Vol. 3 No. 3.3

ST. NICHOLAS ORTHODOX CHURCH505 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, Pa. 18510

Fr. Nicholas Ferencz, Ph.D., pastor Rectory: 570-344-5917Cell: 724-953-6046

Hall - 570-344-1522www.stnicholasorthodoxscranton.org

nferencz35@gmail.com

March 16, 2014Commemoration of Our Father Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonika

PARISH CALENDAR

Sun., Mar. 16 Archbishop Gregory Palamas ofThessalonika

9:00 AM Holy Confession

9:30 AM Divine Liturgy - Special Sheets

Parish Board Meets

3:00 PM Deanery Mission: Lenten Vespers

Lenten Supper and Fellowship

Tue., Mar. 18 Martyr Conon

6:00 PM Adult Enrichment Group

Wed., Mar. 19 The 42 Holy Martyrs of Ammorium

5:30 PM Holy Confession

6:00 PM Presanctified Liturgy

Fri., Mar. 21 Confessor Theophylact

5:30 PM Holy Confession

6:00 PM Paraklis

SAT., MAR. 22 3RD ALL-SOULS SATURDAY. 40Martyrs of Sebaste

8:30 AM Holy Confession

9:00 AM Divine Liturgy and Hramoty

Sun., Mar. 23 The Veneration of the Holy Cross.

9:00 AM Holy Confession

9:30 AM Divine Liturgy - Special Sheets

Church School - All Classes meet

3:00 PM Deanery Mission: St. Mary’s, DicksonCity - Moleben to the Holy Cross

Holy Mystery of Confession: I will be available forConfessions for 15 minutes or so before all services during Lent.

3rd All-Souls Saturday is this coming Saturday.Divine Liturgy and the reading of the lists of thedeceased (Hramoty) will be at 9 AM. All are stillwelcome to give a list of their deceased to Fr. Nik forcommemoration.

THE LENTEN FAST

WEEKS 2 THROUGH 6:

DIOCESAN RULES require fasting from meat onWednesdays and Fridays (which we are supposedto do all year anyway).

TRADITIONAL RULES call for STRICT FAST (nomeat, dairy, wine or oil products) every weekdayduring the Great Lenten Season, with some fewexceptions which I note in the bulletin. OnSaturdays and Sundays the Traditional Rulespermit wine and oil. Meals should be limited toone a day.

St. Nicholas News

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Lenten Mission ScheduleScranton: Sun., March 16 - Vespers @ 3:00

p.m. (Fr. Larry Preaching)Dickson City: Sunday, March 23 - Moleben to the

Cross @ 3:00 p.m. - (Fr. BobPreaching)

Nesquehon.: Sunday, March 30 - Vespers @ 3:00p.m. (Fr. Deacon Ted or Fr. DeaconMichael Azar preaching)

Freeland: Sunday, April 6 - Paraklis @ 3:00p.m. (Fr. Nik Preaching Preaching)

FOOD BANK DURING GREAT LENT:

EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO DO MORE THAN THEMINIMUM, AS MUCH AS YOU ARE ABLE. Please rememberthat we are also called to almsgiving during Lent:WHAT WE TAKE FROM OURSELVES IS TO GO TO OTHERS

IN NEED.

So, as we did at Christmas time, we are taking up afood collection for Easter to support the local FoodBank, Bread Basket of NEPA. Please bring in cannedand dry goods (like the last time) to the hall wherethere are baskets to receive them.

Also, there will be a Special Collection at DivineLiturgy on Palm Sunday, April 13, which will also goto the local Food Bank. We ask for your generosity inthis endeavor.

The parish received a letter of appreciation fromBread Basket of NEPA for our last donation. It isattached to this bulletin.

COMMUNION FASTING:

For the reception of Holy Eucharist in the morning,we must fast from bed-time until we receive, as usual. To receive Holy Eucharist in the evening (forinstance, at the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts), wemust fast for at least 3 hours before the beginning ofthe service. ESSENTIALLY, THIS MEANS NOT EATINGAFTER LUNCH UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST, IFPOSSIBLE. Of course, those who are under a doctor’scare or are infirm must follow the doctor’s orders. Ifyou have any question about this, please see me.

