COVID-19 UpdateWelcome to Great Lent – 2021
Let us all hasten to the subjugation of the flesh by abstinence, as we approach the divine battlefield, the battlefield of blameless fasting. Let us pray to the Lord, our Savior, in tears and prayers, turning away completely from sin, and crying, “We have sinned against Thee, O Christ, the King. Save us, therefore, as of old Thou didst save the people of Nineveh; and make us partakers of Thy heavenly kingdom, O compassionate One.”
Let us begin the season of fasting with rejoicing, giving ourselves to spiritual strife, purifying soul and body, fasting from passions, as we fast from foods, faring on the virtues of the Spirit, which, if we continue to long for, we shall all be worthy to behold the most solemn Passion of Christ, and the holy Passover, rejoicing with spiritual joy.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Glory to Jesus Christ!
What a glorious invitation we receive to begin the Holy Season of the Great Fast! As the bolded words above from two of the stikhera of Forgiveness Vespers reveal, we are to urgently seek and run to the “divine battlefield” of Great Lent “with rejoicing,” mindful that the subjugation of our flesh is absolutely essential if we are to grow in the Spirit. The six weeks of Great Lent that conclude at the tomb of Lazarus, setting us on Christ’s path to His death on the Cross, His time in the tomb, and His Glorious Resurrection, are not some annual annoyance or contest in which we may choose to engage or not, but are the gift of God to us for continuing our life-long work of the purification of our hearts and minds. When we neglect or misunderstand this beckoning, we remain at best, asleep, at worst, dead, to our calling as divine beings who are doing the spiritual labor necessary for us to realize who we are and Who He Is that has brought us into being. Let us take up the whole armor of God, gird our waists with truth, put on the breastplate of righteousness (Ephesians 6), and boldly enter the arena of our salvation!
As we attend the Lenten Services, be mindful of the following COVID-era procedures that remain in place:
- Masks are to be worn by all at all times except by those under two years of age.
- Hand sanitizer is to be used as we enter the church.
- Pews are to be wiped as appropriate in our personal space before departure.
- Service pre-registration (call the church, please – 724-834-1311) will be required for Sunday Divine Liturgy (as usual) and Wednesday Presanctified Liturgy.
Understanding that a growing number of us have been vaccinated, let us remember that many of us have not, and act accordingly, remaining diligent in behaving in a manner that minimizes the possibility of our spreading germs.
God bless us all with a holy and fruitful Great Lent.
Facebook LivestreamOur services are livestreamed below. If a livestream is not in progress at this time, the most recently recorded service will appear. Archived services may be found under the MEDIA tab in the menu bar. See Calendar for schedule of services.
ALL ARE WELCOME IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD, GOD, AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.
St. Michael's is a parish of the Orthodox Church, the original and oldest Christian Church. We belong to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, part of the Church established by the Apostles Peter and Paul in Antioch, where the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). We share a direct and unbroken connection to this early center of Christianity, continuing the same faith and worship of the earliest Christians. Our bishops and clergy serve in direct succession to the first-century Apostles and their ministry. Father John Nosal is our priest and pastor. St. Michael's Orthodox Church was founded in 1955, but its roots in Greensburg date back to 1918.
We invite you to come and see our worship and to learn about our faith! Divine Liturgy is every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.
The mission of St. Michael's is to tend to the flock of our Lord Jesus Christ and to spread the Good News of Christ to those outside the flock. The mission is to be accomplished by:
- Living a full and liturgical and sacramental life
- Proclaiming the Orthodox Christian Faith to all people
- Providing effective charitable and social programs
- Establishing strong spiritual leadership and educational resources
A Thanksgiving Blessing, 2020
We were pleased to support the Latrobe Salvation Army's Thanksgiving Food Box program, helping to provide Thanksgiving dinner for 50 local families in need. Pictured above: members of St. Michael's Orthodox Church and the Pitt-Greensburg Basketball Alumni Association, teaming up to help!
