SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church

Saturday, April 13 Blessing of Palms & Willow Branches
Myrovania – Anointing with Holy Oil
4:00 PM ✞ Steve Kowalick – Michael Kowalick

Sunday, April 14 PALM SUNDAY – Blessing of Palms & Willow Branches Myrovania – Anointing with Holy Oil
8:30 AM God’s Blessings and Good Health for all Parishioners
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Wednesday, April 17 HOLY WEDNESDAY
4:00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts & anointing with oil
Thursday, April 18 HOLY THURSDAY
3:00 PM Matins of the Holy and saving Passion of our Lord
Friday, April 19 Good Friday
1:00 PM Vespers with the Placement of the Holy Shroud.
Saturday, April 20 HOLY SATURDAY
1:00 PM Blessing of Paschal Food (in parish hall).
6:00 PM Service at the Grave, Resurrection Matins, Divine Liturgy, Blessing of Artos. Myrovania – Anointing with Holy Oil –intention ✞Merle Morosowich – Fr. Walter
EASTER SUNDAY – PASCHA
April 21 — 11:30 AM Divine Liturgy-Resurrection of Our Lord
Bright Tuesday, April 23 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy, Myrovania.
Bright Thursday, April 25 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy, Myrovania

Please remember in your prayers all the sick of the parish. A special wish for a speedy recovery of Paul Hoover who is recuperating from a hip operation at John Heinz. Our prayers were answered for the return of Gabe Metric who was laid up for many weeks. Glad you are back Gabe. Pray for all who are in need.
Palm Sunday – the popular name of one of the major festivals of Christians –

Entry into Jerusalem.
This celebration begins Holy Week.
The holiday is dedicated to the day when Jesus triumphantly rode into Jerusalem. People happily greeted Jesus with songs and flowers, as well as the stele under his feet, his clothes and palm branches – the plants, symbolizing purity. Catholics called this holy day – Palm Sunday. But a palm tree in our latitudes is not growing, so in the Ukrainian tradition, it was replaced by the willow – plant, which blooms after the first onset of winter and symbolizes the beginning of a new life. A festival called Palm Sunday.
Willow twigs to prepare better for the holiday in advance. It happens that the early Easter, and spring – cold, and then the willow does not have time to blossom before the holiday. In this case, for 4-5 days cut the branches and put them in water in the room. If the weather is favorable and bloom buds, twigs cut the day before.
Religious people on Palm Sunday go to the church services. At the Matins the blessing and sanctifying of Palm branches is observed. 
Sanctified, blessed, branches are taken home. The first thing to slap the beam of children and other household members, saying, “Verba-whipping, beat to tears. I did not beat, willow beats! Be healthy, like water, strong as willow, as rich as the earth!” Why the willow as a symbol of strength and health? Yes, because it is one of the most tenacious plants. Observed that accepted and grow even those of its branches, which are stuck into the ground upside down.
A few sprigs of willow can be put into the water, and when they take root, planted near the house, but on another day. If twigs take root, a plant grown will protect family home from adversity.
The rest of the beam should be kept for the images. Buds and twigs of willow svyachenoy people attributed healing properties. Willow twigs thrown into the water for bathing small or ill children. Twigs also were applied to the sore spots. During a disaster, willow twig thrown into the street to misery spared the home side. But there is a warning –you do not need to bother wasting willow, use of these tools can be used only when necessary.
Remaining from last year’s holy day twigs should be burned and placed in the garden or where people do not walk, or thrown into the current (i.e. running, not standing!) Water.
It is believed that indoor plants, planted on Palm Sunday, grow well and bring to the house wealth.
Palm Sunday falls outside Lent, so tumultuous festivities suit is not necessary, but that day, a harbinger of Easter should be bright and cheery.