PEOPLE STUFF

Please remember in your prayers:

Deceased: Raymond White.

Living: Stephanie Bonk. Gloria Bracey. MaryChupron. Susan Danchak. Michael Danchak. Fr.George Dursa. Jada Eiden. Benjamin Groves III.Robert & Eddie Hawley. Lorraine Kacaba. Anna MaeKuklis. Dee Lositski. Peggy Majcher. MildredOrzolek. Emma Sacco. Amy Shimo. Connie LouSlater. Faye Snell. Marion Sosnowski. Jeff Thomas.William Thomas. Ann Marie Tigue. Gary Wassel.Michael Wassel. Julia Worobey.

At Home: Michael Andreosky. Elizabeth Basalyga.

George & Anna Senich. Kathryn Stocoski.

In Assisted Living Homes: Julie Kovacs. JulieRoberts.

Altar Vigil Lights: Health of Jeff Thomas by BeverlyThomas. Health of Bill Thomas by Bill Thomas.

Eternal Light: Memory of Michael Toth by family.

Panachida: Charles & Susan Balisen - by family

PARISH STUFF

Church School.

• All Classes meet next week.

• Adult Enrichment Gatherings: Next meeting isthis Tue., March 18, at 6 PM.

Parish Board meets today.

Pirohi Making & Sale: Next Sale will be Friday,March 28. We are planning to make the usual 2 bagsthat week. After that sale is over, we will figure outhow much to make for the last sale on April 11.

Donation List - The Parish Board is trying to puttogether a list of the items donated by our parishionersfor the church over the years. Unfortunately, theparish records are hit-and-miss about this. So, we areasking you all to help us get our information up todate. There is a form in the hall where folks can itemsthey donated, who donated it (and the approximateyear it was donated). We appreciate your help in thiseffort.

Lenten Missions - Our parish hosts the first onetoday. Vespers is at 3:00 PM and the usual Lentendinner will be afterward. Please note there is a changein the schedule. Below is the new schedule.

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YOUR GIFTS TO GOD AND HIS CHURCH

Sunday, March 9, 2014

$ 767.00 General Collection

$ 111.00 7 Day Lights

$ 44.00 1st Sunday

$ 14.00 Holy Days

$ 35.00 Maintenance and Repairs

$ 8.00 Tapers

$ 20.00 Parking donation

$ 40.00 Bible Sale

$ 81.09 Reimbursement

$ 30.00 IOCC Collection

$ 1150.09 Total Collection

FROM THE DIOCESE & OTHER STUFF

Orthodox Bible Study Class: The DiocesanChancery is pleased to announce that the on-lineOrthodox Bible Study Class, hosted by St. NicholasOrthodox Church of Warren, Ohio , began February21, 2014 after a several week hiatus.

All are cordially invited and encouraged to take partin the Bible study as part of their spiritual preparationfor Pascha. There is no charge to take part. Get on theDiocesan website, www.acrod.org., and click on theBible Study. If you cannot participate live, audio andvideo recordings of the lecture will be availableon-line by the following Monday.

How to Make Pysanky Class: Saint Cyril andMethodius Ukrainian Catholic Church, Olyphant, Pa.for the 4th year is offering classes in How to MakePysanky ( The Traditional Ukrainian Easter Eggs) atthe Parish Hall. Only one class is sufficient to LEARNHOW TO MAKE PYSANKY and then it just takepractice, practice, practice!!!!!

Open to adults and children. An adult mustaccompany the children age 9-12.

Place: SS. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian CatholicChurch PARISH HALL. 207 River Street, Olyphant,Pa.. Free Parking.

Dates: 4 Sundays are available: March 16, March 23,March 30 and April 6th, 2014.

Time: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Please plan to arrive at1:45 p.m.) Cost: $15.00 per person/class (IncludesEgg, bees wax and stylist).

Limited Seating only 25 people per class.

Contact: Lauren Telep for reservations ASAP at570-383-0319.

