African Festival draws hundreds to the Cathedral of the Immaculate in Portland.

Hundreds of people gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland on Saturday, September 28, for the annual African Festival, a celebration of the beauty of African culture and community and a recognition of the gifts that African immigrants have brought to the Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes and the greater community.

“[Jesus] chose to put us all together because he knows how to bring the best out of us, how we can complement one another and be a wonderful gift to the world and a sign of life and a sign of goodness in our community,” said Father Seamus Griesbach, rector of the cathedral, during a Mass that preceded the festival. “Here at the altar, Jesus Christ teaches us that our diversity must never be a source of suspicion or division or jealousy but, instead, a beautiful source of joy.”

Joy was at the heart of the African Festival, which included music, dancing, and an array of dishes from the many countries represented. Attendees could try chikwange from the Democratic Republic of Congo, pink beans from Rwanda, or zigni from Eritrea. Other countries represented included Angola, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, and South Sudan.

“It’s just a way to exhibit our culture and to share it with American people because many people never travel to Africa,” says Joe Maruhe, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who now lives in South Portland.

“The African Festival is different African countries coming together as the body of Christ,” said Lugina Francisco, originally from Eritrea, who also lives in South Portland. “We are different in our traditions, culture, tribes, origins, and where we came from, but we are one in God.”

The cathedral’s Guild Hall was filled for the festival, as were the pews of the cathedral for the Mass that preceded it. Re-creating a tradition in some African cultures, during the Mass, a child holding the Book of the Gospels was carried in a litter to the front of the church. The book was then presented to Deacon Michael Augustino for the Gospel reading.

During the offertory, in addition to the gifts of bread and wine, fruit and flowers were brought to the front of the church and presented to Father Griesbach. The Mass also featured members of the African choir.

In addition to building community, the festival benefits the community outreach work of Sacred Heart / St. Dominic Parish in Portland, which is the spiritual home to many African immigrants. Sacred Heart / St. Dominic offers a Mass in French and English each Sunday, recognizing that French is a language that many immigrants from Africa speak.