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THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE ARCHEPARCHY OF PITTSBURGH
Inside
VOL. 66 NO. 1 JANUARY 2021
ordained to minor orders, diaconate
basket extravaganza
John Welch and Sub-deacon Lawrence Hruska ordained at St. John the Baptist Cathedral Page 3
Annual celebration at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa. Page 5
December to remember
visits from st. nick St. Nicholas visits parishes on his Dec. 6 Feast Day Pages 6, 7, 9
Nativity scene a reminder of hope amid suffering, pope says By Junno Arocho-Esteves Catholic News Service
Callie Galvin was ready for St. Nicholas as the youngest attendee at the Basket Extravaganza held Dec. 6 at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa. Parishes across the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh decorated inside and out to prepare for the Nativity of Christ. Photo by Nick Havrilla. For more photos, see page 5 to 9. Scenes from churches (clockwise from top left):Very Rev. Deskevich celebrates Christmas Eve Liturgy at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa.; SS. Peter and Paul in Tarentum, Pa.; Nativity of the Mother of God in DuBois, Pa.; St. Elias in Munhall, Pa.; and St. Michael in Campbell, Ohio.
VATICAN CITY — The image of baby Jesus nestled in the manger is a much-needed reminder during the pandemic that God gives the world the gift of hope in troubled times, Pope Francis said. Meeting with delegations from Castelli in Italy’s Abruzzo region and from Kocevje, Slovenia — responsible, respectively, for the Nativity scene and Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square — the pope said that Christmas “reminds us that Jesus is our peace, our joy, our strength, our comfort.” “But, to receive these gifts of grace, we need to feel small, poor and humble like the characters of the Nativity scene. Even in this Christmas, amid the suffering of the pandemic, Jesus — small and defenseless — is the ‘sign’ that God gives to the world,” he said Dec. 11. The delegations were at the Vatican for the evening ceremony to light the Vatican Christmas tree and unveil the Nativity scene. Presiding over the ceremony were Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the commission governing Vatican City State, and Bishop Fernando Vergez Alzaga, secretary general of the commission. The Nativity scene featured several life-sized ceramic statues in a contemporary art style that “has its roots in the traditional working of Castelli’s ceramics,” said a statement from the commission. The statues in St. Peter’s Square are “only a few pieces” of a 54-statue collection created by students and teachers of Castelli’s “F.A. Grue” Art Institute between 1965 and 1975 and included Story continued on page 2
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Nativity continued from page 1 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
sculptural representations of the Magi and an angel placed above ceramic statues of the Holy Family. The cylindrical ceramic statues surrounding Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus included a bagpiper, a shepherdess holding a jug and even an astronaut, meant to reference the history of ancient art and scientific achievements in the world. The Christmas tree in St. Peter’s Square was a 98-foot-tall red spruce tree, which hails from one of the “most intact” forest reserves in Slovenia, the statement added.
Thanking the delegations for their gifts, the pope said that “this year, more than ever, they are a sign of hope for the Roman people and for those pilgrims who will have the opportunity to come and admire them.” Both the tree and the Nativity scene, Pope Francis said, create “a favorable Christmas atmosphere” that helps Christians “live the mystery of the Redeemer’s birth with faith.” “In the creche, everything speaks of the ‘good’ poverty, the evangelical poverty, that makes us blessed,” he said. “By contemplating the Holy Family and the various characters, we are attracted by their disarming humility.” n
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The Christmas tree decorates St. Peter's Square after a lighting ceremony at the Vatican Dec. 11, 2020. Catholic News Service photo/Paul Haring.
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the Gospel message in the 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.
