BCW VOL. 63 NO. 14 CHRISTMAS 2018

Special Christmas issue!

THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PITTSBURGH

st. nicholas celebration

Annual charity dinner focuses on Seminarians Page 4 to 5

Inside

VOL. 63 NO. 14

on the road to indiana, pa.

Ascension of Our Lord in Clairton, Pa. takes November bus trip Page 9

CHRISTMAS 2018

a child is born in bethlehem

Faithful flock to live Nativity on Mount St. Macrina Page 11

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

2018

God the Lord eternal.

Shows Himself to us.

Born in humble manger from a virgin spotless.

Choirs of angels joyfully sing!

Christmas Hymn: God the Lord Eternal, Hospod' Boh predvicnyj Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Dear People, The Christmas hymn God the Lord Eternal reminds us of why we gather to celebrate God’s appearance to the world and to us. Jesus was born in a little manger outside the small town of Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary. The quiet and humble beginning to his life in a little cave is echoed by the choirs of angels joyfully singing the announcement of his birth to the world and to the highest heavens.

For most of us, we are born into the world, grow up, and make our way through life in a normal and quiet way like Jesus. Our daily family and work schedules resemble more the life of Joseph the carpenter and his wife Mary. Each day we do what we need to do without much excitement or acknowledgement.

However, like the birth of Jesus, there is a deeper meaning to our celebration of Christmas and every moment of our lives. With each word we say and each action we take, we help others to hear and see that we have experienced the eternal Lord our God in our lives. With each of our simplest acts of kindness and generosity which bring others and us closer to God, the angels rejoice.

It has been a year filled with joy and sorrow. This year will be remembered for the tragedy at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

Our people responded with a collection of over $12,000 to help those affected to rebuild their lives. They remain in our prayers during this holiday season. We pray that love will overcome hate. We pray the healing of all who have suffered from violence and abuse. We continue to try to make up for our failures and to prevent harm in the future.

Finally, we thank all of you for your help during the past year. With your continued support and cooperation we can meet and overcome the challenges of the coming year. We lift you up in prayer during this Christmas season as we sing with the angels to the newborn King!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Reverend William C. Skurla, D.D. Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh Welcome to this new born King.

Glory! Glory! Glory.

Glory to God in the highest.

Christmas Hymn: God the Lord Eternal, Hospod' Boh predvicnyj

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CHRISTMAS 2018

Mark Your Calendar dates to remember

UPS 081500 ISSN 07442289 Official publication of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh Serving parish communities in central and western Pennsylvania, Louisiana, eastern Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia Published monthly (12 issues) plus two seasonal special issues Byzantine Catholic Press Associates 66 Riverview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Tel: 412.231.4000 Fax: 412.231.1697 E-mail: bcw@archpitt.org Web site: www.archpitt.org Archbishop William C. Skurla President David Mayernik Jr. Editor Sister Elaine Kisinko, OSBM Copy Editor Donna Obsincs Subscription/Circulation Manager Gregory S. Popivchak Business Manager Annual Subscription Rates US $14 Canadian $17 International $20 Periodicals Postage PAID at Pittsburgh, PA

Postmaster: send address changes to: The Byzantine Catholic World ATTN: Donna 66 Riverview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Please allow 2-3 weeks for address changes to take effect.

Submissions deadline: 15th of the month prior to the month of publication.

The Byzantine Catholic World is a member of the Catholic Press Association.

The following events will take place at Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer, 510 W. Main St, Uniontown, Pa. To register for programs or more information, call 724-4387149.

Offering of $150. Register by March 25.

Join Father Bill for the weekend with conferences, quiet prayer, free time, The Sacrament of Reconciliation, Healing Mass and blessings.

Open House

Candlelight Dinner for Married Couples

n An Open House will be held 1:30-3:30 p.m. Jan. 13, 2019.

Come and spend some time with the Sisters in the warmth of the House of Prayer!

