Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Tone

When you descended into death, O life immortal, you destroyed Hades with the splendor of your divinity, and when you raised the dead from the depths of darkness, all the heavenly powers shouted: O giver of life, Christ our God, glory to you.

Apolytikion for 11th Sun. of Luke in the Second Tone

By faith didst Thou justify the Forefathers, when through them Thou didst betroth Thyself aforetime to the Church from among the nations. The Saints boast in glory that from their seed there is a glorious fruit, even she that bare Thee seedlessly. By their prayers, O Christ God, save our souls.

Apolytikion of Holy Trinity Church (Page 75) in the First Tone

English: Blessed are You, O Christ our God, Who has shown forth the fishermen to be most wise by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit. And through them, You drew the world into Your net. O merciful One, glory to You!
Greek: Ευλογητός ει Χριστέ, ο Θεός ήμων, ο πανσόφους τους αλιείς αναδείξας, καταπέμψας αυτοίς το Πνεύμα το άγιον, και δι΄αυτών την οικουμένην σαγηνεύσας, φιλάνθρωπε, δόξα σοι.
Phoenetics: Ev-lo-yi-tos i Hri-ste o The-os i-mon. O Pan-so-fous tous a-li-is a-na-di-xas ka-ta-pemp-sas af-tis to Pnev-ma to A-yi-on, ke di af-ton tin i-kou-men-in sa-i-nef-sas, fi-lan-thro-pe, do-xa si.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Tone

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.

Saints and Feasts

December 13

Lucia the Virgin-martyr

Saint Lucia was from Syracuse in Sicily, a virgin betrothed to a certain pagan. Since her mother suffered from an issue of blood, she went with her to the shrine of Saint Agatha at Catania to seek healing (see Feb. 5). There Saint Agatha appeared to Lucia in a dream, assuring her of her mother's healing, and foretelling Lucia's martyrdom. When her mother had been healed, Lucia gladly distributed her goods to the poor, preparing herself for her coming confession of Christ. Betrayed as a Christian by her betrothed to Paschasius the Governor, she was put in a brothel to be abased, but was preserved in purity by the grace of God. Saint Lucia was beheaded in the year 304, during the reign of Diocletian.

December 13

The Holy Martyrs Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugene, Mardarius, and Orestes of Greater Armenia

The Five Martyrs were from Greater Armenia. Like their ancestors, they worshipped Christ in secret; during the persecution of Diocletian, they presented themselves before the Forum authorities, and having been tormented in diverse manners, by Lysius the proconsul, three of them ended their lives in torments. As for Saints Eustratius and Orestes, they survived and were sent to Sebastia to Agricolaus, who governed the whole East; by his command these Saints, received their end as martyrs by fire in 296. Saint Auxentius was a priest. Saint Eustratius was educated and an orator; he was the foremost among Lysius' dignitaries and the archivist of the province. In the Synaxarion he is given the Latin title of scriniarius, that is, "keeper of the archives." The prayer, "Magnifying I magnify Thee, O Lord," which is read in the Saturday Midnight Service, is ascribed to him. In the Third Hour and elsewhere there is another prayer, "O Sovereign Master, God the Father Almighty," which is ascribed to Saint Mardarius.

December 13

Herman the Wonderworker of Alaska & First Saint of America

Saint Herman (his name is a variant of Germanus) was born near Moscow in 1756. In his youth he became a monk, first at the Saint Sergius Hermitage near Saint Petersburg on the Gulf of Finland; while he dwelt there, the most holy Mother of God appeared to him, healing him of a grave malady. Afterwards he entered Valaam Monastery on Valiant Island in Lake Ladoga; he often withdrew into the wilderness to pray for days at a time. In 1794, answering a call for missionaries to preach the Gospel to the Aleuts, he came to the New World with the first Orthodox mission to Alaska. He settled on Spruce Island, which he called New Valaam, and here he persevered, even in the face of many grievous afflictions mostly at the hands of his own countrymen in the loving service of God and of his neighbour. Besides his many toils for the sake of the Aleuts, he subdued his flesh with great asceticism, wearing chains, sleeping little, fasting and praying much. He brought many people to Christ by the example of his life, his teaching, and his kindness and sanctity, and was granted the grace of working miracles and of prophetic insight. Since he was not a priest, Angels descended at Theophany to bless the waters in the bay; Saint Herman used this holy water to heal the sick. Because of his unwearying missionary labours, which were crowned by God with the salvation of countless souls, he is called the Enlightener of the Aleuts, and has likewise been renowned as a wonderworker since his repose in 1837.

December 13

11th Sunday of Luke

On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we commemorate Christ's forefathers according to the flesh, both those that came before the Law, and those that lived after the giving of the Law.