Bulletin Board Mount St. Macrina House of Prayer announces online programs Mount Saint Macrina House of Prayer, 510 W. Main St., Uniontown Pa. has announced upcoming virtual online programs on Zoom. For more information or to register, call 724-438-7149 or email hpmsm@verizon.net. Provide your email address to receive a link, as programs will be conducted through Zoom. n 6:30-8 p.m. Feb. 18, 25; March 4, 11, 2021, Tuesday Evening Reading Series. “Crossing the Desert: Learning to Let Go, See Clearly, and Live Simply” with Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM. Offering: $5 per session or $15 for all four sessions. Register by Feb. 11. n 9:30-11:30 a.m. Feb. 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25, 2021, Lenten Bible Study Thursdays with Sister Melita Marie, OSBM. Offering: $5 per session or $20 for all five sessions Register by Feb. 18. n
The “Carpathian Cookery” cookbook —in its 17th printing and having sold nearly 18,000 copies — is now available for purchase. “Carpathian Cookery” has a new look and features a protective plastic cover. It includes sections on Christmas and Easter customs and recipes, traditional Rusyn and Slavic foods, other ethnic dishes, and many other tried-and-true recipes of parishioners of St. John the Baptist in Uniontown, Pa. There is a variety of paska bread and kolachi (filled roll) recipes, as well as meatless dishes and Lenten recipes, suitable for the Great Fast, as well as the PreChristmas Fast. The 330-page cook book was requested by the Library of Congress to be in their ethnic cooking collection. The cost of the cookbook is $14 plus $4 postage and handling ($18 total). If ordering from Canada, please send a $28 U.S. Postal money order payable in U.S. dollars to reflect the difference in the exchange rate and postage cost. To order, send a check or money order to: Ethnic Craft Club, St. John Byzantine Catholic Church, 201 E. Main Street, Uniontown, Pa. 15401, or call 724-4386027 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday to Friday. The email address is carpathiancookery@gmail.com. n
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byzantine catholic seminary of ss. cyril and methodius
Faculty round-up
Press release by the Byzantine Catholic Seminary of SS. Cyril and Methodius
n Doktorvater of John Paul II, and so-called “sacred monster of Thomism,” Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange’s treatment of finality in the cosmos (a.k.a. teleology) is available for the first time ever in an English translation entitled “The Order of Things: the Realism of the Principle of Reality” by Dr. Matthew Kenneth Minerd, Professor of Moral Theology. Copies available via Emmaus Academic Publishing. n Father Stelyios Muksuris, PhD, Professor of Liturgical Theology, has been named Adjunct Professor of Liturgical Theology in the Program of Ecumenical Orthodox Theology at International Hellenic University (IHU) of Thessaloniki. Father Stelyios will be co-teaching the core course of Liturgical Theology with the Rev. Dr. Pavlos Koumarianos of Athens. The course will be online and offered during the winter semester 2020-21. n Father David Petras, Professor of Liturgical Theology, posted this picture of his meeting with Pope Paul VI. Of this meeting, he writes, “I was representing the Russicum in presenting a candle to the Pope (a tradtion of Pontifical colleges in Rome) on Candlemas Day, Feb. 2. Since I was from the Russicum Pope Paul told me how beautiful the trees and hills and plains of Russia were. Sadly, I have never been to Russia. When I met Pope John Paul II, I was introduced as a priest of the Eparchy of Parma, and he said to me, “Oh, you are Italian.”
Father David Petras (center) meets Pope Paul VI.
n Dr. Sandra Collins, Director of Information Services, taught Introduction to Comparative Religion via the University of Pittsburgh’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in fall 2020. In Spring 2021, she will offer Religions of the Book: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. n Father Christiaan Kappes, in collaboration with William Albrecht, published Mary Among the Evangelists: the Definitive Guide for Solving Biblical Questions about Mary in October 2020. According to its description, “this work simply reveals the meaning of Scripture to its lover and provides every Christian with a straightforward and irrefutable key to understand Mary’s role and dignity in salvation history according to the Evangelists in their Gospels.” n
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Ordination to Minor Orders, Diaconate john welch, sub-deacon lawrence hruska ordained at st. john the baptist in munhhall, pa. Archbishop William Skurla ordained John J. Welch of SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Warren, Ohio, to Minor Orders; and Subdeacon Lawrence G. Hruska of St. Andrew Parish, Gibsonia, Pa., to the Diaconate Dec. 8 at St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa. n
Pictured above (left to right) are those who participated in the Divine Liturgy: Very Rev. Andrew J. Deskevich, Master of Ceremonies; Martin Bovee, Server; Deacon Robert L. Jones, Deacon Candidate Douglas King, Server; Lector John J. Welch; Father Kevin E. Marks, Director for Vocations; Archbishop William Skurla; Deacon Lawrence G. Hruska; Very Rev. Robert M. Pipta, Seminary Rector; Very Rev. Vasyl Polyak, Assistant Master of Ceremonies, and Seminarian Luke Iyengar, Server.
