SS Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church

  May 24, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, May 23                   PENTECOST SUNDAY (Myrovania)

        4:00 PM                           Michael Sirak- Michaelene Ostrum

Sunday, May 24                     PENTECOST SUNDAY(Myrovania)

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

       2:00 PM                             Panachyda Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery

                                                Blessing of Graves

      3:30 PM                              Panachyda Saint Vladimir Cemtery

                                                                        Blessing of Graves

Monday, May 25                    MEMORIAL DAY

****9:00 AM Transfiguration of Our Lord Church****

Saturday, May 30                   SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

         4:00 PM                          God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

Sunday, May 31                     SUNDAY OF ALL SAINTS

        8:30 AM                            Jewel Johnstone- Mr. & Mrs. Rossi

Please remember in your prayers all of our brave service men and women who bravely served our country.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

PENTECOST QUESTIONS….

In the prayer, ‘Heavenly King’, we ask for salvation. But surely only Christ, and not the Holy Spirit, is our Saviour?

We use many short, and long, prayers, asking for salvation.  For example: ‘Most Holy Trinity, save us’.  ‘Most Holy Mother of God, save us’.  And yet, as you say, there is only one Savior, Christ our God.  So how then can we be saved by the Holy Trinity? Answer: Through the Savior, through Christ, sent down to us by the Holy Trinity.  How can we be saved by the Mother of God?  Surely, she cannot save us?  Yes, she can – through her mother’s prayers to the Savior. Christ saves us through others.   So too, Christ the Savior saves us through the Holy Spirit, or, if you like, the Holy Spirit saves us through Christ.  After all, it was only through the Savior, that we received the Holy Spirit and the knowledge of the Holy Trinity.  It was only through the Mother of God that the Savior became one of us, only without sin.

What does the word Pentecost mean?

First of all, I should say that the most common name for this feast is ‘Trinity Day’, rather than the more formal ‘Pentecost’.  This is because this feast is the revelation of the Holy Spirit, and therefore the revelation of the fullness of the Holy Trinity, for until today, we had only known the Father and the Son.  The Son had promised us the ‘Comforter’ and today He is here, in fulfilment of that promise.   Pentecost is simply the Greek word for fifty.  Pentecost comes 50 days after Easter. The significance of this is that even in the Old Testament (Leviticus 25), the number 50 was special.  This is because seven is the number of fullness, and eight (7+1) is the number of completion (God rested on the seventh day, after the six days of Creation).  7 x 7 is therefore a particular sign of fullness and 50 is of course 7 x 7 + 1, fullness.  Therefore, in the Old Testament, every fiftieth year was called a Jubilee year.  The Jubilee year was not only the end of the old Jubilee period, but also the beginning of the new one.  Thus, there were forty-nine years between each Jubilee year.

By adding one to seven, we reach eight.  Eight is seen as the number of what is beyond the fullness of this world, beyond Creation, beyond the physical world, what is part of the age to come, ‘the eighth day’.  Thus, Pentecost, the Descent of the Holy Spirit to earth, is the fullness of the revelation of the Holy Trinity.  This is why it is called Trinity Day.  The Descent of the Holy Spirit from heaven is the sign of the other world, the age to come, ‘the eighth day’, penetrating into this world.  That is why baptisteries were, and still are, octagonal.  They symbolize the person baptized entering into the other world, becoming a citizen of the Kingdom to come, ‘the eighth day’.

The Sanctuary Light for the week ending 5/17 was requested by Anna Magill IMO her sister Irene Frisbee.

This week ending 5/24, the Sanctuary Light is requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO her father Michael Sirak.

PLYMOUTH 250^th ANNIVERSARY OF OUR NATION PARADE IN PLYMOUTH:  The Auspice of Maria will participate in the parade from; St. Mary’s, St. Stephan’s & St. Vincent’s Catholic Church and welcomes parishioners of Saint Peter & Paul Church to participate.  If you are interested please call Nancy Restraino at 570-239-3363.  There is a flyer in the back of the church and they will be parking at St. Peter & Paul Church and assembling at the Family Dollar at 10:30 am.

The Borough of Plymouth has asked Parishes to ring their bells at Noon on Saturday, May 30 in celebration of our nation’s 250^th Birthday.  Any parishioner who is willing to ring the bells, please feel free to come and ring the bells.

