the Archangel Orthodox Church 146 Third Avenue, Rankin, PA 15104 Pastor: Very Reverend Nicholas Ferencz, PhD Cantor: Professor Jerry Jumba Parish President : Carole Bushak

Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever! Slava Isusu Christu! Slava vo v’iki!

Rectory Phone: 412 271-2725. E-mail: [email protected] Hall Phone: 412-294-7952 WEB: www.stmichaelsrankin.org

APRIL 18, 2021 REMEMBERING OUR HOLY MOTHER Sun., Apr. 18 5th Sunday of Lent. Remembering our Holy Mother Mary of Egypt. 2 Lazaruses: The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, and the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Martyrs Theodoulos, Agathopodes et al. 9:00 AM Panachida: Jake Ingelido – by family.

Mon., Apr. 19 Methodius, Apostle of the Slavs 8:30 AM – Service Master Cleaning

Tue., Apr. 20 Bishop George of Mylitene 8:30 AM – Service Master Cleaning

Wed., Apr. 21 Apostles Herodian, Agabus et al of the 70. Bishop Celestine of Rome 5:30 PM Holy Mystery of the Anointing of the Sick

Fri., Apr. 23 Last Day of Lent! New Martyr Bishop Gregory of Constantinople 5:30 PM Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

SAT., APR. 24 LAZARUS SATURDAY 8:30 AM Holy Mystery of 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

SUN., APR. 25 PALM (FLOWERY) SUNDAY. Confessor Basil of Parium 8:45 AM Liturgical Hymns 9:00 AM Blessing of Palms and Pussy Willows. Divine Liturgy – Red Pew Book, pp 210–214

Holy Mystery of Confession: You can make an appointment. Also, Service of the Mystery of Confession, Sunday, April 11 after Divine Liturgy. PEOPLE STUFF Prayer List: Deceased: Maxim Lysack, Sr. Living: Fr. George Livonas. Kristina Anatakis. Gregory Michael Aurelio. Walter Bolbat. Nicholas Burkhart. Barbara Chappie. Rebecca, & Bradley Cozad. Delores Cubakovic. Martha Danchak. Nicholas

Page 1 of 5 Duranko. Margaret Dorogy. Breanne Glass. Dorothy Glass. Eddie Gombos. Hlavac. George Hrabchak. Raymond Hrabchak. Shirley Hrubic. Gary Ingelido. Andrea Kerkentzes. Bobby Malackany. Joan Martell. Michael Mehalik. Helen Mihalik. Teresa Onuska. Millie Phillips. Dimitri and Kelli Stathogiannis. Milton and Thelma Supak. Diana Terezis. Trudy Trifanoff. Josh Walendziewicz. Prosphora Bakers: Trudy Trifanoff. Delores Cubakovic and their intentions.

F(E)ASTING Lazarus Saturday: This Saturday, April 14, we celebrate Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead after he had already been dead for four days. This Sign is one of the main reasons that people gathered to honor Jesus as He processed into (). So, it is kind of the beginning of Holy Week, which starts with such joy and ends with such sorrow. Liturgy at 9 AM. Reminder! Looking Ahead to Holy Week Services: As mentioned last week, some minor changes have been made to the Holy Week Schedule. Please carefully check the framed poster at the end of this bulletin for days and times of services. Highlights of changes: ! There are some time changes. ! Services Moved: " The Sacramental Mystery of the Anointing of the Sick is being moved to THIS WEEK, and so will be celebrated on Wednesday, April 21, at 5:30 PM. " The Mystical Supper Liturgy will be celebrated Holy Thursday Evening at 5:30 PM " The of the Passion (the 12 Gospels) will be celebrated on Good Friday Morning, at 10:00 AM. " No Thomas Sunday Lunch: This year, unfortunately, we have to cancel this annual event. But Next Year! ! Staying the Same: " Resurrection Matins and Liturgy on Sunday as usual. " We will bless Easter Baskets this year after the Easter Liturgy. " We will distribute the Red Easter Eggs at the end of the Divine Liturgy, for those who wish them. LENTEN FASTING: Our Gifts to God and our Traditional Guidelines: Church ! On weekdays (Monday through Friday inclusive) in the fifth Sunday, April 11, 2021 and sixth weeks, one meal a day is permitted, to be taken in the Attendance 23 afternoon following Vespers, and at this one meal xerophagy Communions 8 [Strict Fast] is to be observed. Collections Monthly 90.00 ! On Saturdays and Sundays in Lent, with the exception of Sunday 770.00 Holy Saturday, two main meals may be taken in the usual way All Votive Candles 187.00 [i.e., cooked], around mid-day and in the evening, with wine Blding Maintenance 240.00 and olive oil; but meat, animal products and fish are not Dioc Membership 99.00 allowed. Paschal Candles 135.00 ! On Palm (Flowery) Sunday, fish is permitted as well as wine St. Cyril Pantry 40.00 and oil, but meat and animal products are not allowed. Special Donation 100.00 A Pastoral Interpretation: Try to fast and pray more than last Total Offerings: 1661.00 year, with more focus and concentration. Who knows, in fifty Building and Repairs Donations or sixty years, if we keep trying, we may become more perfect! which are available for upcoming repairs to date are $7016! God bless your generosity!