Lector John Welch with wife Jennifer
Deacon Lawrence Hruska with wife Cathy
Photos by Nick Havrilla Sr.
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JANUARY 2021
Snow scenes
reflection from mount st. macrina
Snow blanketed the Western Pennsylvania region — and parishes of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh —Dec. 16 to 17.
The challenge of love by Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick, OSBM Sisters of St. Basil the Great Mount St. Macrina, Uniontown, Pa.
Sister Barbara Jean Mihalchick posts videos of her reflections each week at the Facebook of the Sisters of St. Basil the Great. View them at: https://www. fa ce book.com/siste rsof stbasil. uniontown/. This is a transcript of her Dec. 31, 2019 reflection.
St. Mary in Windber, Pa.
Christ is born! Glorify Him! Happy New Year to each and every one of you! Today is special for the Sisters because we are called the Sisters of St. Basil the Great and this is his Feast. He died on Jan. 1, 379 A.D. He has been considered “The Great” — a title not all saints are given — because he was so outstanding in so many ways. He is also considered a Father and Doctor of the Church. In the times that he lived, he served the people with great generosity. He saved them when there was a great crisis, he fostered education, he founded the first
hospices and, above all, his life was about bringing forth love in practical ways. He demanded that of the monks who followed him and worked with them as well. This is his message always, that Christ brought love, and he spoke it to the wealthy as well as to the poor. For the wealthy he encouraged giving to others and taught them to ask if they gave from the right motives? And to the poor, did they serve from the right motives? Did they love one another? In this idea — this challenge — of love, it’s really awesome to think what it means. When you love someone else, the other person only knows if he or she is loved when they feel it themselves. They know if your love is genuine. And that’s the growth we are called to ever as children of God; children of a God of love. May God’s love continue to form and re-form our hearts, our everyday expressions, our caring. As much as you looked for the right gift to give someone at Christmastime, look for the right expression of love to offer all through this year. God bless you. n
TEXT MESSAGES
Time enough at last by David Mayernik Jr. Editor St. Gregory in Upper St. Clair, Pa.
One thing I accomplished in 2020 was completing a 1,000-piece puzzle I received from my parents f o r Christmas in 2019. In the early days of the pandemic lockdown in mid-March 2020, I thought it would be a good time to tackle it. It’s a puzzle showing numerous cereal boxes, most with mid1970s designs, including Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Trix and my personal favorite of the era, Count Chocula. Every time I sat at my desk with pieces spread out before me, the exercise reminded me of my favorite episode of “The Twilight Zone.” Titled “Time Enough at Last,” the byzantine catholic world
it starred Burgess Meredith as Henry Bemis, a banker who was eating his lunch in the building’s vault when an H-bomb was detonated. The vault saved Henry’s life and after surveying the ruins and finding a public library, he discovered he had “time enough at last” to do what he’s never had enough time to do in his life: read. I think the statute of limitations is up for an episode that first aired in 1959, so I will spoil the shock ending. As he sits down to get started — amid stacks and stack of books — he breaks his glasses. I didn’t break my glasses, but it felt like I was in the Twilight Zone for most of 2020. I’m writing this column before Christmas 2020 so I’m not sure if I will receive another puzzle from my parents. I hope so. When all the pieces of 2021 fit together, I also hope it forms a prettier picture. n
parish news JANUARY 2021
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st. john the baptist cathedral in munhall, pa.