FATHER’S DAY REMEMBRANCES:  Father’s Day is June 21^st, don’t forget to remember your Father at our Father’s Day Divine Liturgy.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners:  John Ostrum, Donna Winsock, Sonia Dempsey, Catherine Halloway, Charles Hallaway, Louise Hubiack, Frank Udiski, Paul Hoover & James Bencho.  Keep them in your prayers.  If anyone would like to be included in the prayer list drop a note in the basket, email the church or text Michalene Ostrum at 570-704-7079.

The True Spectacle

By surrendering Jesus to the blood thirsty crowd, Pontius Pilate enacted more than a judicial sentence—he affirmed Romes’s power to define life and death through public spectacle.  In the crucifixion, Jesus’ body became an object of scorn, offered up to satisfy the crowd’s appetite for violence.  The spectacle invited the multitude to gaze, to judge, and to consume.  Yet Christ, in freely offering Himself, inverting the meaning of His death.  What Rome staged as humiliation, Christ transformed into a gift.  The cross, intended as an imperial spectacle of domination, became the altar of divine love. 

The Eucharist is the fulfillment of this transformation.  Where spectacle thrives on the objectification of the body, the Eucharist invites communion with the body.  In spectacle, the flesh is consumed to satisfy desire; in the Eucharist, Christ offers His flesh to reorient desire.  Rather than being passively consumed by the crowd, Jesus gives Himself intentionally to His disciples—Take, Eat; this is My Body.

The Eucharist thus becomes the anti-spectacle: not a performance to observe, but a mystery to enter.  In consuming Christ’s body and blood, the believer is united to His death and resurrection.  The Eucharist reshapes the soul, drawing it away from the illusion of spectacle and toward the reality of divine communion.  In this sacred act, desire is not inflamed and misdirected as in spectacle, but purified and fulfilled. Through this sacrament, believers are formed not into spectators, but into participants in the life of God. -excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

Typologically, the rise of the Antichrist will be marked not by overt evil alone, but by a widespread failure to perceive and name the enmity between the true Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, and its counterfeit- the Anti-Church.  In such an age, the distinction between truth and falsehood will be deliberately obscured.  The ancient conflict between Christ and the Synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9) will be recast as irrelevant, intolerant or obsolete.  This spiritual blindness will manifest not only in the silencing of prophetic voices, but in a distorted image of the Church herself.  Without the ability—or willingness—to identify spiritual enemies the Church risks becoming lukewarm, accommodating the worlds’ narratives rather than proclaiming the Gospel.  The command to love one’s enemies presumes the courage to recognize them—not as objects of hatred, but as those in need of truth and conversion.  – excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

The True Spectacle

By surrendering Jesus to the blood thirsty crowd, Pontius Pilate enacted more than a judicial sentence—he affirmed Romes’s power to define life and death through public spectacle.  In the crucifixion, Jesus’ body became an object of scorn, offered up to satisfy the crowd’s appetite for violence.  The spectacle invited the multitude to gaze, to judge, and to consume.  Yet Christ, in freely offering Himself, inverting the meaning of His death.  What Rome staged as humiliation, Christ transformed into a gift.  The cross, intended as an imperial spectacle of domination, became the altar of divine love. 

The Eucharist is the fulfillment of this transformation.  Where spectacle thrives on the objectification of the body, the Eucharist invites communion with the body.  In spectacle, the flesh is consumed to satisfy desire; in the Eucharist, Christ offers His flesh to reorient desire.  Rather than being passively consumed by the crowd, Jesus gives Himself intentionally to His disciples—Take, Eat; this is My Body.

The Eucharist thus becomes the anti-spectacle: not a performance to observe, but a mystery to enter.  In consuming Christ’s body and blood, the believer is united to His death and resurrection.  The Eucharist reshapes the soul, drawing it away from the illusion of spectacle and toward the reality of divine communion.  In this sacred act, desire is not inflamed and misdirected as in spectacle, but purified and fulfilled. Through this sacrament, believers are formed not into spectators, but into participants in the life of God. -excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

Typologically, the rise of the Antichrist will be marked not by overt evil alone, but by a widespread failure to perceive and name the enmity between the true Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, and its counterfeit- the Anti-Church.  In such an age, the distinction between truth and falsehood will be deliberately obscured.  The ancient conflict between Christ and the Synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9) will be recast as irrelevant, intolerant or obsolete.  This spiritual blindness will manifest not only in the silencing of prophetic voices, but in a distorted image of the Church herself.  Without the ability—or willingness—to identify spiritual enemies the Church risks becoming lukewarm, accommodating the worlds’ narratives rather than proclaiming the Gospel.  The command to love one’s enemies presumes the courage to recognize them—not as objects of hatred, but as those in need of truth and conversion.  – excerpt from Saints of the Apoclalypse, Saint Stephen

