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Holy Trinity Church
Publish Date: 2017-02-05
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Holy Trinity Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (724) 266-5336
  • Fax:
  • (724) 266-0703
  • Street Address:

  • 2930 Beaver Road

  • Ambridge, PA 15003
  • Mailing Address:

  • 2930 Beaver Road

  • Ambridge, PA 15003


Contact Information




Services Schedule

Sunday Summer Hours - from first Sunday after Memorial Day

Orthros 8:30 am

Divine L:iturgy 9:30 am

Sunday Winter Hours - from first Sunday after Labor Day

Orthros 9:00 am

Divine Liturgy 10:00 am

Saturday Vespers 6:00 pm

Week Day Divine Liturgy 9:00 am


Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Tone

From on High did You descend, O merciful Lord, for us did You endure, three days in the tomb that we may be, released from passions in this world, You who are our resurrection and our life Glory unto You O Lord.

Apolytikion for Afterfeast of the Presentation in the First Tone

Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for from thee hath risen the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those in darkness. Rejoice, thou also, O righteous Elder, as thou receivest in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, Who also granteth unto us the Resurrection.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn through our own sighs of sorrow the humility of the Publican. Let us cry out to the Savior, "Have mercy on us, for through You alone are we reconciled."
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Tone. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15.

TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.


Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today
The Reading is from Luke 18:10-14

The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."


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Worship Services this Week

WORSHIP SERVICES THIS WEEK

Friday, February 10 - St. Haralambos Divine Liturgy at 9am

Saturday, February 11 - Vespers at 6:00pm

 

 

 

 


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Parish News and Events

THE TRIODION STARTS TODAY

Today starts the first of three parts of Great Lent. This first part lasts three weeks and eases us into the Great Fast. This week is FAST FREE, followed by a week of regular fasting on Wednesday and Friday, then followed by a week of no meat at all. Then the second part of the Triodion is Great Lent beginning with Kathera Deftera, Clean Monday, and taking us through Friday before Lazarus Saturday. The third part of the Triodion is Holy Week itself, which ends with the glorious Resurrection of Christ! So this week... kali orexi!


SOUPER BOWL OF CARING

So, just what IS this Souper Bowl of Caring? It is a fundraiser for IOCC: International Orthodox Christian Charities, and with a play on words, it coincides with the Season of the Football Super Bowl, which unfortunately will not feature our Steelers. Please donate generously to theSoup cans in the Narthex. Thank you!


ST. PHOTIOS

Tomorrow is the Feastday of St. Photios, after whom the Pittsburgh Metropolis Chapel is named. The Metrolitan will celebrate Divine Liturgy there at 9am.


REGISTRATION FOR SUMMER CAMP OPENS TOMORROW!

Registration for Summer Camp opens TOMORROW - Monday, February 6 at 7pm. As a note, last year one camp session filled up within 9 minutes of opening!!


GODPARENT SUNDAY IS NEXT SUNDAY

Next Sunday, February 12, is Godparent Sunday this year, so make plans with your Godchild and Godparent to worship in Church together that day! GAPA is also offering an Artoclasia that day, and GOYA is selling gyros! Come and see that the Lord is good!


GYRO SALE

The GOYA Gyro Sale is scheduled for next Sunday, February 12. Pre-order forms are in the Narthex.


HOUSE BLESSINGS

 House Blessings for the New Year continue this week. You will be called for a time and date.

 


AVGOLEMONO SOUP-TO-GO SALE

Take home and enjoy some delicious Avgolemono Soup on Meatfare Sunday, February 19, the last day of eating meat before Great Lent begins.  (The soup is being made by Vasili and Lori Kontoulis.) Please use the order form in the Narthex to order by February 12.  Sponsored by the Hellenic Dancers, this fund raiser will help fund the registration fee for the Fall Metropolis Educational Dancers Workshop. Give your order to Harriet Sickles.


DANCE PRACTICE

Practice will resume on February 15 and 22 for Little Angels (6-6:30) and the Junior Hellenics (6:30-7). There will be no practice during Great Lent, but will resume again after Easter for all three groups to prepare for our July Food Festival!


PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

Our 2017 Membership Dues must be paid by March 1st. Of this $25 payment, $15 goes to the National Philoptochos Ministries, and the remaining $10 goes to Metropolis Minstries. Anything over $25 goes to our own ministries. Thank you, ladies, for your quick response to this!

We will host the Lenten Supper immediately following the 6pm Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday, March 1. Members, please bring a lenten covered dish to share or a monetary donation. Everyone is invited to this Fellowship meal!

