Bulletin January 3, 2015

The Altar Candles are burning during the month of January in memory of +Michael and _+Martha Krofchik. May their memory be eternal!

The Candles Before the Iconostasis are burning during the month of January in memory of +Marvin Hipsley. May his memory be eternal!

Holyday: The Feast of the Theophany of Our Lord is a Holyday of Obligation in the Byzantine Ruthenian Metropolia of Pittsburgh. On Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm there will be Vespers and Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great followed by the Great Sanctification of Jordan Water. On Wednesday morning the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom will be celebrated at 10:00 am.

Day Of Abstinence: Traditionally the Vigil of Theophany is a day of Strict Fast (from meat and dairy products). However, under current practice, on the Vigil of Theophany (Tuesday, January 5th) a day of simple abstinence from meat is prescribed.

Envelopes / Calendars: Offertory envelopes and calendars for 2016 are now available. If you are not receiving envelopes and wish to be registered in the Parish, please stop by the Sacristy following the Divine Liturgy.

2016: The year 2016 is a leap year. In 2016 Pascha/Easter falls on March 27th. Due to the early occurrence of Easter there will be no Sunday of Zacchaeus this year — the Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee (January 17th) immediately follows the Sunday after Theophany. The first All Souls Saturday falls on January 30th thus causing the Feast of the Three Holy Hierarchs to be transferred to January 29th. The Feast of the Annunciation (March 25th) falls on Good Friday this year and therefore the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom will be celebrated prior to the Burial Procession with the Plaščanitsa. Cheesefare Sunday is February 7th and thus the Great Fast begins on Monday, February 8th.

Fast/Abstinence: Most Fridays throughout the year are designated as days of penance — abstinence from meat or an equivalent penance. Among the exemptions is the week following the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee (this year, the week of January 17th). We are dispensed from fasting during that week in order to avoid the kind of hypocritical and proud fast of the Pharisee who vainly praised himself for fasting twice a week.

Presbyteral Ordination: On Saturday, January 30th at 10:00 AM, Bishop Kurt will ordain Deacon Lewis Rabayda to the priesthood at Epiphany of Our Lord Church in Annandale, VA.

Memorial Saturdays / All Souls Saturdays:

  • The first of the 5 Memorial Saturdays dedicated to prayer for the Faithful Departed occurs this year on January 30th. Please note on the “All Souls” envelopes any additions or corrections to your list of departed family members.
  • If you have not done so in the past but wish to include your departed family members in the Diptychs/Hramoty, simply list your own family name and the first names of your deceased family members [for example, SMITH FAMILY: John, Mary, Joseph, Anna, George, etc.]. You may list the names on the All Souls envelopes or place the list inside the envelope.
  • All new submissions, additions, and corrections should be sent in by Sunday, January 24th, in order to be printed in this year’s Hramoty.

Let Us Remember in Prayer: all those who are in some special need of God’s loving kindness and mercy at this time. Let us remember particularly the “Prayer Requests” of all who have asked for the prayerful support of our Parish Family in their special intentions.

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