The Soul is a Lamp

Saint Symeon the New Theologian declares that God is fire.  The Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles at Pentecost in the form of flaming tongues of fire.  He compares the soul to a lamp.  Just as a lamp must be adorned with a good supply of oil and trimmed wicks in order to produce fire and light, so the soul must be adorned with all virtues, but beyond that it must receive the fire which is the Holy Spirit.  God is fire, He says, and through the Holy Spirit searches for material to set on fire with divine love.  We are that material.  Jesus came to cast fire not on earth, but in our hearts and minds.  He came to ignite and illumine the lamp of each person’s soul.  We read in Proverbs 20:27, “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord.”  The spirit of man remains unfulfilled until it is touched by the divine flame.  All candles have one thing in common:  they must be lit in order to be useful.  If not, they may as well be pieces of pottery.  God created us in many different, sizes, shapes and colors.  Each of us has a special talent.  But, like candles, we are just a decoration in the world unless we are lit to shine for Him.

-Sacred Symbols, by Anthony M Coniaris

A Word of Caution

A note of caution here.  There are many cults that emphasize the Inner Light.  They have good things to say about the inner light and the guidance they receive from it.  However, by “inner light” they do not mean what we mean:  the presence of the Trinity within us.  Inner light to them means their own light that emerges from their own thinking.  It has nothing to do with God.  It, is in fact, a Godless humanism.  As G.K. Chesterton so well said, “That Jones shall worship the god within him turns out ultimately to mean the Jones shall worship Jones.”

-Sacred Symbols, by Anthony M Coniaris

PETROVKA (St. Peter & Paul Fast):  St.  Peter & Paul Fast begins on Sunday evening, June 1 at Vespers with the singing of “O Joyful Light…” after the Sunday of All Saints and continues until Saturday, June 29th.  The Apostles’ Fast is not as severe as Lent or the Dormition Fast, but entails fasting from red meat, poultry, meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. Fasting also partners with prayer, almsgiving and confession, readying the whole person like an athlete; body, mind, and soul, for an upcoming feast, similar to the way in which orthodox Catholics would hope to be properly prepared for the Second Coming. For this reason, during fasting seasons, no marriages should take place. Another important part of any fasting period is going to Confession.  The Feast of Ss. Peter & Paul is Sunday, June 29th.

  May 17, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, May 16                   SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

         4:00 PM                          Irene Frisbie- Dempsey Family

Sunday, May 17                     SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

        8:30 AM                            Joseph Kane- Gloria Udiski

Saturday, May 23                   PENTECOST SUNDAY

        4:00 PM                           Michael Sirak- Michaelene Ostrum

Sunday, May 24                     PENTECOST SUNDAY

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health For All Parishioners

       2:00 PM                             Panachyda Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery

                                                Blessing of Graves

      3:30 PM                              Panachyda Saint Vladimir Cemtery

                                                                        Blessing of Graves

Monday, May 25                    MEMORIAL DAY

****9:00 AM Transfiguration of Our Lord Church****

Please remember in your prayers all of our brave service men and women who bravely served our country.

FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!

PENTECOST SUNDAY

The account of Pentecost is found in the book of The Acts of the Apostles. In Chapter two we are told that the Apostles of our Lord were gathered together in one place. Suddenly, a sound came from heaven like a rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting. Then, tongues of fire appeared, and one sat upon each one of Apostles. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as directed by the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4).

This miraculous event occurred on the Jewish Feast of Pentecost, celebrated by the Jews on the fiftieth day after the Passover as the culmination of the Feast of Weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). The Feast of Weeks began on the third day after the Passover with the presentation of the first harvest sheaves to God, and it concluded on Pentecost with the offering of two loaves of unleavened bread, representing the first products of the harvest (Leviticus 23:17-20; Deuteronomy 16:9-10).

Since the Jewish Feast of Pentecost was a great pilgrimage feast, many people from throughout the Roman Empire were gathered in Jerusalem on this day. When the people in Jerusalem heard the sound, they came together and heard their own languages being spoken by the Apostles (Acts 2:5-6). The people were amazed, knowing that some of those speaking were Galileans, and not men who would normally speak many different languages. They wondered what this meant, and some even thought the Apostles were drunk (Acts 2:7-13).

Peter, hearing these remarks, stood up and addressed the crowd. He preached to the people regarding the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Holy Spirit. He spoke about Jesus Christ and His death and glorious Resurrection. Great conviction fell upon the people, and they asked the Apostles, “What shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38-39).

