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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2020-03-22
Bulletin Contents
Hymns of the Day
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Bulletin Inserts
Wisdom of the Fathers
Parish News and Events
Calendar of Events
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Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (412)366-8700
  • Fax:
  • (412)366-8710
  • Street Address:

  • 985 Providence Blvd.

  • Pittsburgh, PA 15237-5951

Contact Information

Rev. Fr. John Touloumes, Protopresbyter
Proistamenos

fjt@HolyTrinityPgh.org | 412-366-8700
Rev. Fr. Radu Bordeianu
Assistant Priest

FrRadu@HolyTrinityPgh.org
Mary Portellos
Office Administrator

office@HolyTrinityPgh.org | 412-366-8700

Services Schedule

Worship Schedule

8:15 a.m. Orthros

9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy

Worship Locations:

Sunday worship location: Holy Trinity Church, 985 Providence Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15237

Weekday/Feast Day worship location: St. George Chapel, 8941 Ringeisen Rd., Allison Park, PA

Past Bulletins


Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Seventh Tone

By Your Cross You destroyed death and to the thief You opened paradise. You transformed the sorrow of the Myrrh-bearers, and commanded the Apostles to proclaim that You have risen from the dead, Christ our God, granting the world great mercy. (Page 53)

Apolytikion for Sun. of the Holy Cross in the First Tone

Save, O Lord, Your people and bless Your inheritance; grant victory to Your rulers against their adversaries; and protect Your commonwealth through Your Cross. (Page 72)

Seasonal Kontakion in the Eighth Tone

English: O Champion General, I your City now ascribe to you / triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude, / being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. / Inasmuch as you have power unassailable, / from all kinds of perils free me so that unto you / I may cry aloud: Rejoice O unwedded Bride. Greek: Τη Υπερμάχω Στρατηγώ τα νικητήρια / Ως λυτρωθείσα των δεινων ευχαριστήρια / Αναγράφω σοι η Πόλις σου, Θεοτόκε / Αλλ΄ως έχουσα το κράτος απροσμάχητον / Εκ παντοίων με κινδύνων ελευθέρωσον / Ινα κράζω σοι, Χαίρε Νύμφη ανύμφευτε. Phoenetics: Ti i-per-ma-a-ho stra-ti-go ta ni-ki-ti-ri-a, / os li-tro-thi-sa ton di-non ef-ha-ri-sti-ri-a,/ a-na-gra-fo si i po-li sou The-o-to-ke. / Al-os e-hou-sa to kra-tos a-pros-ma-hi-ton, / ek pan-ti-on me kin-din-on e-lef-the-ro-son, / i-na kra-zo si: He-re nim-fi a-nim-fef-te. (Page 54)
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Saints and Feasts

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March 22

Sunday of the Holy Cross

With the help of God, we have almost reached the middle of the course of the Fast, where our strength has been worn down through abstinence, and the full difficulty of the labour set before us becomes apparent. Therefore our holy Mother, the Church of Christ, now brings to our help the all-holy Cross, the joy of the world, the strength of the faithful, the staff of the just, and the hope of sinners, so that by venerating it reverently, we might receive strength and grace to complete the divine struggle of the Fast.

March 22

Basil the Holy Martyr of Ancyra

Saint Basil strove in martyrdom during the short reign of Julian the Apostate, from 361-363. The Saint was denounced as a Christian to Saturninus, Governor of Ancyra, who, when Basil would not deny Christ, had him hanged from a post and scraped on his sides, then beaten, and cast into prison. A few days later, when Julian himself came through Ancyra, the Saint was brought before him and was asked to deny Christ, Whom he rather confessed the more. Julian then had strips cut in his flesh, so that they were left hanging from his body in front and in back. The valiant Martyr tore one of these strips off of his body and cast it into Julian's face. At this Julian commanded that iron spits be heated fiery hot; Saint Basil's belly, his back, and all his joints were pierced with them, and he received the crown of martyrdom.