Page 2 of 5 PARISH STUFF Just a reminder in case you did not see it last week: Hospital and Home Visits to our parishioners who cannot get out. I have been purposely extra cautious about visiting folks during this pandemic. Given the fact that most of us fall into the “high risk” category, I have felt it best for all of us to just stay away all this time, except in cases of imminent death. That said, I have received my first vaccine shot and will get the second in a couple of weeks. After the appropriate time has lapsed, I will be working on being able to visit those of our parishioners who are unable to come to church. New! Church and Hall Cleaning We have contracted with Service Master for $2400 to do a thorough cleaning of the church and hall. They will be here tomorrow and Tuesday! We will have to pick up everything in the pews, on the tables, etc. SO! Please take all your personal items (prayerbooks, pew books, umbrellas, etc., etc.)with you when you leave today! Anything left will be boxed and moved, and you will have to search the boxes when you return. Thank you much! Reminder! Triangle Hoagie Sale! Back by popular demand! We will be selling Triangle Hoagies (for the uninitiated, that means Hoagies from the Triangle Bar, not 3-sided hoagies. Although, that is an interesting idea). Jeanne Zajac will be taking orders starting next Sunday, April 18, through Sunday, May 16. Pick up Day is Thursday, May 20. Hoagies are $8.00 each. We are taking orders for all flavors and types (that Triangle makes, of course. There will not be any anchovy hoagies available. Sorry). Reminder! Easter Candle Offering for Special Intention: As we have done in the past, we will collect donations for the Festal Pascha candles which we use in front of the Iconostas during the Easter season. All are welcome to participate. Jim & Jeanne Zajac – health of all health care workers Zoe Mehalik – memory of family Millie Phillips – memory of Ed Phillips Jeanne Lesko – memory of Ron Lesko and family Joan Martell – Martell & Kedalick families Building and Repairs Donations which are available for upcoming repairs to date are $7016! Reminder! Tickets for The Spring Lottery Basket Raffle are now available!. You will be able to pick up yours in the church hall this Sunday. DRAWING SUNDAY, May 9, 2021. DONATION $5 Get ‘em today!!

A PREVIEW OF THE LADDER OF DIVINE ASCENT by St. Last Sunday we remembered St. John Climacus (I.e., “Of the Ladder”) Here are a few excerpts from his most famous Book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent. ! The natural property of the lemon tree is such that it lifts its branches upwards when it has no fruit, but the more the branches bend down the more fruit they bear. Those who have the mind to understand will grasp the meaning of this. ! Do not attempt to talk much when you pray lest your mind be distracted in searching for words. One word of the publican propitiated God, and one cry of faith saved the thief. Loquacity in prayer often distracts the mind and leads to phantasy, whereas brevity makes for concentration. ! “When you pray, forget how you may appear to others. Concentrate entirely on your prayer, withdrawing into your heart. Demons fear spiritual concentration more than thieves fear dogs.” - In the Book of Mark we read, “[Jesus said,} “Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trail; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And again He went away and prayed.”

