Good morning, Chicago.
The Advent season can be a period of complicated emotions.
For Elena and Kevin Shuff, they recall the elation of becoming parents after the birth of their only child, who came into the world precariously early on Dec. 9, 2022, weighing just 2 pounds.
“It was the most joyous time in our lives,” Kevin Shuff said. “It was hope, peace, joy and love.”
Yet they simultaneously mourn the end of his short life, which fell the day after Christmas.
The north suburban couple were among the roughly five dozen worshippers who attended the first “Blue Christmas” service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview last week, which was designed to offer a message of healing for those who are grieving, lonely or sorrowful during the holidays.
Blue Christmas services — also called the Longest Night services — are often held on or around the winter solstice, which fell on Saturday this year in the Northern Hemisphere. The date marks the longest night and shortest day of the year, symbolizing a dark time of life as well as the assurance that the days will soon lengthen, giving way to brighter moments in the future.
Read the full story from the Tribune’s Angie Leventis Lourgos.
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