The Bible records that on that day about three thousand were baptized. Following, the book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles, and the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).

PRAYER TO SAINT MICHAEL:  Holy Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do you, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls.   Amen.

PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH

O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ, come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive.  O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages.  Amen. 

 There were no requests for the Altar Candles or Sanctuary Light.         

PETITIONS TO THE MOTHER OF GOD:  May is the month of Blessed Mother of God. We will have Petitions to the Mother of God following Divine Liturgies this month.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners:  John Ostrum, Donna Winsock, Sonia Dempsey, Catherine Halloway, Charles Hallaway, Louise Hubiack, Frank Udiski, Paul Hoover & James Bencho.  Keep them in your prayers.  If anyone would like to be included in the prayer list drop a note in the basket, email the church or text Michalene Ostrum at 570-704-7079.

PRAYERS:  Please remember in your prayers all who are in need of God’s help.  Remember those in the nursing facilities, hospital and at home, all the sick and the suffering.  Please say a special prayer for all of our nation’s soldiers and their families at home and abroad.  Please pray for all our priests, active and retired.

SOROKOUSTY SERVICE:    The fifth Sorokousty is Saturday, May 23^rd, 8:00 am in Nanticoke. 

MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day began in the late 1860’s as “Decoration Day” when Americans decorated the graves of Civil War soldiers.  Memorial Day became a Federal Holiday in 1971.  According to the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 1.3 million military members have died in America’s wars.  The Civil War is the deadliest conflict in U.S. history, accounting for nearly half of all U.S. military deaths.

One hundred and thirty National Cemeteries such as Arlington National Cemetery are operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs in the United States and serve as the final resting places for service members.  The American Battle Monuments Commission maintains 26 overseas cemeteries where more than 200,000 American service members are buried.

Every Memorial Day, there is a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  The Tomb of The Unknown Soldier (located in Arlington National Cemetery) honors unidentified service members and has been continuously guarded since 1937. The memorial stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. Since 1921, it has provided a final resting place for one of America’s unidentified World War I service members, and Unknowns from later wars were added in 1958 and 1984. The Tomb has also served as a place of mourning and a site for reflection on military service.  In March 1926, soldiers from nearby Fort Myer were first assigned to guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The guards, present only during daylight hours, discouraged visitors from climbing or stepping on the Tomb. In 1937, the guards became a 24/7 presence, standing watch over the Unknown Soldier at all times.  The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as “The Old Guard,” was designated as the Army’s official ceremonial unit on April 6, 1948. At that time, The Old Guard began guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Soldiers of The Old Guard also serve as escorts to the president and conduct military ceremonies in and around Washington, D.C., including military funeral escorts at Arlington National Cemetery.  Soldiers who volunteer to become Tomb Guards must undergo a strict selection process and intensive training. Each element of the Tomb Guard’s routine has meaning. The Guard marches 21 steps down the black mat behind the Tomb, turns and faces east for 21 seconds, turns and faces north for 21 seconds, and then takes 21 steps down the mat. Next, the Guard executes a sharp “shoulder-arms” movement to place his rifle on the shoulder closest to the visitors, signifying that he or she stands between the Tomb and any possible threat. The number 21 symbolizes the highest symbolic military honor that can be bestowed: the 21-gun salute.

NATIONAL MOMENT OF REMEMBERANCE ACT

Congress passed the National Moment of Remembrance Act in 2000. The act designates 3:00 p.m. on Memorial Day as a time for prayer and reflection.

As stated by the Clinton administration, the purpose of the National Moment of Remembrance is to honor fallen soldiers and remind citizens of the true meaning of Memorial Day.

May 3, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, May 9                     SUNDAY OF THE MAN BORN BLIND 

         4:00 PM                          All Mothers Living & Deceased

Sunday, May 10                     SUNDAY OF THE MAN BORN BLIND 

        8:30 AM                            All Mothers Living & Deceased

Thursday, May 14                     ASCENSION OF OUR LORD- OBLIGATION

        8:30AM                             God’s Blessing & Good Health for All Parishioners

Saturday, May 16                   SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

         4:00 PM                          Irene Frisbie- Dempsey Family

Sunday, May 17                     SUNDAY OF THE FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

        8:30 AM                            Joseph Kane- Gloria Udiski

MOTHERS…..