Winter Respite n A Winter Respite will be presented by Sister Carol Petrasovich, OSBM, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 2, 2019.

Registration due by Jan. 30, 2019. Offering of $35 includes lunch.

The stillness and unhurried days of Winter are an ideal time to experience “Rest in the Lord.”

Bread Baking Retreat A Bread Baking Retreat, presented by Sister Carol Petrasovich, OSBM, will be held 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Feb. 16 (register

by Feb. 11) and March 16 (register by March 11).

Offering of $20 includes lunch. Limited to eight participants.

Enjoy making a loaf of Lenten bread in a creative, relaxing and prayerful atmosphere. n

Catholic World is to spread the Gospel message in the

Lenten Prayer Morning

The mission of The Byzantine

rich tradition of the Byzantine Catholic Church; to encourage faithful to reflect the image of Christ in everyday activities of life; to offer spiritual formation through changing times; and to celebrate community among Byzantine Catholics in the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, throughout the Metropolitan Church in America, and around the world.

House Tours Tour the former mansion of J. V. Thompson by period costumed guides and learn the history of one of the leading and wealthiest coal barons of his day 1-3 p.m. May 19.

Offering: $12, adults; $6, children.

Provided by Laurel Highlands High School History Student. n

Young Adult Retreat n Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick and Young Adult Team prsent a Young Adult Retreat 7 p.m. June 21 to 11 a.m. June 23.

Offering of $110. Register by June 14.

Gather with other young adults seeking God’s way along life’s journey.

Open to Christian men and women ages 18 to 35. n

Spring Spiritual Reading Series Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM, will present “Sacred Threshold: Crossing The Inner Barrier To A Deeper Love” (By Paula D’Arcy) 1011:30 a.m. March 18, 25 and April 1, 8.

Free-will offering. Register by March 11.

mission

A Candlelight Dinner for Married Couples will be held 6:30-9 p.m. May 3.

Offering of $70 per couple.

Register by April 26.

Experience a lovely evening of music, dining, a Chinese auction and a heartwarming presentation in the atmosphere of a former 1903 Coal Baron’s home. n

n

Father Don Bolls presents “The Passion As Told By John the Beloved” 9:15 a.m.-1 p.m.

March 23.

Offering of $35 includes lunch. Register by March 19.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered along with a conference and prayer service. n

Weekend Retreat n Father Bill Kiel presents “Jesus’ Passion: Source of Healing and Forgiveness” 7 p.m. March 29 to 11 a.m. March 31.

Your Birth, O Christ our God * Has shed upon the world the Light of Knowledge * for through it, those who worshiped the stars * have learned from a star to worship you, the Sun of Justice * and to know you, the Dawn from on High * Glory to you, O Lord!

— Troparion of the Nativity

Christos Raždajetsja! Slavite Jeho!

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

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CHRISTMAS 2018

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On the move

“what we enjoy today is their legacy and gift to us”

by Sister Elaine Kisinko, OSBM

History shows us that there is constant movement among people.

Whether driven by a need to improve their lives or whether forced by an unfriendly environment or by hostile forces, humans have always managed to travel to better their lot.

From the earliest days, we read in the Bible that Adam and Eve had to move out of the Garden of Eden. Their son Cain was compelled to wander the earth after he killed his brother. Even Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus, and while He was still young, the family became immigrants in a strange land after fleeing to Egypt.

Many of us, in our personal histories, can acknowledge that our grandparents or great-grandparents were immigrants coming from Eastern Europe. They crossed the great Atlantic Ocean, usually under extremely poor conditions. For

the most part, they were not welcomed in this strange land of a different language and customs completely unknown to them. But as they struggled, worked hard, and helped each other, they became acclimated to an entirely different way of life. What we enjoy today is their legacy and gift to us.

Presently in America, there are many opinions and issues about the questions regarding immigration. The Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, as well as the other eparchies of Passaic, Parma and Phoenix, are well-acquainted with the intricacies of what the United States government requires for legal admission from another country, since now all have priests serving here from Eastern Europe.