Basket Extravaganza
St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Munhall, Pa. held its annual Basket Extravaganza fund raising event Dec. 6. The event was well- attended and supported by the parish and community. n
Photos by Nick Havrilla Sr.
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JANUARY 2021
st. john the baptist cathedral in munhall, pa.
Sunday before the Nativity Very Rev. Andrew Deskevich, rector at St. John the Baptist Cathderal in Munhall, Pa., along with St. Nicholas, passed out small gifts to adults and children following the Dec. 20 Divine
Liturgy, the Sunday before Christmas. Also provided was a take out meal given at the Social Center's main entrance to be enjoyed later at home. n
Photos by Nick Havrilla Sr.
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JANUARY 2021
parish news
st. mary in windber, pa.
Welcoming St. Nicholas
by William Koshute St. Mary, Windber, Pa.
Socially distant but spiritually close, St. Nicholas made a quick stop Dec. 6 at St. Mary Church of the Dormition in Windber Pa, in honor of his feast day this year, to visit and address the children and parishioners.
All were excited and pleased to see St. Nicholas again this year. After his talk, he distributed gifts to the children and encouraged them to continue to obey their parents and continue the study of their Byzantine faith through Eastern Christian Formation classes. n
A peak at the newest icons in development at Holy Trinity in Sykesville, Pa.: SS. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. When
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ss. peter and paul in warren, ohio
A good end to 2020 by Sister Barbara Pavlik, OSB SS. Peter and Paul, Warren, Ohio
I’m certain that everyone in the world is ready to say “goodbye” to 2020, but this pandemic has not stopped SS. Peter and Paul parishioners from continuing to do the Lord’s work. The local St. Vincent de Paul Society, who ordinarily would feed approximately 125 people daily, are now feeding almost 425 people daily. Purchasing the needed carryout supplies has necessitated a cut back in other areas. St. Vincent de Paul Society expressed a need for cookies or other desserts. SS. Peter and Paul parishioners took on this project as their almsgiving for the Philip’s Fast. They have given and continue to give thousands of cookies to help “feed the hungry.” The parish celebration for the Feast of St. Nicholas brought about another change of events. The dinner had to be carry-out
holy trinity in sykesville, pa.
Sneak peek
continued
completed, they will be located on the ceiling of the Church and surround the Pantocrator of Christ. n
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only. Our ladies did a superb job packaging the catered foods along with the homemade desserts and other amenities. They even included a “bag of gold coins” on each carryout in honor of St. Nicholas. Due to unforeseen circumstances, our ECF students received a visit and a gift bag from St. Nicholas’ helper. No one was surprised by this turn of events…and the children were happy with the gift bag that St. Nicholas sent. As part of their last class before Christmas, the ECF students viewed the Nativity Story as written in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Last but not least, parishioners (who are also members St. Benedict’s Auxiliary) along with volunteers, baked and assembled these beautiful trays of delicious, homemade cookies. The cookies make wonderful gifts, and delicious eating for a Christmas celebration. n
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parish news
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JANUARY 2021
st. elias in munhall, pa.
Food for the soul
Father Robert Pipta celebrated Thanksgiving Liturgy Nov. 26 with Father Vitalii Stashkevych at St. Elias in Munhall. Grateful parishioners brought food to share with the Rainbow Kitchen in Homestead, Pa. n
In the kitchen
Father Vitalii Stashkevych and parishioners were hard at work preparing potato, cheese and levkar pirohi last month at St. Elias in Munhall, Pa. n
st. michael in campbell, ohio
Altar server installed
by Father Kevin Marks St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio
Our St. Michael Church extends Congratulations to Christopher Steven Vokish, who was installed as an altar server Dec. 6, the Feast
of St. Nicholas. May the Lord God grant to His new altar server, Christopher, peace, health and happiness for many years, na mnohaja i blahaja l'ita. n
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JANUARY 2021
parish news
st. gregory in upper st. clair, pa.