A teacher asked the class a question: “Suppose your mother baked a pie and there were five of you– two parents and three children.  What part of the pie would you get?”  Quickly a little boy shot up his hand to answer, and then confidently responded, “One fourth. “No.  You didn’t understand the question, or you don’t know your fractions,” said the teacher.  “Remember, there are five of you.”  “Yes, I realize that,” said the boy, “But you don’t know my mother.  My mommy would say she didn’t want any pie so that everyone else could have more.”  How many of us have mothers like this?  I was fortunate to grow up with a mother who possessed such a spirit.  If one phrase summarizes authentic motherhood, it is “sacrificial love,” (agape).  She is always ready to give of her very self in a quiet, humble way.  

St. John Chrysostom on Motherhood and Mother’s Prayer

As someone who studies motherhood and theology and who has five children myself, fellow Catholic mothers often ask me if I can point them to prayers for mothers for their children, since few of our prayer books include prayers on this subject. While I do have a few prayers I pass on, I also recommend that they read Saint John Chrysostom’s thoughts on prayer and motherhood.  Saint John of the fourth century is a frequent source for reflection on family life in the twenty-first. His reverence for family rings clear across the centuries, and this is true especially in his appreciation for motherhood. Saint John elevated motherhood to something beyond the mundane, daily care of children and into the realm of spiritual significance. Directing his remarks at mothers, he said, “I mean, the children being born, provided they receive proper care and are brought up to virtue by your attention, prove a basis and occasion of complete salvation for you; and in addition to your own virtuous acts you will receive a great reward for your care of them.” (Homily on Hannah, Old Testament Homilies) Thus Chrysostom saw motherhood as a salvific opportunity, as a vocation that can lead to the heavenly reward.  Saint John was particularly moved by the vision of motherhood he saw in Hannah, the mother of Prophet Samuel in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 1-2). He admired the power of Hannah’s spontaneous prayer when she visited the temple eager to have a child. He wrote of the intensity of the prayer she prayed in her quest for motherhood and in her later dedication of her child to the Lord.   In praising Hannah’s spontaneous prayer, Saint John contrasted it with more typical, less mindful prayer: “I mean, while we all pray, we do not all do it before the Lord: when the body is lying on the ground and the mouth is babbling on, and the mind wandering through all parts of the house and the market place, how will such people be in a position to claim that they prayed before the Lord?” (Homily on Hannah, Old Testament Homilies)  In short, Hannah provides the model for all types of prayer, not just a mother’s prayer. Most prayer is half-hearted, barely present, whereas Hannah’s prayer is fully present, felt in her body and her soul. Yet, Saint John also saw a special role for prayer by mothers. His specific instruction to mothers is that they should consecrate their children through prayer. As a mother and a theologian, I find this to be an important reminder of the importance of my prayers for my own children.   Though the Catholic Church lacks many composed prayers for mothers, and though the addition of such prayers would be welcome, Hannah’s tale shows that mothers have taken prayers for their children into their own hands for millennia—and that the Church has celebrated this initiative. This is why I point mothers to Saint John: he reminds us that our spontaneous prayers as mothers are powerful on their own. Whatever words we choose, it is our sacred responsibility as mothers to bless and consecrate our children by praying for them.-The Catalog of Good Deeds

To us he gave life everlasting, let us bow before His third-day Resurrection.

PRAYERS:  Please remember in your prayers all who are in need of God’s help.  Remember those in the nursing facilities, hospital and at home, all the sick and the suffering.  Please say a special prayer for all of our nation’s soldiers and their families at home and abroad.  Please pray for all our priests, active and retired.

SOROKOUSTY SERVICE:    The fifth Sorokousty is Saturday, May 23^rd at 8:00 am. 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!:   Father Walter wishes all of the Mothers of our Parish a Very Happy and Blessed Mother’s Day and Eternal Rest to all Deceased Mothers.  

PETITIONS TO THE MOTHER OF GOD:  May is the month of Blessed Mother of God. We will have Petitions to the Mother of God following Divine Liturgies this month.

Petitions & Prayers for Our Parishioners:  John Ostrum, Donna Winsock, Sonia Dempsey, Catherine Halloway, Charles Hallaway, Louise Hubiack, Frank Udiski, Paul Hoover & James Bencho.  Keep them in your prayers.  If anyone would like to be included in the prayer list drop a note in the basket, email the church or text Michalene Ostrum at 570-704-7079.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

