Michael 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

2ND SUNDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS Holy Patriarchs and the Forefathers of Our Lord DECEMBER 20 (DECEMBER 7), 2020

Sun. Dec 27 2nd Sunday Before Christmas. Holy Patriarchs and the Forefathers of Our Lord 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy: Tropar Tone 4 p 105. All the rest pp 145 – 146.

Sun. Jan. 3 Sunday Before Christmas. Holy Ancestors of Our Lord 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy: Tropar Tone 5 p 108. All the rest pp 146 – 147

Mon., Jan. 4 Great-martyr Anastasia 6:30 PM Parish Council Meeting

SERVICES FOR THE FEAST OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST Wed. Jan. 6 VIGIL OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD. MARTYR EUGENIA. 6:45 PM Christmas Carols and the Christmas Canon 7:00 PM Velikij Poveèerije - Great Compline with the blessing of the wheat, wine and oil

Thu., Jan. 7 THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD 9:30 AM Holy Mystery of Confession 9:45 PM Christmas Carols and the Christmas Canon 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy.

Fri., Jan. 8 2nd Day of Christmas: Synaxis of Holy Mary Theotokos 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

Sun., Jan. 10 Sunday after Christmas. Remembering the Relatives of Our Lord: King David, Joseph the Betrothed, and James, brother of the Lord 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy

Holy Mystery of Confession: I will be available for Confessions after the Divine Liturgy, when the church is more private. Or, you can make an appointment and we will arrange an appropriate time. Please just contact me.

Page 1 of 4 PEOPLE STUFF Our Gifts to God and our Church Prayer List: Deceased: Kalliope and Michael Condolian. December 20, 2020 Steve Bournios. George Dorogy. Attendance 9 Living: Father Joe Cervo. Father George Livanos. Father Communions 3 Patrick. Mother Christophora and the nuns of Holy Collections Transfiguration . Kristina Anatakis. Dana Monthly 90.00 Andrade. Gloria Andrade. Gregory Michael Aurilio. Georgia Sunday 795.00 B. Chastity and Jeff Bache. David Banosky. Brandon. Walter St. Nicholas Feast Day 75.00 Bolbat. Donald Bodnar. Jaime Budesa. Barbara Bournios. All Votive Candles 126.00 Nicholas Burkhart. Barbara Chappie. Rebecca, David & Building Maintenance 72.00 Bradley Noah Cozad. Mary Ann Crouse. Delores Cubakovic. Diocesan Membership 30.00 Martha Danchak. Christina Duranko. Nicholas Duranko. Christmas Candle 5.00 Margaret Dorogy. Breanne Glass. Dorothy Glass. Eddie Food Pantry 20.00 Gombos. Jennifer Hartrick. Joseph Hlavac. George Total Offerings: 1166.00 Hrabchak. Raymond Hrabchak. Shirley Hrubic. Zhensan Huang. Kevin and Karen Ianni. Gary Ingelido. Andrea Update: Building and Repairs Donations Kerkentzes. Glenn Lesko. Jeanne Lesko and family. Bobby which are available for upcoming repairs to Malackany. Marina. Joan Martell. Sharon Mascilak. Ed date are $4762! God bless your generosity! McCreanor. Jake McLaughlin. Zoe Mehalik. Helen Mihalik. Teresa Onuska. Frank Palmieri. Millie Phillips. Robert Petro. Anna Senich. Bernice Siudak. Terry Slezak. Milton and Thelma Supak. Diana Terezis. Bobby and Dee Triffanoff. Josh Walendziewicz. Paul & Valerie Yednak. Edward Yoon. Jeanne and Jim Zajac. Prosphora Bakers: Trudy Trifanoff. Delores Cubakovic and their intentions. Also: Chase Vlad, Gianna Vlad, Laura, Sharita, all who have contracted the virus, all who care for them, and all First-Responders, and all who are working in the Health and Medical Fields during this time of crisis. We especially ask for your prayers for those afflicted by the CoVid 19 virus: Jeanne Lesko and family (now recovering); Margaret Dorogy; Jim and Jeanne Zajac; David Banosky. As of this writing, all are still recovering from the virus. The 40 day Memorial Service for George Dorogy will be celebrated on Sunday, Jan. 24. [Sorry, I forgot to put this is last week’s bulletin]

F(E)ASTING Filipovka – Christmas Fast CHRISTMAS EVE is a Day of Fasting from Meat and Dairy in preparation for the celebration of the Birth of Our Lord. On this day no solid food should be eaten until the first star is seen in the evening sky. That’s why the Vilija or Holy Supper traditionally begins when the first star is seen. New! THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD celebrations. We will be celebrating services on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Because of the effects of the Pandemic, we are adjusting Christmas services. Please see the above schedule for times and services.