“A Taste of Heaven� by Father Valerian Michlik St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa.
Thanks to our dedicated parishioners, this year our Taste of Heaven Cookie Sale still took place with modifications for safety in the year of the COVID pandemic. Over 300 dozen of cookies were
prepared by our parishioner bakers and delivered to our church hall where parishioners were ready to prepackage all the orders. All our patrons expressed their gratitude to our parish family for continuing this wonderful tradition in the South Hills of Pittsburgh. n
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nativity of the mother of god in dubois, pa.
St. Nicholas Celebration
Nativity of the Mother of God in DuBois, Pa. held its St. Nicholas celebration Sunday, Dec. 6 in conjunction with Holy Trinity in Sykesville. Pa. n
church of the resurrection in monroeville, pa.
Holy Meal
Church of the Resurrection in Monroeville, Pa. held a Holy Meal Dec. 20 with Christmas carols, Rusyn music and gifts from St Nicholas. It was a delightful time with 23 parishioners in attendance. n
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eternal memory sister fabian krassa Late in the evening of December 8, 2020, Sister Fabian entered into the embrace of the Heavenly Father. It was a feast day that was particularly dear to Sister, celebrating Mary, the Mother of God. Surely, Sister Fabian was welcomed into the Heavenly Kingdom by this beloved heavenly Mother, Mary. Sister Fabian (Margaret) Krassa was born in Uniontown, PA, the daughter of the late Stephen and Mary (Huston) Krassa. She entered the Sisters of St. Basil from St. John’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Uniontown, PA on September 15, 1950 and made her Final Profession of Vows on January 1, 1956 in the presence of the late Very Rev. George Bonchonsky. Her ministry experience was largely focused on education, both as a teacher and principal. After 40 years of dedication to this ministry, Sister Fabian was granted her desire to serve in Rome, Italy. There she worked for seven years in the library of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. Of her time there, Fr. Gick, S.J. wrote: “I have found her to be honest and generous in her approach to her work, but more importantly, she had demonstrated a high degree
of loyalty and trustworthiness in her work . . . and has carried out her obligations with care and precision.” While enjoying her work at the Institute, Sister’s great joy in being in Rome was the many opportunities she had to attend the audiences of now St. John Paul II. Upon her return to the monastery at Mount St. Macrina, Sister Fabian assisted part time with keeping the Monastery Archives and other clerical duties as were asked of her. When her health no longer permitted this, Sister became a resident at Mt. Macrina Manor, from where she was called home to the Lord. Writing about her vocation, Sister Fabian noted that it was her parents’ faith and devotion to Christ that finally led her to Religious life. She remembered telling her mother that if she were a boy, she would be a priest. When she was in the eighth grade, the death of her pastor was another event that influenced her life choice. At the end of his funeral, she had the strong sensation that God was calling her to the religious life, giving her his vocation in a sense. After this incident, there was never any
doubt in Sister Fabian’s mind about her call. This was made even firmer in high school when a Franciscan priest became the pastor at St. John’s and had parish missions that nourished her desire to be a Sister. What Sister Fabian enjoyed most in her life was bringing Christ to others through the teaching apostolate. After being sent out to teach, she found that she received even more than the hundredfold promised by Jesus through the important events and relationships she encountered. In July, Sister Fabian celebrated her 70th Anniversary as a Sister of St. Basil confirming her initial desire to give her life to God, serving however and wherever she was called. In his homily, Father Jerome remarked that we are now in the period of waiting for the feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. For Sister Fabian, this waiting is over. We can all rejoice with her, trusting that Sister Fabian is now face to face with Jesus, her Divine Spouse. Sister Fabian was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, Jimmy, Michael, Steve, Andrew, Adam and John, and her sisters Anne, Mary (Hudock), and Helen (Zahuranic). In addition