The Feast of the Ascension of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on the fortieth day after the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha (Easter). Since the date of Pascha changes each year, the date of the Feast of the Ascension changes. The Feast is always celebrated on a Thursday.  The Feast itself commemorates when, on the fortieth day after His Resurrection, Jesus led His disciples to the Mount of Olives, and after blessing them and asking them to wait for the fulfillment of the promise of the Holy Spirit, He ascended into heaven.  The account of the Ascension of our Lord, celebrated as one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Church, is found in the book of the Acts of the Apostles 1:3-11. It is also mentioned in the Gospels of Mark (16:19) and Luke (24:50-53). The moment of the Ascension is told in one sentence: “He was lifted up before their eyes in a cloud which took Him from their sight” (Acts 1:9).  Christ made His last appearance on earth, forty days after His Resurrection from the dead. The Acts of the Apostles states that the disciples were in Jerusalem. Jesus appeared before them and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the “Promise of the Father”. He stated, “You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:5).  After Jesus gave these instructions, He led the disciples to the Mount of Olives. Here, He commissioned them to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). It is also at this time that the disciples were directed by Christ to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus also told them that He would be with them always, “even to the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).  As the disciples watched, Jesus lifted up His hands, blessed them, and then was taken up out of their sight (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9). Two angels appeared to them and asked them why they were gazing into heaven. Then one of the angels said, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen Him going into heaven” (Acts 1:11).  The icon of The Ascension of Our Lord is a joyous icon. It is written with bright colors. Christ is shown ascending in His glory in a mandorla.  A mandorla is a design which is almond-shaped or round. Inside the mandorla is the figure of a holy person. Christ blesses the assembly with His right hand. In His left is a scroll. The scroll is a symbol of teaching. This icon shows that the Lord in heaven is the source of blessing. In addition, Jesus is the source of knowledge. The icon reminds us that Christ continues to be the source of the teaching and message of the Church, blessing and guiding those to whom He has entrusted his work.  The Theotokos occupies a very special place in this icon. She is in the center of the icon, immediately below the ascending Christ. The gesture of her hands is gesture of prayer. She is clearly outlined by the whiteness of the garments of the angels. The Theotokos is depicted in a very calm pose. This is quite different from the appearance of the Disciples. They are moving about, talking to one another and looking and pointing towards heaven. The entire group, the Theotokos and the disciples represent the Church.  The icon of the Ascension includes some who did not witness the Ascension. St. Paul is shown to the left of the Theotokos, but we know that he was not present at the Ascension. At that time, St. Paul did not yet believe in Jesus. But he became a Christian and one of the greatest Apostles and missionaries of Church.  The icon expresses the sovereignty of Christ over His Church; He is its Head, its guide, its source of inspiration and teaching; it receives its commission and ministry from Him, and fulfils it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

May 3, 2026 A. D.

Христос Воскрес!   Воістину Воскрес!

CHRIST IS RISEN!  INDEED HE IS RISEN!

Saturday, May 2                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

CHRISTOS VOSKRESE!  VOISTINU VOSKRESE!

         4:00 PM                          Helene Sirak- Helen Harabin

Sunday, May 3                        SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

        8:30 AM                            God’s Blessings & Good Health for All Parishioners

Saturday, May 9                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

         4:00 PM                          All Mothers Living & Deceased

Sunday, May 10                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

        8:30 AM                            All Mothers Living & Deceased

“With Fear of God”- The fear of God is often misunderstood.  “Why should we fear God, when our God is the God of love?” some say.  Of course He is the God of love but if we don’t have the fear of God in us, we won’t have the love of God either, but only a deceptive feeling, which will lull our conscience into permissiveness, laxity and a stagnant spiritual life.  And if they further retort, “I don’t fear God, because I love God,” quoting the Scripture, which says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears, has not reached perfection in love” (1 John 4:18) they forget one thing, that few reach this stage of perfection.

            The Scripture says, “Fear God, and keep His commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone.  For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every secret thing, whether good or evil(Eccl 12:13-14).   Fear of God is not instructed only in the Old Testament.  The Apostle Peter is very direct and straightforward:  “Fear God”.  (1Peter 2:17) Also the Angel of the Apocalypse shouts, “Fear God and give Him glory, for the hour of judgement has come.” (Rev 14:7). The Lord Himself warned us, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more.  But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into Gehenna (Hell).  Yes, I tell you fear Him.” (Lk 12:4-5) This fear keeps us on the right path and gives birth to other virtues.