PARISH STUFF New! The Parish Council will hold its regular monthly meeting on Monday, January 4, at 6:30 PM. Update! 2021 Church Calendars are in! You can pick yours up in the church hall. 2021 Church Envelopes are being made available. Building and Repairs Donations which are available for upcoming repairs to date are $4762!

Page 2 of 4 Reminder! Christmas Candle Offerings: Just a reminder that you can donate for the special Christmas Candles that are used at the Icon Screen, as we have been doing. If you wish your offering to be in memory of someone, or for the health of someone, please be sure to write that on your envelope, or enclose a note, so that we can properly recognize that. Thank you very much for your generosity!

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ST. NICHOLAS THE WONDERWORKER, ARCHBISHOP OF MYRA IN LYCAEA (THE FINALE!). From the St. Nicholas Center, https://www.stnicholascenter.org Tax Relief For Myra The people of Myra were suffering under the burden of heavy taxes. They begged Bishop Nicholas to ask the emperor to relieve them of the high taxes which caused such hardship. Nicholas went to Constantine to plead the cause of his people. The emperor heard Nicholas’ pleas and granted a large reduction. Nicholas was given a written copy of the order. He immediately took the copy and went down to the sea where he threw the parchment out into the water. Soon afterwards it was fished out of the water near Myra and taken to the proper authorities. The order was put into immediate effect and taxes were lowered substantially. Meanwhile the finance ministers convinced Constantine that losing this revenue would seriously harm the royal treasury. Constantine summoned Nicholas back and asked to have the order returned so it could be changed to a much smaller tax cut. When Nicholas reported that the order had already been put into effect in Myra, Constantine sent a runner to determine the truth. Figure 1 Icon of St. Nicholas With Our Lord and Holy Mother Theotokos, also showing scenes from his life. How many events from How could it be true when St. Nicholas’ life can you identify? Bishop Nicholas was still in

Page 3 of 4 Constantinople? However, when Nicholas’ words were confirmed, the emperor allowed the full reduction to stand. A century later Myra’s people still attributed their low rate of taxation to St. Nicholas.

Grace Received: The Death of St. Nicholas Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, in the land of Lycia, in the poetic words of Symeon the Metaphrast, "had long lived … renowned for his virtuous conduct, he asperged the metropolis of Myra with sweet and lovely unction distilled from the blossoms of divine Grace." As Nicholas came to the end of his life, he prayed that God would send his angels to receive his spirit. When Nicholas saw the angels, he spoke the psalm, "I have hope in thee, O Lord" … . " into thine hands I commend my spirit." He gave up his spirit and died in the year of our Lord three-hundred and forty-three. His earthly body, borne by a great procession of bishops, priests, monks, and deacons, was laid to rest in a marble tomb in the crypt of his own cathedral church in Myra. From his tomb there flowed a fountain of manna that has continued until this day.

A Second Home: The Translation After Myra fell under the control of the Seljuks, who were not sympathetic to the Christian faith, Italian merchants in both Venice and Bari saw an opportunity for their cities. A major place of pilgrimage, such as Nicholas tomb, would be a great boon to both spiritual and economic life. Forty-seven set out from Bari, sailing in three ships, to accomplish the task. Making port in Andriaki, they made their way to the church in Myra. A small community of monks guarded Saint Nicholas' shrine. To the monks horror, the Barians broke into the tomb and made off with the ' relics. The ships arrived triumphantly back in Bari on May 9, 1087. The townspeople were overjoyed and San Nicola became the patron saint of Bari and all Apulia. A great church, the Basilica di San Nicola, was built for the saint, who is now known as Saint in Bari as well as Bishop of Myra. The tomb of St. Nicholas has been a major pilgrimage site ever since.

Two ancient detailed accounts of the Translation of Saint Nicholas: Translation of Saint Nicholas, by Nicephoros, written immediately after the arrival of his relics in Bari, May 9, 1087 Translation of Saint Nicholas, an anonymous account written in Greek in the 13th century.

Divine Approval Many icons show Saint Nicholas with Jesus on one side and Mary the Blessed Mother on the other. They hold symbols of a bishop's office: the Book of the Gospels and an omophorion. They appeared this way in two events of Nicholas' life. As we already recounted, the first was when he was selected to be consecrated as a bishop. The second was at the Council of Nicaea. They symbolize God's favor resting upon Nicholas and confirm his vocation as a bishop.

For Further Reading: Service, Akathist, Life and Miracles of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, being a complete translation of the Life and the Miracles of St. Nicholas as it appears in The Lives of the Saints in the as set forth according to the guidance of the Menologion of St. Dimitry of , , Synodal Press, 1903. Published Jordanville, NY: Holy Trinity Monastery.

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