eternal memory
then seven years at St. George Byzantine Catholic Church in Linden, NJ. The late Monsignor George Billy was pastor at St. George’s. He later became a resident at the Manor, and Sister was very faithful in visiting him during her time in pastoral ministry. Her care for Monsignor was deeply appreciated by his family, as she was so well known to them. In 1996, Sister returned to the Monastery, and shortly after began to volunteer again at Mt. Macrina Manor until 2002 when she retired from active ministry. Sister’s final years of life were spent as a resident at the Manor. At the Liturgy, Father Stephen Wahal briefly spoke to the fact that you can find holiness, commitment and love anywhere, and it is especially needed in our world today. Religious life, for Sister Emma Pauline, was her way of living out this holiness, commitment and love. In his homily, Father Jerome reflected on the imminence of the Feast of the Birth of Jesus. Each passing day brings us closer to this Feast, but more importantly closer to our life with Jesus. This is the life that Sister Emma Pauline now enjoys, and every time we celebrate the Divine Liturgy, we
to her Sisters in community, she is survived by her sister Pauline Monakee and devoted nieces and nephew. The Funeral Divine Liturgy was celebrated privately in the Monastery Chapel on Saturday, December 12. Concelebrants were Rev. Jerome Botsko, Monastery Chaplain, and Very Rev. Ronald P. Larko, pastor at St. John’s in Uniontown, the home parish of Sister Fabian. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, there was no public viewing. May God grant his handmaiden, Sister Fabian, eternal memory and peaceful repose! n
eternal memory
SISTER EMMA PAULINE FEDORCHAK Early in the evening of Monday, December 14, 2020, Sister Emma Pauline (former Sister Hilaria) fell asleep in the Lord at Mt. Macrina Manor. In two weeks, she would have observed her 100th birthday. The Lord Jesus, however, chose a better “birthday” for her, this one to be celebrated in His Kingdom. Sister Emma Pauline was born in Donora, PA, the daughter of the late Michael and Anna (Oras) Fedorchak. She entered the community from St. Michael’s Byzantine Catholic Church in Donora, PA on September 27, 1936 and made her Final Profession of Vows on April 23, 1946. For a little more than 40 years, Sister Emma Pauline was engaged in catechetical and elementary education as her main ministry. With two degrees in this field, she was especially gifted in teaching the youngsters in the primary grades. One of her students from those years, still remembers her fondly. He credits Sister with forming him in the faith from the time she prepared him for First Communion. At the juncture of halfway through her ministry, Sister Emma Pauline’s energies shifted to pastoral care, volunteering for three years at Mt. Macrina Manor,
Sister Fabian Krassa
ANNE SAVKA
Sister Emma Pauline Fedorchak
share this heavenly life with her. Sister Emma Pauline was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Leonard, and her sisters Irene Womeldorf, Helen Lisante and Anna Ramult, She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Rev. Jerome Botsko, Monastery Chaplain celebrated the Funeral Divine Liturgy in the Monastery Chapel on Friday, December 18, with Rev. Stephen Wahal, pastor of Sister’s home parish in Donora, as concelebrant. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, there was no public viewing. May God grant to his handmaiden Sister Emma Pauline, eternal memory and peaceful repose! n
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Anne Savka, 88, of Springdale Township, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020 at Belair Nursing Home, Lower Burrell. Pa. She was the widow of John Savka Jr. who passed away in 2016. She was born March 5, 1932 in Stretova, Czechoslovakia to the late Michael and Ann (Tkach) Hrehovcik. When she was 5 years old, they moved to Simcoe Ontario, Canada where she lived for two years on a tobacco farm. The borders opened to the United States so they moved to Linden, NJ to be with all the family. Anne graduated from Linden High School in 1950. She worked for the Telephone Company, Dupont, Story continued on page 12
Anne Savka
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thoughts for our day by Archpriest David M. Petras
