Sveti Miklavž Visits Milwaukee
Growing up in a Slovenian home, my mother taught my siblings and me many beautiful Christmas customs.  Even though my father was American, he welcomed these traditions in our home and enjoyed them as much as we did. One of my earliest memories of Christmas, as any young child, was the anticipated arrival of Sveti Miklavž.  Not only for days, but for week’s mama would remind us that Sveti Miklavž was watching us and that if we were disobedient, we had better be beware of the “parkeljni”.  She would say “they like taking naughty children away!”.  As a youngster, patiently sitting in my seat next to my mom or dad, I could hardly wait for Sveti Miklavž to walk in with St. Peter and the angels.  Suddenly, the bells began to ring, the stage curtains slowly opened and there as if the heavens were visible to us, we were ready to welcome the kind saint who would bring us gifts. Sveti Miklavž was the most magical person I could ever imagine.  He was very tall, wearing a bishop’s hat that covered his long white hair.  He also had a long white beard, and he wore a gold and white robe and carried a staff.  His voice when he spoke was so gentle and warm that you could only believe that he truly was sent by God.  This wonderful man that played Sveti Miklavž for years and years was Mr. Frank Rozina.  Mr. Rozina has long since left us, but each year as we carry on this tradition we still feel his presence among us and we are thankful for all the beautiful memories he gave us. 

Back then, the hall was filled with many eager, wide-eyed children, dressed in their Christmas best, rosaries clenched in their hands and all the time wondering if perhaps just this year the devils wouldn’t make their appearance.  No such luck!!  Just as everyone was getting settled in their seats, out of the darkness came black and red bodies, slivering around the floor and growling in order to strike panic in all the children.  I can still vividly see Lucifer, played by Mr. Vladislav Kralj, sitting on the top step of the stage, his appearance said it all. He knew just how to let everyone know that he was bad with just his presence.  There was no need to make a big fuss; his stature told the entire story. Mr. Kralj has also left us, but we will be always grateful to him for teaching us that your actions, appearance and movements can reveal the entire story.

This year, once again we eagerly awaited the arrival of Sveti Miklavž.    The program first began with a beautiful slide presentation  that Meagan Strmsek put together for us.  We looked back at the entire year and recalled many wonderful times spent together with fellow Slovenians at Triglav Park. We were then entertained with beautiful piano playing by Nina Laube.  Nina played 3 Christmas carols for us and showed us that musical talent definitely runs in the family.  Story telling is a gift, and I must say that  Mrs. Dari Strmsek has that special gift. At 96 years young, she told us how she celebrated Christmas as a child, the songs her mother taught her and of her first Christmas in the refugee camp. As she spoke you could hear in her voice the sadness, but all along she spoke with such conviction and from her heart.  As she ended, her new great-grandson, Bojan, was placed in her lap, and as she sang to him all sadness left her.  She was passing on to the next generation her love for life and family.

Miklavž finally did arrive with his angels, and of course there had to be a few devils that showed up.  As the children’s names were called, they bravely walked up to the stage quickly running past the devils, and answered all the questions Sveti Miklavž had for them. 

It has been over 50 years now since I first sat in the audience waiting to hear my name being called.  Since then I have been an angel numerous times, put the program together for many years and each time tried to rekindle what I was taught and what I cherish.  As the years go by, a little more of what was then slips away and we find that it is hard to carry on what we once found to be so important in our lives.  The hall is less crowded with eager children, the old-timers are fewer and fewer and those of us who are the carriers of this beautiful tradition are becoming less involved.

It is hard for outsiders who attend our program or hear about this custom to understand why we do this.  I have heard many times, “I would never take my children to such a program, it is so scary, and the children will have nightmares for days”.  Or, “why would you want to put your kids through such nonsense?”  Sveti Miklavž, St. Peter, his angels and devils, is not a scary event.  It is a reminder to us of the power of good over evil in our world and it is a part of our Slovenian culture that we would like to preserve.

To all the Slovenian societies that still carry on this beautiful custom, I applaud you and thank you for your fortitude.  May our children have the same magical memories as we had and let’s not turn this into some type of Santa Claus event.  This is Sveti Miklavž!

To all our readers and especially the members of the Slovenian Cultural Society Triglav, “Zelim Vam in vsem Vašim blagoslovljene in milosti polne praznike Gospodovega rojstva”.

Helenca Coffelt-Frohna
hfrohna@wi.rr.com