In Pittsburgh, Archbishop William Skurla has sponsored nine priests. Eight are from our Eparchy of Mukachevo in the Transcarpathian region of Ukraine, and one is from the Archeparchy of Presov in Slovakia. They serve 17 parishes.

Eight are married, and among them they have 15 children.

Three of the children were born here and thus are American cit-

Mary and Joseph became immigrants after fleeing to Egypt.

izens.

Unlike our forbearers, they came better prepared and we welcomed them. The long, expensive and somewhat complicated government process was followed in order for them to arrive here. This continues as regular applications for renewal of their status must be approved until after a number of years they become eligible for American citizenship.

Just as with everything else, travel to another place or country has changed. Jesus and the

other early movers were not concerned about borders, customs, passports and the like.

Our ancestors came with passports but they had to undergo inspection at the port of entry.

For our priests and their families coming today, there can be complicated air travel, permissions, documents, inspections, and someone needed at the airport to meet them with car seats for the children. This is America! n

text messages

Christmas Eve on Ninth Street

by David Mayernik Jr. Editor

Christmas Eve dinner at my grandma’s house in Charleroi, Pa. always focused on pirohi.

You name it, it was on the dining room table: potato, cheese, sauerkraut, cabbage and lekvar.

Christmas is a time for family gatherings and the annual dinner always brought together my mom’s side of the family.

Along with my parents, brother and sister, also present were my Uncle Bob, Aunt Anita, Uncle Ron, Aunt Louise and six cousins.

My other grandparents lived in Monessen, Pa., so Christmas was spent journeying back and forth actross the Charleroi-Monessen Bridge over the Monongehela River during my break from school.

I have such vivid recollections of Christmas in Charleroi.

I remember the big Christmas

tree next to the even bigger television set in the living room.

Any last-minute Christmas gifts were bought at Fisher’s Big Wheel in the Chamber Plaza shopping center.

Uncle Ron and his family were (and still are) big Penn State University football fans, so they sometimes coordinated their outfits, wearing matching Nittany Lion blue and white sweatshirts on Christmas Eve. My parents, uncle and aunt all graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, so the scene always resulted in a bit of playful friction.

Mind you, this was back in the 1970s and 1980s, when both teams claimed national championships: Pitt in 1976 and Penn State in 1982 and 1986.

But all rivalries were forgotten when we sat down to eat.

Do you have memories of Christmas Eve dinners?

I’d love to hear about them!

If you send recollections and

Christmas Eve 1996: Pirohi is served

photos, I will publish them in a future issue.

I’ll end 2018 as I did in 2017, with the final few lines of my favorite Christmas poem, “E.B. White’s Christmas,” published in The New Yorker on Dec. 20, 1952 and written by the author of beloved children’s books “Stuart Little” and “Charlotte’s Web.” Again, it’s worth Google-ing

n

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to read the entire poem.

“And last, we greet all skaters on small natural ponds at the edge of woods toward the end of afternoon. Merry Christmas, skaters! Ring, steel! Grow red, sky! Die down, wind! Merry Christmas to all and to all a good morrow!”

Have a blessed Christmas and a healthy 2019! n

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CHRISTMAS 2018

“An expression of hope for our Church” 62nd annual st. nicholas charity dinner focuses on seminarians, church’s future

by David Mayernik Jr. Editor

Archbishop William Skurla called the 15 seminarians who study at the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Pittsburgh, Pa. “an expression of hope for our Church.”

“This is one of the highlights of the year for me to come to celebrate,” he told those attending the 62nd annual St. Nicholas Charity Dinner at St. John the Baptist Cathedral Center in Munhall, Pa. on Dec. 9.

The evening featured a largescreen video presentation featuring how the Seminary forms leaders for the Church.

The annual dinner is co-sponsored by the Greek Catholic Union and the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. Proceeds benefit the Seminary.