the anaphora: the power of the holy spirit Our faith is that the gifts we offer in the Liturgy in the form of bread and wine are really no longer simply bread and wine, but have become truly the precious Body and Blood of the risen Lord. This, of course, cannot happen through the power of the priest saying the Anaphora, for he is only a human being with human powers. God himself receives our offering and makes the offerings we bring to him to be the reality of his incarnate Son, so that by communing in them, we “may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire” (2 Peter 1:4). The priest, as St. John Chrysostom said, “stands in the place of Christ.” He repeats the words Christ said, “This is my body,” and “This is my blood” - not the body and blood of the priest but of Christ, and not the dead Christ, but the Lord who has risen in glory. As in every divine action, this takes place in the power of the Holy Spirit. The Anaphora of St. Basil expresses this very clearly. The priest offers the Body and Blood of Christ “in this form,” that is that we receive in Communion what seems to be and to taste like bread and wine, but is truly our Lord. St. Basil observes that this is not by the power of the priest, “for we have done nothing good upon this earth,” but that it is “according to the good pleasure of your kindness, your Holy Spirit,” so that “so that all of us
who become partakers of this one bread and cup may be united with one another in the communion of the one Holy Spirit.” These words help explain the mystery, as St. Basil in another place comments,"Have any saints left for us in writing the words to be used in the invocation over the Eucharistic bread and the
St. John Chrysostom proclaims that the transformation of the gifts is for our salvation.
cup of blessing? As everyone knows, we are not content in the liturgy simply to recite the words recorded by St. Paul or the Gospels, but we add other words both before and after, words of great importance for this mystery” (On the Holy Spirit 27.66). Both the anaphoras of St. Basil the Great and St. John Chrysostom say that the coming of the Holy Spirit was both for the sanctification of the congregation and of the gifts. This is one of the goals of the invocation (epiclesis): the sanctification, by the power of the Holy Spirit, of those who shall partake of the gifts. This is why the effects of the coming of the Spirit are the transformation of the community, as in the
anaphora of St. John Chrysostom: 1) spiritual sobriety; 2) forgiveness of sins; 3) fellowship in the Spirit; 4) the fullness of the kingdom; and 5) confidence in God. The anaphora of St. Basil more simply prays for fellowship in the Spirit and the gifts not be received for judgment or condemnation (1 Corinthians 11:29). After the Council of Constantinople (381), which defined the divinity of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit was explicitly invoked to change the gifts of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. Of course, when we are speaking of the activity of God towards creation, it is beyond question that “to show,” (the word used by St. Basil) “to reveal,” or “to manifest” the gifts as anything would mean for the divine action to effect that which is being requested. St. Cyril of Jerusalem, a contemporary of this Council, taught of the power of the Holy Spirit, "We beseech the merciful God to send forth his Holy Spirit upon the gifts lying before him; that he may make the bread the body of Christ, and the wine the blood of Christ, for whatsoever the Holy Spirit has touched, is surely sanctified and changed"(Catechetical Lectures, Lecture 23, On the Mysteries 5, 7). St. John of Damascus connects the action of the Holy Spirit in the incarnation of our Lord when he announced to Mary then that she was to become the Mother of God and now in the Divine Liturgy that we celebrate, "For just as God made all that he made by the energy of the Holy Spirit so also now the energy of the Spirit performs those things