The Metropolis Daffodil Luncheon is scheduled for Saturday, April 1, in Columbus, Ohio. If anyone is interested in going, please tell Pauline Skeriotis.

In addition to the Dancers' Easter Breads, we will be offering nutrolls for Pascha. Stay tuned for baking dates.


THOSE RECYCLED CANS FEED CHILDREN IN OUR AREA!

FOCUS of West Central PA sponsors a Backpack Feeding Program for hungry children in 3 different school districts, and those empty aluminum cans that John Neforos collects go a long way to support that program. Collection bins are in the church parking lot next to the paper recycling.


DATES TO REMEMBER:

ONGOING: Donate to IOCC Souper Bowl of Caring

     Order your Gyros for February 12

     Order your Avgolemono Soup-To-Go for February 19

     Collecting Aluminum Cans for FOCUS Beaver County

Monday, February 6 - Registration for Summer Camp opens at 7pm

Friday, February 10 - St. Haralambos Divine Liturgy at 9am

Sunday, February 12 - Godparent Sunday

     GAPA Artoclasia

     GOYA Gyro Sale

Sunday, February 19 - Dancers Avgolemono Soup-To-Go Sale

Wednesday, March 1 - Philoptochos Lenten Supper following 6pm Presanctified Liturgy

Saturday, April 1 - Philoptochos Daffodil Luncheon in Columbus, Ohio

Lenten and Pascha Dates:

Sunday, February 5 - Start of Triodion

Saturday of Souls Liturgies: Feb. 18, 25, March 4

Monday, February 27 - Start of Great Lent

Sunday, March 5 - Sunday of Orthodoxy

Friday, March 31 - Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God

Sunday, April 9 - Palm Sunday, start of Holy Week

Sunday, April 16 - Great and Holy Pascha

 

 


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Wisdom of the Fathers

It is possible for those who have come back again after repentance to shine with much lustre, and oftentimes more than those who have never fallen at all, I have demonstrated from the divine writings. Thus at least both the publicans and the harlots inherit the kingdom of Heaven, thus many of the last are placed before the first.
St. John Chrysostom
AN EXHORTATION TO THEODORE AFTER HIS FALL, 4th Century

When lately we made mention of the Pharisee and the publican, and hypothetically yoked two chariots out of virtue and vice; we pointed out each truth, how great is the gain of humbleness of mind, and how great the damage of pride.
St. John Chrysostom
CONCERNING LOWLINESS OF MIND., 4th Century

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Saints and Feasts

Publphar
February 05

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today

The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14, 15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of humble-mindedness.

Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.

All foods are allowed the week that follows this Sunday.


Agatha
February 05

Agatha the Martyr

This Martyr, who was from Panormus (that is, Palermo) or perhaps Catania of Sicily, was a most comely and chaste virgin. After many exceedingly harsh torments, she gave up her spirit in prison at Catania in 251, because she did not consent to the seductions of Quintian, the Governor of Sicily. At her burial, an Angel placed a stone tablet on her grave inscribed with the words, "A righteous mind, self-determining, honor from God, the deliverance of her father-land." The following year this was fulfilled when Mount Etna erupted, spewing forth violent fire from which Catania was manifestly saved by Saint Agatha's prayers. The holy Martyr Agatha, the protectress and chief patroness of Sicily, is, with perhaps the exception of Saint Agnes of Rome, the most highly venerated Virgin Martyr of the West. Saint Damasus, Pope of Rome, and Saint Ambrose of Milan both wrote in praise of her.


Allsaint
February 06

Bucolus, Bishop of Smyrna

Saint Bucolus was ordained by John the Evangelist; having made many pagans to be sons of the day through holy Baptism, he left Polycarp as his successor to the bishopric of Smyrna, and reposed in peace.


Allsaint
February 06

Barsanuphius the Great and John of Gaza

Saint Barsanuphius the Great, who was from Egypt, and his disciple, Saint John the Prophet, struggled in very strict reclusion during the sixth century at the monastery of Abba Seridus at Gaza of Palestine, and were endowed with amazing gifts of prophecy and spiritual discernment. They are mentioned by Saint Dorotheus of Gaza, their disciple, in his writings. Many of the counsels they sent to Christians who wrote to them are preserved in the book which bears their names. Once certain of the Fathers besought Saint Barsanuphius to pray that God stay His wrath and spare the world. Saint Barsanuphius wrote back that there were "three men perfect before God," whose prayers met at the throne of God and protected the whole world; to them it had been revealed that the wrath of God would not last long. These three, he said, were "John of Rome, Elias of Corinth, and another in the diocese of Jerusalem," concealing the name of the last, since it was himself.