"It is always encourgaing to see how many people come out to support the Seminary and the seminarians. Personally, I think society would have lot less problems if it made more room for God and allowed more room in their lives for God the way our young semianrians have,” said Chris Singel, master of ceremonies.

Chris pointed out financial support to the Seminary has been generous. Students can now earn a Master's degree online and the Seminary is on the verge of receiving a 10-year accredidation "These good things do not happen by accident. A major factor driving this positive progress is (Father Robert Pipta, rector) working hard in all these areas."

"I am filled with thanksgiving to God for the wonderful and surprising ways He takes care of the Seminary," Father Robert said.

George Juba, president and chief executive officer, Greek Story continued on page 5 the byzantine catholic world

CHRISTMAS 2018

PAGE 5

St. Nicholas continued from page 4

Catholic Union, presented Archbishop William with the fraternal organization’s annual contribution to the Seminary, which this year totaled $110,000.

The organization has donated $3.26 million to the Seminary since 1960.

Chris said he always thinks of the ending of the Jimmy Stewart film "It's a Wonderful Life” when George makes his check presentation each year. “(I want) to raise a glass and say like Harry Bailey: ‘A toast to my big brother, George! The richest man in town!’"

George said change has been the only constant factor over the years.

"Changes occur in all facets of life, primarily due to social and economic factors. Each of us here this evening have witnessed over our lifetime a magnitude of changes and advancements.”

He said the life expectancy in 1892, when the GCU was formed, was only 44 years old.

Advancements in technology and medicine have certainly changed this number.

George said the GCU has faced challenges and changes over its 128-year history, but the organization continues its mission of protecting families, promoting faith and strengthening communities.

"This commitment has stood the test of time over many generations and many administrations and has been unwavering.

The good works the GCU and its members continue to perform...continue to uphold the values and traditions of our forefathers."

He also presented $250 checks funded by the GCU Foundation to the seminarians.

The Foundation was organized in 2007 and makes monetary grants for charitable, educational and religious purposes.

Seminarians receiving grants are: Subdeacon Nathan Adams, Deacon Kevin Bezner, Chrisopher Davel, Timothy Fariss, Miron Kerul’-Kmec, Michael Kunitz, Christopher LoGrippo, Riley Winstead, Mikhael Naddaf, Robert Jones, David Vonderohe, John Welch, Paul West and Kyprian Wojciechowski.

The Greek Catholic Union, the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, the Seminary and the St. Nicholas Celebration Committee thank everyone involved with the 2018 event who helped in any way to ensure its success. n Photos by Nick Havrilla Sr.

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parish news PAGE 6

CHRISTMAS 2018

st. gregory in upper st. clair, pa.

Thanksgiving Mission 2018

by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.

Following the Nov. 18 Divine Liturgy, St. Gregory’s children were ready for this year’s Thanksgiving Mission. To express our “thank you” we visited the Tri Community South EMS in Bethel Park, Pa. The Tri Community South EMS is the designated ambulance service for the municipalities of Upper St Clair, Bethel Park, and South Park. The dedicated EMS workers serve approximately 65,000 residents living in the three municipalities. The service area is approximately 33.5 square miles.

Upon our arrival we were given a wonderful presentation by

John and Michele D’Angelo on the job duties of EMS workers.

As part of this presentation we learned how to call for an ambulance in an emergency, and also learned about personal and family safety.

Afterward, we had the opportunity to see an ambulance and EMS equipment. At the end of our visit we presented our Thanksgiving Trifold to the members of the EMS. This trifold included the patron saints of EMS workers, a special prayer, and “thank you” notes from our ECF students.

We all enjoyed the gifts we received from these dedicated men and women who serve our communities. n

“A Taste of Heaven”

by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.