that are above nature and which it is not possible to comprehend unless by faith alone. 'How shall this be,' said the holy Virgin, 'seeing I know not a man?' And the archangel Gabriel answered her: 'The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you.' And now you ask, how the bread became Christ's body and the wine and water Christ's blood. And I say to you, 'The Holy Spirit is present and does these things which surpass reason and thought'" (On the Orthodox Faith 4, 13). When we offer the sacrifice of the Liturgy, then, Christ is as really present to us as he was to Mary. What, then, does this all mean? St. John Chrysostom proclaims that the transformation of the gifts is for our salvation, "The priest stands, bringing down not fire, but the Holy Spirit; and he offers prayer at length, not that a fire may be kindled above and destroy the offering (1 Kings 18:34), but that grace may fall on the sacrifice through that prayer, and kindle the souls of all" (On the Priesthood 6,4). Clearly the eucharistic gifts we offer become, indeed, the real body and the real blood of Christ. The bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ because Christ is interacting with us in a particular way in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The eucharist is not simply the body and blood that "repose" on the altar, but the Word of God transforming us into the divine nature through the tremendous love of the cross and resurrection. n
BYZANTINE DIVINE LITURGY View Liturgical Services (various times) streamed LIVE online at:
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Munhall, Pa. St. John Chrysostom, Pittsburgh, Pa. www.stjohnsbyzantinecathedral.com ww.sjcbcc.com
Holy Ghost, McKees Rocks, Pa. www.youtube.com then type Holy Ghost Church Live Stream
SS. Peter and Paul, Braddock, Pa. https://www.facebook.com/SSPeterPaulBraddock/
St. Gregory, Upper St. Clair, Pa. www.facebook.com/stgregoryusc St. Michael, Campbell, Ohio www.facebook.com/st.michaelsbyz.campbell
St. Elias, Munhall, Pa. www.facebook.com/StEliasByzantineCatholicChurch/ St. Michael, Hermitage, Pa. https://www.facebook.com/stmichaelbyz.hermitage St. Stephen, North Huntingdon, Pa. www.facebook.com/ststephenbyzantinecatholicchurch
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Anne Savka
continued from page 10 Rosenburg Insurance office and RGG office. Anne belonged to St. George Byzantine Catholic Church where she was in the church choir. She also traveled to many Byzantine churches with the choir, sang on stage and socially after. Anne met her husband John at one of these affairs and were married in Linden, NJ at St. George Byzantine Church on October 12, 1958. They moved to Springdale, PA and bought a house. She and John joined Ss. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church in Tarentum where they belonged to the choir. Anne was president of the Ladies Altar Guild for 25 years. She made nut rolls, breakfast for Knights of Columbus, many dinners and picnics every summer. She was in charge of many functions at the church. Anne led the Rosary on Sunday morning before Mass and took care of the altar linens. In the evenings after the children
JANUARY 2021
went to bed, she enjoyed sewing for herself and daughter Karen. She made dresses and coats. She also made drapes, ethnic dance costumes for her granddaughters, daughter and others. Survivors include her children Stephen (RoxAnn), Karen (Thomas), Mark (Elizabeth); six grandchildren Nathaniel, Tabitha, Stephanie, Alexandra, Nicholas and Gabriel and one great grandson John. Also surviving is a brother Stephen (Carol) Hrehovcik and many nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband John Savka, brother Michael (Leona) Hrehovcik; brother-in-law Edward (Barbara) Savka and nephew Danny Savka. A private family visitation was held in Duster Funeral Home,Inc. in Tarentum, Pa. A Divine Liturgy was celebrated in SS. Peter & Paul Byzantine Catholic Church in Tarentum with Rev. Vasyl Polyak, officiating. Burial followed at Our Lady of Hope Cemetery, Frazer, Pa. n
around the archeparchy COOKS CATALOGS — St. Michael in Hermitage, Pa. is selling a reprint of Cooks Catalog 1, originally published in 1963, and Cooks Catalog 3, originally published in 1998. Each cook book contains nearly 800 recipes of traditional ethnic foods along with other soups, meats, vegetables, main dishes, desserts, and lots more. Each catalog is $13, which includes shipping/handling. If you would like Cooks Catalog 1 or Cooks Catalog 3, mail a request to: St. Michael Byzantine Catholic Church, ATTN: Teena Kovach, 2230 Highland Road, Hermitage, PA. 16148 with your payment, quantity, and which edition you want.
dates to remember JAN. 1 Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Feast of St. Basil the Great New Year’s Day JAN. 6 Feast of the Theophany JAN. 18 Martin Luther King Jr. Day National observance JAN. 29 March for Life Washington, D.C. 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 Email: bcw@archpitt.org Website: www.archpitt.org
next issue: FEBRUARY 2021
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