At the Parish Hall, the following items will be available for purchase: Pysanky eggs, supplies andbooks on Pysanky's, The American-Ukrainian Cook-Books $25.00 per set, "Christmas In Ukraine"Book from World Book-all about the UkrainianCustoms for Christmas at $15.00 each, the DVD at$5.00 each from the 125th Anniversary will beavailable for purchase and the CD's from the Choir forEaster and Christmas. Photo of Pysanky are done bySt. Cyril's Parishioner Joyce Krisanda Garofalo, withyears of experience in making pysanky's for Easter.

SS. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Churchis sponsoring a "Baked Haddock FishDinner-Meatless Meal for Lent" on April 11, 2014.

The 3rd Annual Meatless Meal for Lent "BakedHaddock Fish Dinner" sponsored by Saint Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Catholic Church, Olyphant,PA on Friday, April 11, 2014. It will be held at TheREGAL ROOM, 216 Lackawanna Ave. Olyphant,PA. Starting at 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Pre-soldtickets are $13.00 per person/dinner. You can "Sit Inor Take Out" The dinner will included, bakedhaddock, potato vegetable, cole claw, roll, dessertwith coffee or tea. At the door, a limited amount oftickets will be $15.00 per dinner. Call Sandra at570-383-9487 for reservations before Monday April7th, 2014. Rev. Nestor Iwasiw is Pastor. Websites:http://www.stcyrils.maslar-online.com

2ND SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT: ST GREGORYPALAMAS

This Sunday was originally dedicated to St Polycarpof Smyrna (February 23). After his glorification in1368, a second commemoration of St GregoryPalamas (November 14) was appointed for the SecondSunday of Great Lent as a second “Triumph ofOrthodoxy.”

Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica,was born in the year 1296 in Constantinople. StGregory’s father became a prominent dignitiary at the

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http://www.acrod.org.,http://www.stcyrils.maslar-online.com

court of Andronicus II Paleologos (1282-1328), but hesoon died, and Andronicus himself took part in theraising and education of the fatherless boy. Endowedwith fine abilities and great diligence, Gregorymastered all the subjects which then comprised thefull course of medieval higher education. The emperorhoped that the youth would devote himself togovernment work. But Gregory, barely twenty yearsold, withdrew to Mount Athos in the year 1316 (othersources say 1318) and became a novice in theVatopedi monastery under the guidance of themonastic Elder St Nicodemus of Vatopedi (July 11).There he was tonsured and began on the path ofasceticism. A year later, the holy Evangelist John theTheologian appeared to him in a vision and promisedhim his spiritual protection. Gregory’s mother andsisters also became monastics.

After the demise of the Elder Nicodemus, St Gregoryspent eight years of spiritual struggle under theguidance of the Elder Nicephorus, and after thelatter’s death, Gregory transferred to the Lavra of StAthanasius (July 5). Here he served in the trapeza, andthen became a church singer. But after three years, heresettled in the small skete of Glossia, striving for agreater degree of spiritual perfection. The head of thismonastery began to teach the young man the methodof unceasing prayer and mental activity, which hadbeen cultivated by monastics, beginning with the greatdesert ascetics of the fourth century: EvagriusPontikos and St Macarius of Egypt (January 19).

Later on, in the eleventh century St Simeon the NewTheologian (March 12) provided detailed instructionin mental activity for those praying in an outwardmanner, and the ascetics of Athos put it into practice.The experienced use of mental prayer (or prayer of theheart), requiring solitude and quiet, is called“Hesychasm” (from the Greek “hesychia” meaningcalm, silence), and those practicing it were called“hesychasts.”

During his stay at Glossia the future hierarch Gregorybecame fully embued with the spirit of hesychasm andadopted it as an essential part of his life. In the year1326, because of the threat of Turkish invasions, heand the brethren retreated to Thessalonica, where hewas then ordained to the holy priesthood.

St Gregory combined his priestly duties with the lifeof a hermit. Five days of the week he spent in silence

and prayer, and only on Saturday and Sunday did hecome out to his people. He celebrated divine servicesand preached sermons. For those present in church,his teaching often evoked both tenderness and tears.Sometimes he visited theological gatherings of thecity’s educated youth, headed by the future patriarch,Isidore. After he returned from a visit toConstantinople, he found a place suitable for solitarylife near Thessalonica the region of Bereia. Soon hegathered here a small community of solitary monksand guided it for five years.