March 22

Euthemios the New Martyr

March 22

Kalliniki & Vassilisa the Martyrs

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Sixth Tone. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-6.

BRETHREN, since we have a high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee"; as he says also in another place, "Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek."

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Holy Cross
The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1

The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power."

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Bulletin Inserts

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Wisdom of the Fathers

When, on this day, we look at the precious Cross of Christ, in faith let us adore it, let us rejoice, and embrace it ardently, beseeching our Lord, who of His own choice gave Himself to be crucified on it, to make us worthy of adoring His most precious Cross so that, free from all defilement, we may attain the day of Resurrection.
Orthros for the Adoration of the Holy Cross

And see how He also makes His discourse unexceptionable: not saying at all, "whether you will, or no, you must suffer this," but how? "If any man will come after me."
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 55 on Matthew 16, 1. B#54, p.339., 4th Century

"I force not, I compel not, but each one I make lord of his own choice; wherefore also I say, 'If any man will.' For to good things do I call you, not to things evil, or burdensome; not to punishment and vengeance, that I should have to compel.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 55 on Matthew 16, 1. B#54, p.339., 4th Century

A Christian's . . . duty is to "take up his cross." The word cross means sufferings, sorrows and adversities. To take up one's cross means to bear without grumblings everything unpleasant, painful, sad, difficult and oppressive that ay happen to us in life. . .without expecting any earthly reward in return, but bear it all with love, with joy and with courageous strength.
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

To deny oneself means to give up one's bad habits; to root out of the heart all that ties us to the world; not to cherish bad thoughts and desires; to suppress every evil thought; to avoid occasions of sin; not to desire or to do anything out of self-love, but to do everything out of love for God. To deny oneself, according to St. Paul means "to be dead to sin. . . but alive to God."
St. Innocent of Alaska
The Lenten Spring, SVS Press, p. 147, 19th Century

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Parish News and Events

TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES  

 

UPDATE CONCERNING THE CURRENT COVID-19 VIRUS PANDEMIC AND PREVENTATIVE MEASURES ENACTED AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH: UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, PARISHIONER ATTENDANCE AT SERVICES IS NOT PERMITTED. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN WORSHIP BY ATTENDING ONLINE ONLY at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/live. WE WILL CONTINUE OUR FULL SCHEDULE OF SUNDAY AND LENTEN SERVICES AS PUBLISHED IN THE HERALD AND LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE CALENDAR. FOR THE LATEST INFOFMATION ON CORONAVIRUS MEASURES AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, VISIT https://www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/coronavirus.

 

Welcome to Holy Trinity Church's Live Video and Audio Broadcast Ministry

Whether you are unable to attend Liturgy today due to church closures, you are home-bound or are watching from an area where there is no church nearby, it is our joy to be able to welcome you into the worship life of Holy Trinity Church. Today we are blessed to worship from our Saint George Chapel. For a complete list of Sunday and Lenten services, please see our online calendar at holytrinitypgh.org.

 

Trisagion Today

Trisagion prayers will be offered at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy today for the repose of the soul of the servant of God, MaryAyne Bistolas (1 yr.), Constantine Backeris (45 yrs.), Marie Backeris (2 yrs.) and. May their memory be eternal!

 

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Services This Week -ONLINE ONLY

- Mon. Mar. 23, 6:30pm: Great Compline

- Wed. Mar. 25, 8:30 am Orthros, 9:30 am: Divine Liturgy of the Annunciation of the Theotokos 

- Fri. Mar. 27, 6:30pm: Service of Salutations to the Theotokos

 

“Faith and Family WEEKDAYS” This Week

Holy Trinity Church’s “Faith and Family WEEKDAYS” ministry has been updated once again to provide valuable faith growth and learning to the entire Holy Trinity family. Building on the fruits of our six years, we are now including more days and more opportunities for everyone to participate in and grow from worship, spiritual life and educational ministries beyond Sunday morning and to make the Church the "crossroad of daily life”.