Christmas cookies are an important tradition for many people when it comes to celebrating the holiday season, and St. Gregory’s parishioners made sure people could stock up on the sweet treats. Many faithful patrons lined up onehour before the doors opened to be amongst the first to come in and enjoy our sixth annual Christmas Cookie Sale that took place on Dec. 1. As a community of faithful, we are truly grateful to our parishioners who worked very hard organizing this fundraiser event. We are grateful to all who provided the great variety of delicious cookies we had! n Photos by Jennifer Kehm

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CHRISTMAS 2018

parish news

continued

st. elias in munhall, pa.

Christmas Market 2018 This year’s Christmas Market was held Nov. 10 at St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. Vendors displayed their crafts and Hungarian specialities, including Chicken Paprikash, stuffed cabbage and pirohi, were served. n

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parish news

continued

CHRISTMAS 2018

st. nicholas in perryopolis, pa.

Ethnic Dinner fundraiser At the end of October St. Nicholas in Perryopolis held its annual Ethnic Dinner fundraiser in October.

Homemade pierogies, halupki, halushki, kielbassa and sauerkraut, and green beans were

served as well as homemade cakes for dessert.

The community looks forward to and supports this fundraiser.

Father Oleh Seremchuk is pastor. n

st. mary in windber, pa.

Holy Baptism of Maria

Honoring Bishop Romzha

by Father Ivan Rusyn St. Mary, WIndber, Pa.

by Father Ivan Rusyn St. Mary, WIndber, Pa.

St. Mary in Windber, Pa. was visited by Metropolitan Archbishop William Skurla on Sept.

22.

He was the main celebrant of the baptism of Maria Rusyn, the third child of Father Ivan Rusyn and his wife, Mariana.

Father Ivan and Mariana also have two sons, Antonii and Viktor.

Most Reverend Vasyl Polyak, Father John Cuccaro, Father Brian Warchola, Father Oleh Seremchuk and his wife Maryna (Maria's godmother), and Rev. Vitalii Stashkevych (godfather) also attended the baptism, which was followed by the Holy Liturgy.

At the end of the Liturgy all guests and parishioners were invited to have some refreshments at the church hall. n

For the beatification of our Martyred European Bishops, we watched a movie about Blessed Theodore Romzha, his life and martyr's death.

Today's world often confuses the understanding of Christian

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martyrs with blind fanaticism, which is a lie and distortion of the Christian faith.

The film was shown in the church's hall on Oct. 27 in the evening following the Liturgy and on Oct. 28 in the morning after the Liturgy. n

CHRISTMAS 2018

parish news

ascension of our lord in clairton, pa.

continued

On the road to Indiana, Pa.

by Trish Roberts Ascension of Our Lord, Clairton, Pa.

Parishioners of Ascension of Our Lord Byzantine Catholic Church in Clairton, Pa, met at the church hall early on the morning on Nov. 18 to board the bus for a day trip to Indiana, Pa. Thirty adults and children were excited to get on the road.

The first stop was at St. Anne Byzantine Catholic Church in Clymer, Pa. Joe Ruglovsky, cantor from St. Anne, heard we were going to be in the neighborhood and he and Father William Lascelles invited our group to attend Liturgy and to a breakfast social at St. Anne.

It was a beautiful morning for a trip and when we arrived, we were welcomed by greeters at the door. The church building had been a furniture store that was resurrected into a beautiful Eastern Catholic church. The beautiful craftsmanship of the pine interior was like that of the old European village churches.

Their traditional Sunday morning social is donuts and coffee, but they prepared a special breakfast of pancakes, sausage, donuts and drinks for our group and the pancakes were delicious!

At the social we had the opportunity to meet many of the parishioners and enjoyed the fellowship.

When we were ready to depart, Darlene McNeil organized a group picture outside

the church as a remembrance of our visit. Children and adults enjoyed the visit and commented on what a very memorable experience it was.

Our next stop was the Jimmy Stewart Museum and monument in Indiana. At the museum, we were entertained with a short informative film of the actor’s biography. The tour guides shared some stories and directed us to many different rooms and artifacts to explore.