Special commemoration is made of the Patriarch Abraham, to whom the promise was first given, when God said to him, "In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 22:18). This promise was given some two thousand years before Christ, when Abraham was seventy-five years of age. God called him and commanded him to forsake his country, parents, and kinsmen, and to depart to the land of the Canaanites. When he arrived there, God told him, "I will give this land to thy seed" (Gen. 12:7); for this cause, that land was called the "Promised Land," which later became the country of the Hebrew people, and which is also called Palestine by the historians. There, after the passage of twenty-four years, Abraham received God's law concerning circumcision. In the one hundredth year of his life, when Sarah was in her ninetieth year, they became the parents of Isaac. Having lived 175 years altogether, he reposed in peace, a venerable elder full of days.

December 13

Gabriel the Hieromartyr, Archbishop of Serbia

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Daniel 3.26,27.
Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers.
Verse: For you are just in all you have done.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians 3:4-11.

Brethren, when Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.

Gospel Reading

11th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 14:16-24

The Lord said this parable: "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; and at the time of the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for all is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and there is still room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet. For many are called, but few are chosen.'"

Bulletin Inserts

Weekly Bulletin - Sunday, December 13, 2020

Greek4Home and Greek2Give

You can still enjoy some of that great Greek food at home this year with our "Greek4Home" Food Sale! Ready-to-Bake pans of Spanakopita & Tiropita are available for purchase. You can also choose to give back with "Greek2Give". With your donation to help cover the costs, pans of our existing inventory of Spanakopita and Tiropita will be delivered to local organizations as gifts of appreciation and love.

Holy Trinity E-Giving Guide

We have expanded our opportunities to do so and now have a number of ways. The first way is that you can continue to bring or mail your donations to the church using the offering/capital campaign envelopes. The second way is Give By Web - the online method on the church’s website. Go to HolyTrinityPgh.org/give, or from the home page click on the Online Giving Tab, then click Give and simply enter your information. The third way is Give By Text, which is as easy as sending a text with the amount you would like to donate to 833-955-2176. You will receive a confirmation link immediately via text. The fourth way is Give By App using the Vanco GivePlus app, found in the App Store and on Google Play. Find information on it and more at HolyTrinityPgh.org/give-info.

Wisdom of the Fathers

This parable ... proclaims beforehand both the casting out of the Jews, and the calling of the Gentiles; and it indicates together with this also the strictness of the life required, and how great the punishment appointed for the careless ....

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 69 on Matthew 22, 4th Century

And when were they bidden? By all the prophets; by John again; for unto Christ he would pass all on, saying, "He must increase, I must decrease;" by the Son Himself again, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you;" and again, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink."

St. John Chrysostom

Homily 69 on Matthew 22, 4th Century

Parish News and Events

CURRENT PARISH OPERATIONS STATUS

WORSHIP - All Services Continuing as Previously Announced - Including Christmas

50% Capacity. No Reservations Required. No Age Restrictions. Christmas as scheduled.
Masks and Physical Distance Required. Must be observed by all in attendance.
Visit HolyTrinityPgh.Org/coronavirus for details.

COFFEE HOUR AND MEETINGS - Suspended through January 3rd

Due to rising COVID case levels, Coffee Hour and In-person Meetings have been suspended through January 3rd.

CHURCH SCHOOL CLASSES – Suspended until at least January 3rd

Church School classes are suspended and might resume on January 10th pending further updates. See below.

TODAY’S EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

Updated Non-Worship Activity Policy through January 3rd: In-Person Church School, Coffee Hour & Meetings Canceled

As we continue to adjust to the circumstances around us, please take note of our updated parish policies through January 3rd. Holy Trinity Church worship services – including Christmas - are continuing in-person with Green Phase restrictions and online, but due to advisories and policies of civil and health authorities and school districts, other in-person non-worship are as follows:

Coffee Hour: suspended through January 3rd
In-person meetings: suspended through January 3rd
Church School: Classes suspended through January 3rd; might resume January 10th

Watch for further announcements at the end of the month for any changes. Thank you for your understanding as we strive to keep our community and those around us safe and may the mercy of God protect us all!

Please Follow Parish Council Seating/Spacing Instructions…and THANK YOU for Your Cooperation!

Your Parish Council members are volunteers you have selected to take an important role in the leadership of Holy Trinity parish life. One of the unexpected responsibilities that has entered their list of duties this year is to provide guidance and directions during the COVID pandemic. Therefore, since they are responsible for monitoring capacity, spacing, entrance, dismissals and more in order to have us all maintain best practices in all these areas, thank you for continuing to respect their guidance with your respectful cooperation when it comes to entering the church, where to sit and how to enter, exit for process in lines. Want to go a step farther? Take a moment to thank them for stepping up in these challenging times!