Page 3 of 5 ! I saw an inexperienced who in the presence of certain people boasted of the achievements of his teacher [spiritual father], thinking to win glory for himself from another’s harvest, but he only earned for himself dishonour, for everybody asked him: ‘But how could a good tree grow such a barren branch?’ ! The lazy is famous and skilled at talking; but when reading is about to begin, he cannot keep his eyes open. At the sound of the trumpet the dead will rise, and when idle talk is afoot those who were asleep come to themselves. ! When the air is cleared of clouds, the sun shines brightly; and a soul freed from its former habits and granted forgiveness has certainly seen the divine light. ! Meekness is an immovable state of soul which remains unaffected whether in evil report or in good report, in dishonour or in praise. ! The beginning of freedom from anger is silence of the lips when the heart is agitated; the middle is silence of the thoughts when there is a mere disturbance of soul; and the end is an imperturbable calm under the breath of unclean winds. HOLY MOTHER MARY OF EGYPT The primary source of information on Saint Mary of Egypt is the Vita written of her by St. Sophronius, the of Jerusalem (634 - 638). Most of the information in this section is taken from this source. Saint Mary, also known as Maria Aegyptica, was born somewhere in Egypt, and at the age of twelve ran away to the city of where she lived an extremely dissolute life. In her Vita it states that she often refused the money offered for her sexual favors, as she was driven "by an insatiable and an irrepressible passion," and that she mainly lived by begging, supplemented by spinning flax. After seventeen years of this lifestyle, she traveled to Jerusalem for the Great Feasts of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. She undertook the journey as a sort of "anti-," stating that she hoped to find in the crowds at Jerusalem even more partners in her lust. She paid for her passage by offering sexual favors to other , and she continued her habitual lifestyle for a short time in Jerusalem. Her Vita relates that when she tried to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the celebration, she was barred from doing so by an unseen force. Realizing that this was because of her impurity, she was struck with remorse, and upon seeing an of the (the Virgin Mary) outside the church, she prayed for forgiveness and promised to give up the world (i.e., become an ascetic). Then she attempted again to enter the church, and this time was permitted in. After venerating the of the true cross, she returned to the icon to give thanks, and heard a voice telling her, "If you cross the Jordan, you will find glorious rest." She immediately went to the of St. on the bank of the River Jordan, where she received absolution and afterwards Holy Communion. The next morning, she crossed the Jordan and retired to the desert to live the rest of her life as a in penitence. She took with her only three loaves of bread, and once they were gone, lived only on what she could find in the wilderness. Approximately one year before her death, she recounted her life to St. Zosimas of .[4] who encountered her in the desert. When he unexpectedly met her in the desert, she was completely naked and almost unrecognizable as human. She asked Zosimas to toss her his mantle to cover herself with, and then she narrated her life's story to him, manifesting marvellous clairvoyance. She asked him to meet her at the banks of the Jordan, on Holy Thursday of the following year, and bring her Holy Communion. When he fulfilled her wish, she crossed the river to get to him by walking on the surface of the water, and received Holy Communion, telling him to meet her again in the desert the following Lent. The next year, Zosimas travelled to the same spot where he first met her, some twenty day's journey from his monastery, and found her lying there dead. According to an inscription written in the sand next to her head, she had died on the very night he had given her Communion and had been somehow miraculously transported to the place he found her, and her body was preserved incorrupt. He buried her body with the assistance of a passing lion. On returning to the monastery he related her life story to the brethren, and it was preserved among them as oral tradition until it was written down by St. Sophronius.

Page 4 of 5 HOLY WEEK AND BRIGHT WEEK SCHEDULE 2021 Suitable for framing, or for posting on your refrigerator just in cases Sun., Apr. 18 5th Sunday of Lent. Remembering our Holy Mother Mary of Egypt. 2 Lazaruses: The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man, and the raising of Lazarus from the dead. 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Panachida: Jake Ingelido – by family.

Wed., Apr. 21 Apostles Herodian, Agabus et al of the 70. Bishop Celestine of Rome 5:30 PM Holy Mystery of the Anointing of the Sick

Fri., Apr. 23 Last Day of Lent! New Martyr Bishop Gregory of Constantinople 5:30 PM Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

SAT., APR. 24 LAZARUS SATURDAY 8:30 AM Holy Mystery of Confession 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy SUN., APR. 25 PALM (FLOWERY) SUNDAY. Confessor Basil of Parium 8:45 AM Liturgical Hymns 9:00 AM Blessing of Palms and Pussy Willows. Divine Liturgy – Red Pew Book, pp 210–214

WED., APR. 28 HOLY & GREAT WEDNESDAY. Prince Mstislavv (Theodore) of Kiev 6:30 PM Holy Mystery of Confession 7:00 PM Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts

THU., APR. 29 HOLY & GREAT THURSDAY. Virgin Martyrs Agape, Irene and Chionia 5:30 PM Last Supper Liturgy - Vespers and Liturgy of Basil Set up the Tomb

FRI., APR. 30 HOLY & GREAT FRIDAY. Martyred Priest Artemon and companions 10:00 AM Matins of the Passion – Strasti Utreòa (12 Gospels) 7:00 PM Vespers and the Burial Procession with the Holy Shroud

SAT., MAY 1 HOLY & GREAT SATURDAY. Confessor Martin, Bishop of Rome 7:00 AM Tomb Vigil Begins 10:00 AM Paschal Vigil Liturgy – Great Vespers and Liturgy of Basil Tomb Vigil continues until 6:00 PM. Please sign up for your hour!

SUN., MAY 2 PASCHA! 8:30 AM Resurrection Matins Divine Liturgy & Blessing of Baskets MON., MAY 3 BRIGHT MONDAY! Monk Theodore Trichinas 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy and Paschal Procession SAT., MAY 8 BRIGHT SATURDAY Holy Great-martyr George the Myrrh-gusher 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

SUN., MAY 9 THOMAS SUNDAY. Martyred Bishop Basil of Amasea 8:45 AM Liturgical Hymns 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy – Special Sheets