THE LAST WORDS OF JESUS
THE FIRST WORD Luke 23:33-34
When they came to the place called “The Skull”, they nailed
Jesus to the cross there, and the two criminals, one on His
right and one on His left. Jesus said,
“Forgive them, Father! They do not know what they are doing.”
Meditation on the First Word
“They do not know what they are doing”
They do not know? They …who killed Jesus?
Who is “they”?
It is so easy to name others, to blame others, the Romans, the crowd, Pilate, Herod, Caiaphas they all played their part and conspired against Jesus or simply followed orders to maintain the peace to keep Jesus’ kingdom from infringing on theirs.
And yet where are we when Jesus’ kingdom infringes on ours?
On our peace and our order?
On our prosperity and our security?
Where are we when the victims of our peace cry for justice?
When those disenfranchised by our ordered call for compassion?
When the hungry and the lonely beg us to share our prosperity our security, our power?
Where are we when Christ is crucified among us?
Surely He should have raged at the sinners who nailed him to the tree. Surely He should have raged at us for the evil we do, the evil we do both knowing and unknowing,
Yet compassion is there in the first words that He utters. He intercedes for us before the Father. We need to turn to him and away from sin, i.e. repent.
Compassion that called Him into being in his mother’s womb
Compassion that compelled Him to the cross
Compassion that brings incredible, unbelievable grace
Compassion that echoes through the centuries to all who participate in the killing of Christ:
Compassion that cries out from the cross:
“Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing”

The Sunday of Holy Week is called Palm Sunday because it commemorates the triumphal entry of Our Lord Jesus into Jerusalem. The people assembled in Jerusalem for the Pasch went out to meet Jesus, greeting Him with palms.
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LAZARUS SATURDAY, ENDS LENT AND BEGINS HOLY WEEK Saturday before Palm Sunday
Jesus Christ wrought many miracles during His lifetime but none was so rich in its effects as the resurrection of Lazarus.
This miracle marks the apex of Christ’s self-revelation. The magnitude of this miracle and the publicity attending it were the immediate causes of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.
May this great and wonderful miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus strengthen also our faith in the divinity of Christ and in our own personal resurrection. That same Christ, who raised the four-day Lazarus from the dead, in His own time, will raise us also to a life of eternal happiness. He Himself assured us of this when He said: “I am the Resurrection and Life. Whoever believes in me, even though he dies, shall live

The Commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem
Since the beginning of Lent until now we have prepared our hearts by penance and charitable works. Today we gather together for the beginning of the celebration of Our Lord’s Passion and Resurrection.
For it was to accomplish this mystery that he entered his own city of Jerusalem. Therefore, with all faith and devotion, let us commemorate the Lord’s entry into the city for our salvation following in his footsteps. So that, being made by his grace partakers of the Cross, we may have a share also in his Resurrection and in his life. Amen.
Increase the faith of those who place their hope in you, O Lord, and graciously hear the prayers of those who call on you, that we, who today hold high these willow branches to hail Christ in his triumph, may bear fruit for you by good works accomplished in him Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen
SANCTUARY LIGHT: The Sanctuary Light is requested to burn this week April 13 – 20 by Becky Molecavage in memory of her mother Frances Bencho.

HOLY WEEK – Please remember that help is needed to participate in the Holy Week services. Holy Wednesday includes anointing with oil which forgives your sins, if you have not yet gone to confession, take advantage of this Holy Day’s gift. Holy Thursday, 3:00 PM, Good Friday, 1:00 PM and Resurrection Services Holy Saturday, 6:00 PM. Help will be needed to set up the grave after the Holy Thursday evening services. Please lend a helping hand. Sign up sheet is in the vestibule for Adoration. Time to spend with God. Give an hour of your time for HIM.

Appreciation: We thank all who brought the Willow branches and all who helped tie the Palm & Branches Your help is always appreciative. God’s blessing to all.

Bus Trip to Enthronement – The North Anthracite Council of LUC has chartered a 33 passenger bus to the Tuesday, June 4th Enthronement of Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak at our magnificent Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Philadelphia. Pick-ups will be at 5:15am at SS. Cyril and Methodius Church in Berwick, 5:45am at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Plymouth and 6:15am at St. Vladimir Church in Scranton. Cost is $35.00 per person – please make out check to North Anthracite Council – LUC. Reservations can be made by contacting Janina Everett or Paul Ewasko. Reservations are on a first-come first- served basis. Payment in full reserves a bus seat.