GOYA Christmas Bread Sales - Canceled

Holy Trinity GOYA extends it deep thanks to all who supported their annual Christmas bread sale. Sadly, due to current circumstances and looking toward the safety and health of our GOYA teens and families, they will not be able to gather to prepare bread as previously scheduled. Those who submitted checks will have them returned and anyone who ordered online will have their credit card refunded. Thank you for your understanding. GOYA loves to serve the community and looks forward to doing it again in the future!

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Services This Week (all held at Holy Trinity Church):

Thu., December 17: 8:30am Orthros/9:30am Liturgy – Saint Dionysios of Zakynthos

“Faith and Family WEEKDAYS” This Week

Daily: Prayer Partners. Have you remembered your prayer partner every day? Especially in these times! Please maintain the prayer partner you received in January. When we are all together again, we will distribute new cards.

Festival 2020 Update: Order/Donate for the Holidays! Spanakopita and Tiropita Still Available!

As announced on July 12^th, out of an abundance of caution for our parish volunteers, our tens of thousands of guests and the community around us, the decision has been thoughtfully and prayerfully made by parish and festival leadership that Holy Trinity Church will not be hosting a public, in-person Festival this year, but will postpone the event until Labor Day weekend 2021. We believe this is in fulfillment of our “Faith. Family. Community.” vision statement by Preserving our Faith, Protecting our Family and Respecting our local Community. However, thanks to the dedicated labors of our Holy Trinity parishioners, a limited amount of full-pan foods are available for purchase. They are available through the "Greek4Home" ordering website, “HolyTrinityPgh.org/Greek4Home”.

While supplies last – and they’re starting to run low! - full ready-to-bake pans of Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pita) and Tiropita (Greek Cheese Pita) are available for only $99. That means you can enjoy our wonderful festival food at home! Buy them now to take and bake at home for family gatherings, graduation parties, or to bake and share with others. Each pan has 28 pre-scored servings. The pans are 20” X 13” and are expertly wrapped in premium protective freezer paper. Just unwrap, follow the basic cooking instructions and enjoy! But that's not all!

Through our "Greek2Give" ordering website, “HolyTrinityPgh.org/Greek2Give” you can also donate a pan of food to a worthy cause! During the COVID-19 crisis, some of our neighbors are having a tough time making ends meet. The first-responders and “heroes” at our hospitals, safety services and social agencies have sacrificed of themselves to protect us. And some local churches are struggling just to survive. With your help, pans of our existing inventory of spanakopita and tiropita will be delivered to local organizations, churches, hospitals, agencies and the Neighborhood Resilience Project, an Orthodox Christian ministry in the Hill District, at no charge as gifts of love from you and the Holy Trinity family. To date, generous parishioners and friends of Holy Trinity Church have donated over 70 pans already, and 60 of them have already been delivered to the charities and agencies above. Thank you for your offerings of love and gratitude to those in need and those who serve us!

Visitation Ministry and Christmas 2020 Gifts

This year, the Visitation Ministry has decided to mail our Christmas gifts to our parishioners instead of delivering them on our usual home visits. A special gift will be mailed to home addresses in the next few weeks. The Creative Team in our Visitation Ministry has designed and crafted icons that will help decorate homes as we prepare our hearts for The Nativity of our Lord. If you or your loved one would like to receive our special gift, please contact Amy Armanious at Visitation@holytrinitypgh.org May the light of Christ and His peace be with all during this time as we await the birth of Jesus.

[Dec 24, 25] Services for the Nativity of Christ - Continuing as scheduled

Please remember these festal celebrations for the Nativity of Christ and participate in them with your family. Services will also be live streamed. Please note that all Christmas services will be held at Holy Trinity Church.

Thurs. Dec. 24, 9:30 am: Royal Hours of the Nativity

This special service offers readings, prophecies and hymns which point to and interpret the Divine Incarnation.

Thurs. Dec. 24, 6:30pm: Vesperal Liturgy of the Nativity

This service “opens the liturgical day” and begins the celebration of the Nativity. Also, the Holy Trinity Choir will be offering a selection of beautiful Christmas carols following the service. (Note: This IS a Divine Liturgy with the Eucharist. Those wishing to receive Holy Communion need to observe appropriate fasting during the daytime.)

Fri. Dec. 25. 8:30am Orthros/9:30am Liturgy: The Nativity

This is the main service of the Birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Open the best gift first by attending Liturgy with your family and receiving the Holy Mysteries together! Make it a family tradition to keep the most important thing about Christmas the most important thing in your home!