            St. Tikhon couples fear of God with faith, and tells us that, “Without living faith and the fear of God it is impossible to live in a godly way… The fear of God  will guard you and correct you everywhere and in all things, and will turn you away from every evil deed, and confirm you in every good deed.  Thus day by day, you will become better.”   “Let us draw near to Him, then, with fervor and burning charity, so that we will not have to endure punishment,”  St. John Chrysostom prompts us. And he continues: “Let us, then rouse ourselves up and be filled with awe… that we may not, by approaching thoughtlessly and carelessly heap fire upon our heads…For this table is the sinews of our soul, the bond of our mind, the foundation of our confidence, our hope, our salvation, our light, our life.”    (The Heavenly Banquet; Father Emmanuel Hatzidakis…Page 334)

ASK FATHER A QUESTION?  Father, when are the gifts changed into the Body and Blood of Christ according to our Eastern Faith?  Is there a moment, or a time in the Liturgy when we are certain?  It happens during the Liturgy which begins even before most parishioners arrive at church.  There is no single specific moment in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom that you can point to and say it happens here.  The most you can say from that mindset is that by the time the Epiclesis Prayer is completed, this is now without question the body and blood of Christ.  Remember, the priest begins the Prayers of Preparation before the Liturgy begins. Most people notice something is happening when people hear the bells of the censor. (Priest incensing the gifts.)  

PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH

O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive.  O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages.  Amen.

The Altar Candles for April are requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO father Michael Sirak.

PETITIONS TO THE MOTHER OF GOD:  May is the month of Blessed Mother of God. We will have Petitions to the Mother of God following Divine Liturgies this month.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE: FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANCESTORS:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  A Seven Mile Walking Pilgrimage from St. Mary’s Church in Mocanaqua through the Pinchot State Forest, Mocanaqua Tract to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  Divine Liturgy offered and lunch served at the end of the walk.  Register by June 6, 2026 at www.tinyurl.com/foapilgrimage26.  For more information call/text 570-301-9253 or email foapilgrimage@gmail.com.  The faith lives on in Glen Lyon……….

SOROKOUSTY SERVICE:    The fifth Sorokousty is Saturday, May 23^rd at 8:00 am. 

MOTHER’S DAY:  Mother’s Day is next Sunday, May 10th.  We will have Divine Liturgy for All Living and Deceased Mothers’ of our Parish.  Remember your Mom in Divine Liturgy. 

PRAYERS:  Please remember in your prayers all who are in need of God’s help.  Remember those in the nursing facilities, hospital and at home, all the sick and the suffering.  Please say a special prayer for all of our nation’s soldiers and their families at home and abroad.  Please pray for all our priests, active and retired.

Saint Andrew-The First Called (Apostle)

(Apostle means “called,” disciple means “follower,” hence there can only be 12 apostles)

St. Andrew, also known as Andrew the Apostle, was the older brother to St. Peter.  According to the New Testament, Andrew was born in the village of Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee during the early first century. Much like his younger brother, Simon Peter, Andrew was also a fisherman. Andrew’s very name means strong and he was known for having good social skills.

Little else is said about Andrew in the Gospels, but it is believed Andrew was one of the closer disciples to Jesus. It was he who told Jesus about the boy with the loaves and fishes, according to John 6:8. When Philip wanted to speak to Jesus about Greeks seeking him, he spoke to Andrew first. Andrew was also present at the last supper.

Eusebius in his church history 3,1 quoted Origen as saying that Andrew preached in Scythia. The Chronicle of Nestor adds that he preached along the Black Sea and the Dnieper river as far as Kiev, and from there he traveled to Novgorod. Hence, he became a patron saint of Ukraine, Romania and Russia.

Per Christian tradition, Andrew went on to preach the Good News around the shores of the Black Sea and throughout what is now Greece and Turkey. Andrew was martyred by crucifixion in Patras. He was bound, rather than nailed, to a cross, as is described in the Acts of Andrew. He was crucified on a cross form known as “crux decussata,” which is an X-shaped cross or a “saltire.” Today this is commonly referred to as “St. Andrew’s Cross.” It is believed Andrew requested to be crucified this way, because he deemed himself “unworthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus.”  Andrew’s remains were originally preserved at Patras. However, some believe St. Regulus, who was a monk at Patras, received a vision telling him to hide some of Andrew’s bones. Shortly after Regulus’ dream, many of Andrew’s relics were transferred to Constantinople by order of Roman emperor Constantius II around 357. Regulus later received orders in a second dream telling him to take the bones “to the ends of the earth.” He was to build a shrine for them wherever he shipwrecked. He landed on the coat of Fife, Scotland.  In September 1964, Pope Paul VI had all of St. Andrew’s relics that ended up in Vatican City sent back to Patras. Now, many of Andrew’s relics and the cross on which he was martyred are kept in the Church of St. Andrew in Patras.