Photiosgreat
February 06

Photius the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople

As for the thrice-blessed Photius, the great and most resplendent Father and teacher of the Church, the Confessor of the Faith and Equal to the Apostles, he lived during the years of the emperors Michael (the son of Theophilus), Basil the Macedonian, and Leo his son. He was the son of pious parents, Sergius and Irene, who suffered for the Faith under the Iconoclast Emperor Theophilus; he was also a nephew of Saint Tarasius, Patriarch of Constantinople (see Feb. 25). He was born in Constantinople, where he excelled in the foremost imperial ministries, while ever practicing a virtuous and godly life. An upright and honorable man of singular learning and erudition, he was raised to the apostolic, ecumenical, and patriarchal throne of Constantinople in the year 857.

The many struggles that this thrice-blessed one undertook for the Orthodox Faith against the Manichaeans, the Iconoclasts, and other heretics, and the attacks and assaults that he endured from Nicholas I, the haughty and ambitious Pope of Rome, and the great persecutions and distresses he suffered, are beyond number. Contending against the Latin error of the filioque, that is, the doctrine that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, he demonstrated clearly with his Mystagogy on the Holy Spirit how the filioque destroys the unity and equality of the Trinity. He has left us many theological writings, panegyric homilies, and epistles, including one to Boris, the Sovereign of Bulgaria, in which he set forth for him the history and teachings of the Seven Ecumenical Councils. Having tended the Church of Christ in holiness and in an evangelical manner, and with fervent zeal having rooted out all the tares of every alien teaching, he departed to the Lord in the Monastery of the Armenians on February 6, 891.


Allsaint
February 07

Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus

Saint Parthenius was born in Melitopolis on the Hellespont, the son of a deacon named Christopher. Because of the miracles that he wrought even as a young man, he was ordained a priest and then Bishop of Lampsacus in the days of Saint Constantine the Great, from whom he received great gifts and authority both to overturn the altars of the idols and to raise up a church to the glory of Christ. Working many miracles throughout his life, he reposed in peace an old man and full of days.


Loukas
February 07

Luke of Mount Stirion

Saint Luke was the descendant of a family from Aegina which, because of the frequent invasions of the Saracens, left Aegina and dwelt in Phocis, where the Saint was born in 896. From his earliest childhood Luke ate neither flesh, nor cheese, nor eggs, but gave himself over with his whole soul to hardship and fasting for the love of heavenly blessings, often giving away his clothing to the poor, for which his father punished him. After his father's death he secretly left home to become a monk, but the Lord, inclining to the fervent prayers of his mother, made him known, and he returned to her for a time to care for her. For many years he lived as a hermit, moving from place to place; he spent the last part of his life on Mount Stirion at Phocis, where there is a city named Stiris. The grace of God that was in him made him a wonder-worker, and his tomb in the monastery of Hosios Loukas, famous for its mosaics, became a source of healings and place of pilgrimage for the faithful. According to some he reposed in the year 946; according to others, in 953.


Theostratateles
February 08

Theodore the Commander & Great Martyr

The holy Martyr Theodore was from Euchaita of Galatia and dwelt in Heraclea of Pontus. He was a renowned commander in the military, and the report came to the Emperor Licinius that he was a Christian and abominated the idols. Licinius therefore sent certain men to him from Nicomedia, to honor him and ask him to appear before him. Through them, however, Saint Theodore sent back a message that it was necessary for various reasons, that Licinius come to Heraclea. Licinius, seeing in this a hope of turning Saint Theodore away from Christ did as was asked of him.

When the Emperor came to Heraclea, Saint Theodore met him with honor, and the Emperor in turn gave Theodore his hand, believing that through him he would be able to draw the Christians to the worship of his idols. Seated upon his throne in the midst of the people, he publicly bade Theodore offer sacrifice to the gods. But Theodore asked that the emperor entrust him with the most venerable of his gods, those of gold and silver, that he might take them home and himself attend upon them that evening, promising that the following day he would honor them in public. The Emperor, filled with joy at these tidings, gave command that Theodore's request be fulfilled.