THIS WEEK’S OFFERINGS:

  • Daily: Prayer Partners. Have you remembered your prayer partner every day? Please keep the promise.
  • ALL OTHER FAITH & FAMILY WEEKDAYS MINISTRIES POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19 VIRUS

 

Holy Trinity Church and Holy Trinity Center - Closed to Outside Visitors

Please note that until further notice, Holy Trinity Church and Holy Trinity Center will be closed to outside visitors due to the COVID-19 Virus. Postal mail and deliveries will continue to be accepted.

 

[Mar 25] Offices Closed for the Feast of the Annunciation

The offices of the Archdiocese, Metropolis and Holy Trinity Church will be closed on Wednesday, March 25, for the great Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos. Please attend services online at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/live.

 

[Mar 29] Philoptochos Pascha Bread Sale - CANCELED

In light of the current restrictions due to the coronavirus, the Ladies Philoptochos traditional Greek Pascha Bread sale has been canceled. Those who pre-ordered will be contacted concerning their orders.

 

[Mar 31] Philoptochos Cookbook – Deadline Extended

Our Holy Trinity Philoptochos announces the final call for submissions of recipes for their new cookbook by the March 31st deadline. Recipe submission forms can be found in the March edition of the Herald and at the church office window. Please call/text Maria Georgiadis Athanas at 724-991-5129 or mariapgeorgiadis@gmail.com with any questions.

 

Lenten and Holy Week Schedules of Services – ALL STILL ON AS SCHEDULED – ATTEND ONLINE

The March issue of The Herald contains a complete schedule of services for Lent.  Please post it in a conspicuous place in your home. Make a family plan and circle the services you are able to attend ONLINE and place them on your schedule and on your phone’s calendar! As the hymn from the Book of Psalms tells us during the Great Compline service, “God is with us.” Lent provides us a special time to be with Him.

 

Lenten Resources Available on the Internet

Looking for educational or inspirational information and resources for Lent? Try one of the best religious sites on the Internet: the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. To visit the general site, go to www.goarch.org/lent. There you will find Lenten messages, scriptures, prayers, articles, hymns, videos and more.

 

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES – Please volunteer your family or group to help

Please see Mike Kritiotis today, or contact him at 412-518-0588, or at mkritiotis@gmail.com to sign up your family/group/ministry for either of these two worthy causes! Thank you, good and faithful servants of Christ!

  • 1. One Date Still Available to Feed the Homeless at Pleasant Valley!  Holy Trinity has a long-standing commitment to serve meals to the men at Pleasant Valley homeless shelter.  This organization, near our old neighborhood on the North Side, provides overnight accommodations to 30 homeless men, 365 nights each year and relies totally on volunteers to feed the men. The date of Sunday, September 13 is still available. Our volunteers will prepare and bring the cooked food to the shelter, where they serve it at 8:00pm.
  • 2. Sign Up to Provide Bag Lunches for Needy Families.  It’s time once again to get your group or family together for a meaningful day of giving to the poor and hungry in our region. Sponsored through the Orthodox outreach of the “Neighborhood Resilience Project”, the 2020 weekly schedule of delivering 140 lunch bags to our less fortunate neighbors every Saturday of the year, has many open dates available. Holy Trinity Church’s participation has been critical in fulfilling this goal in the past, and we are grateful for our parishioners’ renewed generosity this time around.

 

Upcoming Lenten and Paschal Dates – STILL ON AS SCHEDULED PENDING FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Wondering about Lenten and Paschal dates? Here’s a helpful guide to some of the important events coming up. Mark them on your calendar!

