of Christ. Adventus refers to the 4-week period of preparations to receive the coming of Christ. The four weeks are subdivided into the following themes: “hope,” “peace,” “joy” and “sharing,” allowing everyone to prepare their heart and soul to accept the love of God and embrace the truth.

      Wenzao University’s ceremony adopts the ceremonial traditions of St. Lucy from Northern Europe as the rituals of the lighting and passing on the light. It also introduces the students and faculty to the real meaning of Adventus and Christmas through the ceremony. To create more meaning to this year’s Christmas, Wenzao University initiated the Gifts for the Needy project, joining hands with Mustard Seed Garden After School Learning Center for Children from Disadvantaged Families and the New Taipei City East Center for Foreign Spouses of Good Shepherd Social Welfare Foundation, to provide children from disadvantaged families with necessities for living and learning as Christmas presents. Students and faculty from Wenzao University went online to claim Christmas present lists with items which kids at the orphanage would need, helping these young children to celebrate the Christmas holidays.

     To celebrate the coming of Christmas, the Christmas event series at Wenzao University this year included: Christmas Celebration of the Manger, Meat-free Friday, Gifts for the Needy, Christmas Dance Fair, Christmas Concert jointly organized by four clubs, Unforgettable Christmas Memory exhibition, Morning Star Carolers, Christmas Concert, Christmas Eve Vigil Mass and Christmas Day Mass. At the same time, a charity sale for stainless steel straws was also held. All proceeds from the sales would be donated to the Sheng Yuan Nursing Home in Hualien Diocese, an institute which is the shared target of compassion of the Catholic Schools Week.

 

Students and faculty line up to form the outline of two giant leaves on the field during the lighting ceremony organized by Wenzao. Photo: Tung Yen-ting (Alumni)	Vice President Chen Li-yen (left) lights the candles with the young  “Angels of Receiving Light.” Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A
Performance by the members of the All Korean Club Photo: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B	Performance by Loannes Choir Photo: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B
Pop jazz piano music performance Photo: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B	Wenzao’s students and faculty raise their cell phones,  illuminating the shape of the gigantic leaves. Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A
Students and Faculty taking part in the Lighting Ceremony turn on the light. Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A	Graduating students pose with the Christmas tree. Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A
Students flock to the Christmas tree for photos. Photo: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B	Students stand in front of the Christmas Tree for a photo. Photo: Olivia Hsieh

 

 




　
　

　

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Wenzao University organized the Christmas Lighting Ceremony on December 2nd,
turning on the Christmas light decorations on the entire campus. Photo courtesy of Tung Yen-ting (Alumni)  








 


December 05, 2016








 【News release: Public Relations Office】
     With the approach of the annual Christmas season, the Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages, which was founded by the Order of Saint Ursula, organized a series of Adventus-related activities to welcome the holiday starting in December. The first in the line of events is the “Lighting Ceremony” taking place at the track and field on December 2nd. This year, in response to Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter “Praise Be to You”, in which the topic of environmental protection was highlighted, the School called upon hundreds of students and faculty members to line up in the pattern of a pair of gigantic leaves. All the participants raised their cell phones, turning on their lights under the evening sky, heralding in the Christmas season with blessings. At the same time, Chen Li-yen, Vice President for Administrative Affairs at Wenzao University, led the children of the School faculty in lighting up a 14-meter-high (roughly 3.5 stories tall) gigantic Christmas tree, adding a green message to the Christmas celebrations this year.
     Wenzao University’s “Lighting Ceremony” was organized by the Center for Ursuline Education, attracting the enthusiastic participation of students and faculties. Hundreds of students and teachers showed up at the event venue, gradually turning up around 5 PM in the afternoon at the track and field. At the start of the event, students from the All Korean Club and the Break Dancing Club took to the stage to heat up the atmosphere. A series of performances followed to bring the event to a climax, including American dance and concert, jazz piano and choir music.         The highly-anticipated lighting ceremony kicked off with Chen Li-yen, Vice President for Administrative Affairs, leading the participants in offering prayers during the ceremony and jointly lighting the 14-meter-tall Christmas tree. This year, the theme of the Christmas celebration and events of Wenzao Ursuline University of Languages is “Green Manger.” The Lighting Ceremony was the first spotlight of Wenzao’s Christmas event series. During the period of the Adventus, each of the candles on the Advent wreath was lit up each week as a countdown to receiving the birth of baby Christ, kicking off a series of activities in waiting for the birth of Christ. Adventus refers to the 4-week period of preparations to receive the coming of Christ. The four weeks are subdivided into the following themes: “hope,” “peace,” “joy” and “sharing,” allowing everyone to prepare their heart and soul to accept the love of God and embrace the truth.
      Wenzao University’s ceremony adopts the ceremonial traditions of St. Lucy from Northern Europe as the rituals of the lighting and passing on the light. It also introduces the students and faculty to the real meaning of Adventus and Christmas through the ceremony. To create more meaning to this year’s Christmas, Wenzao University initiated the Gifts for the Needy project, joining hands with Mustard Seed Garden After School Learning Center for Children from Disadvantaged Families and the New Taipei City East Center for Foreign Spouses of Good Shepherd Social Welfare Foundation, to provide children from disadvantaged families with necessities for living and learning as Christmas presents. Students and faculty from Wenzao University went online to claim Christmas present lists with items which kids at the orphanage would need, helping these young children to celebrate the Christmas holidays.
     To celebrate the coming of Christmas, the Christmas event series at Wenzao University this year included: Christmas Celebration of the Manger, Meat-free Friday, Gifts for the Needy, Christmas Dance Fair, Christmas Concert jointly organized by four clubs, Unforgettable Christmas Memory exhibition, Morning Star Carolers, Christmas Concert, Christmas Eve Vigil Mass and Christmas Day Mass. At the same time, a charity sale for stainless steel straws was also held. All proceeds from the sales would be donated to the Sheng Yuan Nursing Home in Hualien Diocese, an institute which is the shared target of compassion of the Catholic Schools Week.
 







 







Students and faculty line up to form the outline of two giant leaves
on the field during the lighting ceremony organized by Wenzao.Photo: Tung Yen-ting (Alumni) 


Vice President Chen Li-yen (left) lights the candles with the young
 “Angels of Receiving Light.”Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A












Performance by the members of the All Korean ClubPhoto: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B


Performance by Loannes ChoirPhoto: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B








Pop jazz piano music performancePhoto: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B 


Wenzao’s students and faculty raise their cell phones,
 illuminating the shape of the gigantic leaves.Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A








Students and Faculty taking part in the Lighting Ceremony turn on the light.Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A  


Graduating students pose with the Christmas tree.Photo: Fan Neng-hsin, Class XE3A








Students flock to the Christmas tree for photos.
Photo: Kao Le-yun, Class XE4B


Students stand in front of the Christmas Tree for a photo.Photo: Olivia Hsieh