Host Ministries/Families Still Needed for Bag Lunches - Please volunteer your family or group to help

Please see Mike Kritiotis today, or contact him at 412-518-0588, or at outreach@holytrinitypgh.org to sign up your family/group/ministry for either of these this worthy cause to help the poor and hungry in our region. Sponsored through the Orthodox outreach of the “Neighborhood Resilience Project”, the 2021 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.

Snow Cancellations – Where to Check

Please keep in mind over the winter months that there are a number of options to hear or read about event or service cancellations in the case of snow or inclement weather on the Holy Trinity "Snow Line." First stop: Check our website at www.HolyTrinityPgh.org. To hear by phone, call the church office (412-366-8700) then press option #8 and listen for a recorded weather cancellation announcement. To get updates by computer or smartphone, there are three options: 1) watch the parish email list for email announcements; 2) check the front page of our website, www.HolyTrinityPgh.org or click on the calendar; or 3) friend us on Facebook at Facebook.com/holytrinitypgh. Finally, to get information by radio or television, watch the KDKA Storm Center, as Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is registered there.

To the Faithful Stewards of Holy Trinity Church

In the past few months when some have been limited in their ability physically meet on Sundays, many thanks go to those who have continued to offer their offerings, pledges, and capital campaign contributions. We have expanded out opportunities to do so and now have a number of ways. The first way is that you can continue to bring or mail your donations to the church using the offering/capital campaign envelopes. The second way is Give By Web - the online method on the church’s website. Go to HolyTrinityPgh.org/give, or from the home page click on the Online Giving Tab. The third way is Give By Text, which is as easy as sending a text with the amount you would like to donate to 833-955-2176. You will receive a confirmation link immediately via text. The fourth way is Give By App using the Vanco GivePlus app, found in the App Store and on Google Play. Find information on it and more at HolyTrinityPgh.org/give-info. Lastly, we continue to 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, for those still not able or ready to return to in-person services, they may continue to worship together in spirit online with our services as they are broadcast online (made possible through your offerings of love) at HolyTrinityPgh.org/live. Thank you and God bless you, faithful stewards!

Holy Trinity Church in “Green Phase”

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Savas, we are so thankful to be able to continue welcoming our Holy Trinity family back to worship in-person and together as a community in the Church. As previously announced, we are now in the “Green Phase.” This means some important things for our worship and community life:

Greater Attendance Levels: We can accommodate up to 50% of our capacity (approximately 250 people in both the main church and the Grand Room)
Age Restrictions Lifted: All ages are welcome to attend.
Masks and Physical Distance: Masks are still required, and safe levels of physical distancing will still be practiced in both seating and moving around. PLEASE RESPECT THESE PRECAUTIONS AND BE SURE YOUR SEATING IS PROPERLY DISTANCED. ALSO PLEASE DO NOT CONGREGATE IN THE NARTHEX.
Veneration: The faithful may return to their customary practice of venerating icons and sacred objects if they choose, or they may continue to reverence them by bowing, depending on their comfort level.
Holy Communion: Parishes are free to return to their customary parish practice of customary method of distributing and receiving the Holy Gifts.
Coffee Hour and Meetings May Resume: We are free to resume holding Coffee Hour and meetings, provided that we respect the 50% capacity and physical distance guidelines.

Calendar of Events

Holy Trinity Parish Calendar

December 13 to December 27, 2020

Sunday, December 13

8:15AM Orthros

9:30AM Divine Liturgy

Thursday, December 17

8:30AM Orthros/9:30 Liturgy: St. Dionysios of Zakynthos (HT)

Sunday, December 20

8:15AM Orthros

9:30AM Divine Liturgy

Thursday, December 24

9:30AM Service of the Royal Hours of the Navitity (HT)

6:30PM Vesperal Liturgy of the Nativity (HT)

Friday, December 25

8:15AM Orthros/9:30 Liturgy: The Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (HT)

Sunday, December 27

8:15AM Orthros

9:30AM Divine Liturgy

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Second Tone

Apolytikion for 11th Sun. of Luke in the Second Tone

Apolytikion of Holy Trinity Church (Page 75) in the First Tone

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Tone

Saints and Feasts

Lucia the Virgin-martyr

The Holy Martyrs Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugene, Mardarius, and Orestes of Greater Armenia

Herman the Wonderworker of Alaska & First Saint of America

11th Sunday of Luke

Gabriel the Hieromartyr, Archbishop of Serbia

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Gospel Reading

Bulletin Inserts

Weekly Bulletin - Sunday, December 13, 2020

Greek4Home and Greek2Give

Holy Trinity E-Giving Guide

Wisdom of the Fathers

Parish News and Events

Calendar of Events

Holy Trinity Parish Calendar

December 13 to December 27, 2020