Sunday of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Glory to Jesus Christ ! Glory Forever!
Exaltation of the Holy Cross
September 14, 2025

Sat   9/13/25    4:00pm     Vigil Divine Liturgy +Fr. Sylvan Copatini by Marian Luther
Sun   9/14/25    9:30am     Divine Liturgy +Marilyn Book by Marge Alexsonshk
Wed   9/17/25    7:00pm     Liturgy for Healing  +Souls in Purgatory by Marian Luther
Fri   9/19/25    7:00pm     Moleben to Mary
Sat   9/20/25    4:00pm     Vigil Divine Liturgy +Jeannie Hass by Tina Soley
Sun   9/21/25    9:30am     Divine Liturgy +Mike Fizer by Carol Fizer

Variable Parts   Exaltation of the Holy Cross — Pages 253 - 258
Epistle    1 Corinthians 1:18-24
Gospel John 19: 6-11, 13-21, 25 27, 30-35

Memorial Candle Request:    +Edward Musko by Helen Musko Epistle leaders

Epistle Readers 13-Sep John Baycura/Mary Motko   14-Sep Hans Bergh 20-Sep Mary Troyan   21-Sep Mike Dancisin

Please Pray for: Brian Buchkovich, Lejen Warner, Sharon King, Ole J. Bergh, Liz Moyta, Fr. Michael Husztl, Fr. Laska, Susie Curcio, Teresa Milkovich, Robert Saper, Anna Habil, Mike Dancisin, Diane Sotak, Anna Pocchiari, Larry Hamil, Beverly Jones, Maryann Russin Schyvers, Nick Russin, Ken Konchan, and Brittany Mae Titus

Attendance: 9/6 — 24   9/7 — 88;  Collection: 9/6 & 9/7 - $1,574.00

Religious Education Classes: Youth Religious Education classes will begin on Sunday, September 21! The elementary class is open to children in Kindergarten to 5th grade and will meet weekly after Sunday Divine Liturgy until 12 pm. New this year is our Youth group program! This program is gearod for youth ages 12-17 and will meet twice a month. Please talk to Amanda Stavish (724-272-2963) or Katie Koch by September 14 to register and/or for more information.

Student Food Pantry: Thank you for the great response from the August food collection. Our parish contributed over 175 items. For September, we will collect canned ready to eat meals, like beefaroni, spaghetti, chili, ravioli, etc., as well as canned vegetables. Any questions, please conta, I 'am Gagen.

Boscov Coupons: The Boscov Friends helping Friends coupons are back. For $5.00 you can get a 25% off coupon that can be used all day on Wednesday, October 22d. Please see Elizabeth Pocchiari oi I Radko to buy one.

Upcoming Event Date: Our church rummage sale will take place on October 1 Oth Auld 11th. Donations may be dropped off September 28th-- October 5th.

Holy Land vendor - visiting our church on October 11-12, they will sell products from Bethlehem and surroundings for the support of the Catholic community in the Holy Land.

The Pilgrim Vocation Icon program - starts on Oct 5th. All are invited to participate. The icon will be placed on the tetrapod for a family to take home for a week and pray for vocations. The prayer books will be provided. The sign-up sheet is on the notice board.

Ladies Guild: There will be a Ladies Guild meeting today, September 14th at 11:00am in the church. All women are welcome.

Our Lady or Fatima Statue Visitation: The PiIgram Virgin statue of Our Lady of Fatima will be at St. Peter's Church in Butler on Friday, September 19th at 12:00 am followed by visitation in church till 5:00pm.

The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry invites all TEENS (7th Grade through high school students) and young adults (18-39) to the pilgrimage in Loretto PA on October 4, 2025. Register by September 29, 2025 via form: https://forms.gle/QYyd4gKrcqFJc2QT9

Registration Option 1: Lunch, bus ride from Pittsburgh (Cathedral at Munhall - bus departs at 6:00 am) and all activities: $ 50.
Registration Option 2: Lunch and aIl activities: $ 20.
Registration Option 3: Just attending the pilgrimage activities - donation appreciated.
Please make checks payable to; Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and mall to:
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Pittsburgh
The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
66 Riverview Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15214.

The reason for the Feasting of Exaltation of the Holy Cross - The immediate historical events celebrated on this feast are, first of all, the unearthing of the Cross in the fourth century during the expedition led by St Helena to adorn the Holy Land with fitting shrines to Christ. The second event remembered is the recovery of the cross in the seventh century by Byzantine forces fourteen years after it had been captured by Persian invaders.

Two traditions common among Eastern Christians celebrate the discovery of the cross. It is said that St. Helena's workmen were led to the site of the cross by the fragrant aroma of basil growing there. It is customary to adorn the cross and, in some places, the entire church with sprigs of basil. Some basil would be given to people when they venerate the Cross to take home and adorn their icons. In some parts of Greece basil would be ground and added to the dough used to make prosphora.

A second festive act observed throughout the Middle East in both Byzantine and Oriental Churches is the lighting of bonfires, usually after the vespers or vigil of the feast. When the cross was unearthed by St. Helena's expedition, the news of this discovery was spread from Jerusalem to Constantinople by a series of bonfires set on the mountains along the coast through Asia Minor. Today's bonfires are a popular re-enactment of that event.

The recovery of the Cross is remembered by another festive act — the one which gives this feast its name. When the victorious Byzantine army returned the Cross to Jerusalem, Patriarch Zechariah "exalted" the Cross, lifting it high for the veneration of the people who continually cried out Kyrie eleison as they gazed on the Cross. In our ceremony of the exaltation, the Cross is raised high in each direction — north, south, east and west — to bless the entire world as the people repeatedly chant Kyrie eleison.

Our most basic reason for feasting on this day, however, is what took place on the Cross. As St. John Chrysostom described it, "The Cross has taken away sin. It was an expiation for the world, a reconciliation of the ancient enmity. It opened the gates of heaven, changed those who hated into friends; it took our human nature, led it up to heaven, and seated it at the right hand of God's throne. And it brought to us ten thousand other blessings" (Homily 3 against the Judaizers).