There was a visit to the gift shop and a photo at the memorial statue then spending some time in town before heading out to Gianelli’s Restaurant on Route 30 for dinner.

Our final stop was at Overly’s Country Christmas at Westmoreland Fairgrounds. We arrived at a unique, walk-around Christmas Village filled with an array of old-fashioned traditions and treats. Sitting around the bonfire drinking hot chocolate, watching the huge indoor model train display, pictures with Santa, a horse drawn wagon/sleigh ride and gift shop at the General Store gave the feeling of a traditional family Christmas.

The beautiful display of Christmas lights and animations added to the evening.

Everyone visited the life size Nativity with live animals The weather couldn’t have been more perfect for the excursion that was enjoyed by all. n

St. Anne in Clymer, Pa.

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CHRISTMAS 2018

thoughts for our day

by Archpriest David M. Petras

how we know god Human reason is only able to take us so far in our knowledge of God. The Church teaches that by reason, we can know that there is a God, based on St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans: “For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made” (Romans 1:19-20).

We can also reason that since there is consciousness and free will in creation, the Creator himself must be conscious and free. That is why atheistic materialism has to hold that consciousness is an illusion. However, from reason alone we can only come to a rather abstract God. The Syrian theologian known as Dionysius wrote that we cannot know God’s as he is, “apart from what the sacred scriptures have divinely revealed” (The Divine Names 1.1). Therefore, we know that there is a God, but we know who God is because he has revealed himself to us.

This brings us to the question: “How do we know God?,” that is, how do we know his divine revelation? First and most obvious is the record of God’s dealing with us as recorded in the Bible. The Epistle to the Hebrews tells us: “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us

through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Our Lord is the fulfillment of all revelation; no one can add to His Gospel. At the same time, it is not completely encased in a written book, but it is always being proclaimed in the dynamic life of the Church.

Scripture is read in Church because it is God’s revelation, His word resounding in the community that makes up the Body of Christ.

Our Lord promised: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth .... (John 14:16-17) when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth” (John 16:13). The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains: “This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it.” Through Tradition, "the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes. The sayings of the holy Fathers are a witness to the life giving presence of this Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her prayer”

(Catechism of the Catholic Church, § 78).

We are encouraged to read the Bible frequently and the Sacred Scripture is read in the church as an important part of most liturgical services.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says: "For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself” (§ 105).

Scripture is read in Church because it is God’s revelation, His word resounding in the community that makes up the Church, the Body of Christ. It is important, then, that God’s revelation is proclaimed in our Liturgy, when the Church gathers for prayer. This is the living presence of Christ, for “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

Our Liturgy, in turn, was called by Prosper of Aquitaine our “lex credendi,” the law of faith, or of our believing. The components of the Liturgy are the reading of Scripture, petition to God, hymns, and prayer.

In festive Matins, the Gospel is proclaimed, and in festive Vespers, the Old Testament. In the Divine Liturgy both the epistles and gospels are proclaimed. In the litanies of the Liturgy, we implore God for our needs, for “if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be grant-

ed to them by my heavenly Father” (Matthew 18:19). In the Liturgy by the chanting of our hymns, many of which are taken from the Psalms, we give glory to God, who has “brought all things from nonexistence into being (Prayer of the Trisagion, from Wisdom 1:14) and is the Giver of every good and perfect gift (Ambon Prayer, James 1:17).

Most importantly, we offer prayer to God. Our prayers are our human words, in which we speak to God as a community, expressing our faith and asking for his visitation. The priest pronounces the prayers and we seal them with our “Amen,” which means “so be it.”

Of all the prayers of the Liturgy, the most important is the Anaphora. We often point to the Creed as our profession of faith in the Liturgy, but the Anaphora is just as important in proclaiming what we know of God through revelation.

Our knowledge then becomes our prayer, “For you are God ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, incomprehensible, ever existing, yet ever the same, you, and your only-begotten Son, and your Holy Spirit.