In 1331 the saint withdrew to Mt. Athos and lived insolitude at the skete of St Sava, near the Lavra of StAthanasius. In 1333 he was appointed Igumen of theEsphigmenou monastery in the northern part of theHoly Mountain. In 1336 the saint returned to the sketeof St Sava, where he devoted himself to theologicalworks, continuing with this until the end of his life.

In the 1330s events took place in the life of theEastern Church which put St Gregory among the mostsignificant universal apologists of Orthodoxy, andbrought him great renown as a teacher of hesychasm.

About the year 1330 the learned monk Barlaam hadarrived in Constantinople from Calabria, in Italy. Hewas the author of treatises on logic and astronomy, askilled and sharp-witted orator, and he received auniversity chair in the capital city and began toexpound on the works of St Dionysius the Areopagite(October 3), whose “apophatic” (“negative”, incontrast to “kataphatic” or “positive”) theology wasacclaimed in equal measure in both the Eastern andthe Western Churches. Soon Barlaam journeyed toMt. Athos, where he became acquainted with thespiritual life of the hesychasts. Saying that it wasimpossible to know the essence of God, he declaredmental prayer a heretical error. Journeying fromMount Athos to Thessalonica, and from there toConstantinople, and later again to Thessalonica,Barlaam entered into disputes with the monks andattempted to demonstrate the created, material natureof the light of Tabor (i.e. at the Transfiguration). Heridiculed the teachings of the monks about themethods of prayer and about the uncreated light seenby the hesychasts.

St Gregory, at the request of the Athonite monks,replied with verbal admonitions at first. But seeing thefutility of such efforts, he put his theological

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arguments in writing. Thus appeared the “Triads inDefense of the Holy Hesychasts” (1338). Towards theyear 1340 the Athonite ascetics, with the assistance ofthe saint, compiled a general response to the attacks ofBarlaam, the so-called “Hagiorite Tome.” At theConstantinople Council of 1341 in the church ofHagia Sophia St Gregory Palamas debated withBarlaam, focusing upon the nature of the light ofMount Tabor. On May 27, 1341 the Council acceptedthe position of St Gregory Palamas, that God,unapproachable in His Essence, reveals Himselfthrough His energies, which are directed towards theworld and are able to be perceived, like the light ofTabor, but which are neither material nor created. Theteachings of Barlaam were condemned as heresy, andhe himself was anathemized and fled to Calabria.

But the dispute between the Palamites and theBarlaamites was far from over. To these latterbelonged Barlaam’s disciple, the Bulgarian monkAkyndinos, and also Patriarch John XIV Kalekos(1341-1347); the emperor Andronicus III Paleologos(1328-1341) was also inclined toward their opinion.Akyndinos, whose name means “one who inflicts noharm,” actually caused great harm by his hereticalteaching. Akyndinos wrote a series of tracts in whichhe declared St Gregory and the Athonite monks guiltyof causing church disorders. The saint, in turn, wrotea detailed refutation of Akyndinos’ errors. Thepatriarch supported Akyndinos and called St Gregory

the cause of all disorders and disturbances in theChurch (1344) and had him locked up in prison forfour years. In 1347, when John the XIV was replacedon the patriarchal throne by Isidore (1347-1349), StGregory Palamas was set free and was madeArchbishop of Thessalonica.

In 1351 the Council of Blachernae solemnly upheldthe Orthodoxy of his teachings. But the people ofThessalonica did not immediately accept St Gregory,and he was compelled to live in various places. Onone of his travels to Constantinople the Byzantineship fell into the hands of the Turks. Even in captivity,St Gregory preached to Christian prisoners and evento his Moslem captors. The Hagarenes wereastonished by the wisdom of his words. Some of theMoslems were unable to endure this, so they beat himand would have killed him if they had not expected toobtain a large ransom for him. A year later, StGregory was ransomed and returned to Thessalonica.

St Gregory performed many miracles in the threeyears before his death, healing those afflicted withillness. On the eve of his repose, St John Chrysostomappeared to him in a vision. With the words “To theheights! To the heights!” St Gregory Palamas fellasleep in the Lord on November 14, 1359. In 1368 hewas canonized at a Constantinople Council underPatriarch Philotheus (1354-1355, 1364-1376), whocompiled the Life and Services to the saint.

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