-          Saturday of Lazarus/Palm Cross/Candle prep: Apr 11

-          Palm Sunday: Apr 12

-          Holy Week: Apr 13-18

-          Holy Friday (schedule off work & school): Apr 17

-          The Great and Holy Pascha: Apr 19

 

Welcome to the Sundays of Lent and the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil

During the Sundays of Lent, the Orthodox Church changes from using the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom to the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil. Why do we do that and what are the differences? To most outward appearances, the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil differs very little from the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and those wishing to follow the service in the Divine Liturgy book may use the regular book to do so. The primary difference is in the prayers said by the priest in the later part of the service and the hymn “All of Creation” (“Epi Si Heri”) which replaces the usual “It Is Worthy” (“Axion Estin”) after the Consecration of the Holy Gifts. Why the change? In general, the prayers of St. Basil are more penitential, and therefore lend themselves to the Church's liturgical preparation for important holy days; hence, their use during Great Lent and on the eves of Nativity and Theophany. During this service, as the priest offers the prayers, there may be times when the choir completes its hymn and the priest is still offering the prayer. During this season of increased prayer and spiritual attention, please use those times to follow along with the prayers with your own heart and immerse yourself in this beautiful worship experience. Rather than “wait for” the priest to finish the prayers, join him in the prayer of your own heart! The large green Holy Trinity Divine Liturgy books indicate where the changes in those prayers are, and you may follow them to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of their beauty and meaning. A blessed Lent to all!

 

[May 5-June 23] Festival Cooking – IT’S BACK! (PENDING FURTHER CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS)

Mark your calendars NOW with these important dates! Our goal is to get at least 30 people each day so that we may finish on time!  The festival is bigger than ever and can only work if EVERYONE gives at least a few hours of THEIR time for OUR festival! Look over the dates and times below…you’ll see both evening and daytime hours, during the week and on the weekend. Everyone’s help is needed!

  • Tuesday, May 5, 9:00am-6:30pm – Kourambiethes
  • Tuesday, May 12, 9:00am-9:00pm – Apricot Rolls
  • Tuesday, May 19, 9:00am-9:00pm - Koulourakia
  • Tuesday, May 26, 9:00am-9:00pm – Galaktoboureko
  • Tuesday, June 2, 9:00am-9:00pm – Finikia
  • Tuesday, June 9, 9:00am-9:00pm – Finikia/Karithopita
  • Tuesday, June 23, 9:30am-8:30pm – Diples

 

To the Faithful Stewards of Holy Trinity Church

In times such as these, we have a unique opportunity to put our best foot forward and demonstrate to the world that our trust is in God and He is still in control.  There are so many needs out there and we as a Church still have a responsibility to give of our time, talents and treasures.  God continues to bless us and as the “church” we need to find ways to maintain our responsibility of supporting the church, especially during this time.

Since we are not able to physically meet on Sundays, you might be wondering how do I continue providing my offerings/pledges/capital campaign contributions?  Well there are a couple of ways to do that.  The first way is you can continue to mail it to the church. Please ensure to place your offering/capital campaign envelopes in an outer mailing envelope before placing them in the mail.  The second way is to use the online method on the church’s website:  Go to www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/give, or from the home page click on the Online Giving Tab, then click Give, then simply enter your information.  The church still has to pay bills and function as it normally does, so we encourage you to pick one of these methods and please remain faithful in your Stewardship. 

Lastly, since visitations are discouraged during this time there are still a number of ways to stay connected to each other:  phone calls, emails, texts, FaceTime, Skype, etc.  We encourage everyone to reach out to members of our church family and let them know they are being thought of, prayed for and most importantly loved. And, of course, continue to worship together in spirit online with our regularly scheduled worship service as they are broadcast online at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org/live.

We all have a responsibility to demonstrate the love of Christ to one another, so let’s continue to find ways to do that and remember the words in 1 John 4: 9-11:  “In this the love of God was manifested towards us, that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

Thank you again for your continued devotion and service to God, His Church and the community at large.

With love and prayers for Christ’s blessings,

The Holy Trinity Stewardship Ministry

 

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