You brought us out of nonexistence into being, and again raised us up when we had fallen, and left nothing undone until you brought us to heaven and gave us your kingdom to come” (Anaphora of St. John Chrysostom). God is eternal and beyond our power of expression, he is our Creator and Redeemer. In the Liturgy, this becomes more than intellectual knowledge, it becomes our prayer and our life of faith. n

BYZANTINE DIVINE LITURGY View Liturgical Services (various times) streamed LIVE online at:

St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Munhall, Pa. www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com Holy Ghost Church McKees Rocks, Pa. www.holyghost-byzantinecatholic.org St. John Chrysostom Church - Pittsburgh, Pa.

www.sjcbcc.com

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CHRISTMAS 2018

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A child is born in Bethlehem faithful visit annual live nativity at mount st. macrina in uniontown, pa.

Hundreds of cars waited in line Dec. 2 to view Mount Macrina Manor’s Drive-Thru Live Nativity, which was held on the grounds of Mount St. Macrina in Uniontown, Pa. The Sisters of St. Basil the Great, St. George Maronite Youth Organization and the Middle School Faith Formation Group from Unionown’s Roman Catholic churches sung Christmas carols.

Angels passed out candy canes to visitors. n

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CHRISTMAS 2018

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist

Do you know the legend of the POINSETTIA - the Christmas flower?

Schedule of Services - Christmas 2018 Very Reverend Andrew Deskevich, Rector

by Sandy Simko St. John the Baptist, Lyndora, Pa.

The poinsettia plant came from the country of Mexico when Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, who was captivated with the shape and beauty of this wild flower, brought it to the States.

The actual flower is only the tiny yellow center section. The red-colored “petals” are actually the leaves. Dr. Poinsett called the plant “painted leaves.”

Tomie de Paola, the wellknown author and award winning illustrator of over 200 children’s books, chose to share a story of this colorful plant with his Christmas story, THE LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA.

Monday, Dec. 24 — Vigil, Feast of the Nativity of Our

Lord - Christmas Eve 9 a.m.

7:30 p.m.

8 p.m.

High up in the mountains in a small Mexican village lived a family with a Mama, Papa and three children named Paco, Lupe and Lucida. Their life was simple but their faith was strong.

Lucida’s Mama was asked to weave a blanket to be used as the cover the figure of the baby Jesus as the people paraded and carried the babe to the manger in church on Christmas Eve. A problem arose with the weaving of the blanket. Lucida is totally saddened and disappointed that there would not be a gift for the baby Jesus. Lucida finds and lovingly presents a gift to Baby Jesus.

Read the story THE LEGEND OF THE POINSETTIA to discover the connection between Lucida’s gift and the poinsettia plant.

Royal Hours Compline with Carols Divine Liturgy

Tuesday, Dec. 25 — Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord —

Christmas Day 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy

Wednesday, Dec. 26 — Commemorating the Theotokos and Joseph 7 p.m.

Divine Liturgy

Thursday, Dec. 27 — Feast of St. Stephen 9 a.m.

Divine Liturgy

Cathedral of St. John the Baptist 210 Greentree Road | Munhall, Pa. 15120 | 412-461-0944 View services LIVE on the web at www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com

dates to remember DEC. 25 Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ DEC. 26 Feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Theotokos dec. 27 Feast of the Holy Protomartyr Stephen dec. 31 Vigil of the Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Vigil of the Feast of St. Basil the Great New Year’s Eve jan. 1 Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Feast of St. Basil the Great New Year’s Day

See more upcoming events at www.archpitt.org

the byzantine catholic world

Official publication of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh

Byzantine Catholic Press Associates 66 Riverview Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15214 Tel: 412.231.4000 Fax: 412.231.1697 E-mail: bcw@archpitt.org Web site: www.archpitt.org

next issue: JANUARY 2019

submissions DEADLINE: DECEMBER 27