St. Andrew is venerated in Eastern Europe as the first preacher of Christianity in that territory and in Cyprus for having struck the rocks creating a gush of healing waters upon landing on the shore.  His saltire cross is featured on the flag of Scotland and is represented in much of his iconography. He is commonly portrayed as an old man with long white hair and a beard, often holding the Gospel book or a scroll.  St. Andrew is the patron saint of fishermen and singers. He is also the patron saint to several countries and cities including: Scotland, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and the city Patras and his feast day is celebrated on November 30.

*It is said that Andrew preached in Scythia,  a kingdom which included at the time modern- day Ukraine.

                                                   April 26, 2026 A. D.

Saturday, April 25                  SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC MAN

         4:00 PM                          Alex Szumskyj – God’s Blessings and Health 

Sunday, April 26                     SUNDAY OF THE PARALYTIC MAN

8:30 AM                           Baptism of Julia Kate Johnson, daughter of Joshua Kieth and Oksana Palashchuk Johnson.

Tuesday, April 28

         Noon                               Visit by Ukrainian Catholics from Philadelphia

Saturday, May 2                     SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN

         4:00 PM                          Helene Sirak- Helen Harabin

Sunday, May 3                        SUNDAY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN 

        8:30 AM                            Paul Morelli- Lindy Morelli

Christ is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen!   ХРИСТОС ВОСКРЕСЕ!

The Altar Candles for April are requested by Michaelene Ostrum IMO father Michael Sirak.

SVIACHENNE:   A sincere thank you to everyone who helped out with the Sviachenne this past week.  It was especially nice to see everyone enjoying themselves and working together.  Thank you again to everyone who donated the food, money and their time to make it happen!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE HEATING SYSTEM REPAIR:  I express my deepest appreciation to everyone who contributed the repair for the heating system.  The total bill was $8,106.50.  Parishioner donations were a total of $2,200 and the Women’s Society donated the remainder of the cost, $5906.50.  May God grant you many happy years, peace, health and salvation, in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

WALKING PILGRIMAGE:  Save the date Saturday, June 13.  Seven mile trek from St. Mary’s Church, Mocanaqua to St. Nicholas Church, Glen Lyon.  More information is on the flyer in the vestibule. 

MOTHER’S DAY:  Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 10th.  We will have Divine Liturgy for All Living and Deceased Mothers’ of our Parish.  Remember your Mom in Divine Liturgy. 

40^th ANNIVERSARY OF CHERNOBYL DISASTER: The disaster took place April 26, 1986.  The World Health Organization estimates that 30,000 deaths can be directly attributed to the Chernobyl Disaster and over 7 million people have been exposed to radiation from the accident.  The Chernobyl explosion unleashed at least 400 times more radioactive fallout that the bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.  Soviet Authorities allegedly forced thousands of pregnant women within an 18.6 miles exclusion zone to get an abortion after the disaster.  Although the Chernobyl accident occurred in Ukraine, Belarus received about 70 percent of the contamination.  Three men prevented a steam explosion after the initial Chernobyl accident.  The explosion would have destroyed the entire Chernobyl plant and rendered all of Europe uninhabitable for hundreds of years.  Please pray for the living and deceased victims of this disaster and for the whole world.  (See Letter from Major Archbishop Svyatoslav Shevchuk.)

PRAYER FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCH

O glorious St. Michael, guardian and defender of the Church of Jesus Christ come to the assistance of the Church, against which the powers of hell are unchained, guard with especial care her august Head, and obtain that for Him and for us the hour of triumph may speedily arrive.  O glorious Archangel St. Michael, watch over us during life, defend us against the assaults of the devil, assist us especially at the hour of death; obtain for us a favorable judgement, and the happiness of beholding God face to face for endless ages.  Amen.

ASK FATHER A QUESTION?  Father, in the Roman Catholic tradition at Easter Time, we have the symbol of the lamb of God- is that part of our Ukrainian Tradition- why does it not appear as prominent in our church?  Father after church on Sunday, you were wearing a White Cassock- why? The Lamb of God absolutely is in our tradition in plain sight-but unrecognized.  The white cassock of the priest is part of our tradition that if a priest or deacon has a cassock made of pure wool-the hair of the lamb- he wears it during Eastertide from Easter till Eve of Ascension.  Likewise, the priest wears the brightest vestments he has during this time for the Liturgies.  All of these are a reminder and a living of the sacrifice of the most pure and unblemished Lamb to atone for sin.  Lastly the word, Pascha translates into “Lamb of God,” “Passover,” and “Bread of Life.”  Our church calls Easter the Feast of the Lamb of God.