When the Saint had taken the idols home, he broke them in pieces and distributed the gold and silver to the poor by night. The next day a centurion named Maxentius told Licinius that he had seen a pauper pass by carrying the head of Artemis. Saint Theodore, far from repenting of this, confessed Christ boldly. Licinius, in an uncontainable fury, had the Saint put to many torments, then crucified. While upon the cross, the holy Martyr was further tormented -- his privy parts were cut off, he was shot with arrows, his eyes were put out, and he was left on the cross to die. The next day Licinius sent men to take his corpse and cast it into the sea; but they found the Saint alive and perfectly whole. Through this, many believed in Christ. Seeing his own men turning to Christ, and the city in an uproar, Licinius had Theodore beheaded, about the year 320. The Saint's holy relics were returned to his ancestral home on June 8, which is also a feast of the Great Martyr Theodore.


Zachariah
February 08

The Holy Prophet Zacharias (Zachariah)

The Prophet Zacharias was the son of Barachias, and a contemporary of the Prophet Aggeus (Dec. 16). In the days of the Babylonian captivity, he prophesied, as it says, in the book of Ezra, "to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem" (Ezra 5: 1); he aided Zerubbabel in the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. In the book of Ezra he is called "Zacharias the son of Addo (or Iddo)" but in his own prophetic book he is called more fully "Zacharias, the son of Barachias, the son of Addo the Prophet" (Zach. 1:1). When the captives returned from Babylon, he came to dwell in Jerusalem in his old age. His book of prophecy is divided into fourteen chapters and has the eleventh place among the books of the minor Prophets; his name means "Yah is renowned." Sozomen reports that under the Emperor Honorius, Zacharias' holy relics were found in Eleutheropolis of Palestine. The Prophet appeared in a dream to a certain Calemerus, telling him where he would find his tomb. His body was found to be incorrupt (Eccl. Hist., Book IX, 17).


Allsaint
February 09

Nicephoros the Martyr of Antioch

This Martyr, who was from Antioch in Syria, contested during the reign of Gallienus, about the year 260. Through the working of the evil one, his friendship with a certain Christian priest named Sapricius was turned to bitter hatred. Nicephoros, repenting of his enmity, tried both through intermediaries and in person to be reconciled with Sapricius, but to no avail. Later, when the persecution broke out under Valerian and Gallienus, Sapricius was seized as a Christian. When Saint Nicephoros learned that Sapricius had been arrested by the pagans and was enduring torments for Christ, he sent intermediaries to Sapricius, begging his forgiveness; but Sapricius would not forgive him. Later, as Sapricius was being taken to beheading, Nicephoros, hoping that Sapricius, at his end, in such a holy hour, would at last forgive him, met him on the way, fell before him, and fervently asked his forgiveness; but Sapricius forgave him not. Wherefore, though Sapricius had passed through many sufferings, and the crown of martyrdom was now awaiting him, because he disdained the chief commandments of love and forgiveness, the grace of God, which had been strengthening him in his torments, departed from him, and he told his executioners he would sacrifice. Nicephoros immediately confessed Christ before them, and being himself beheaded, took the crown that Sapricius had cast away.

Should the Apodosis of the Feast of the Meeting in the Temple fall on this day the service to Saint Nicephoros is chanted on the 8th.


10_charalambos1
February 10

The Holy Hieromartyr Haralambos

This Saint was a priest of the Christians in Magnesia, the foremost city of Thessaly, in the diocese having the same name. He contested during the reign of Alexander Severus (222-235), when Lucian was Proconsul of Magnesia. At the time of his martyrdom the Saint was 103 years of age.

St. Haralampus is commemorated on February 10th, with the exception when this date falls on the Saturday of the Souls preceding Lent or on Clean Monday (the first day of Lent), in which case the feast is celebrated on February 9th.


Blasios
February 11

Blaise the Holy Martyr of Sebastia

Saint Blaise was Bishop of Sebastia. Divine grace, through which he healed the diseases of men and beasts, and especially of infants, made his name famous. He contested for the Faith under Licinius in the year 316. Saint Blaise is invoked for the healing of throat ailments.


Theodora
February 11

Theodora the Empress

As for the renowned Empress Theodora, she was from Paphlagonia and was the daughter of a certain Marinus, the commander of a military regiment. While being the wife of the Emperor Theophilus, the last of the Iconoclasts, she adorned the royal diadem with her virtue and piety; as long as her husband Theophilus lived, she privately venerated icons, despite his displeasure. After his death, she restored the holy icons to public veneration; this is commemorated on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the First Sunday of the Great Fast. She governed the Empire wisely for fifteen years, since her son Michael was not yet of age. But in 857 she forsook her royal power and entered a certain convent in Constantinople called Gastria, where she finished the course of her life in holiness and reposed in the Lord. Her sacred incorrupt remains are found in Corfu, in the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Cave, in the capital city of the island (see also Dec. 12).


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