Holy Cross Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-09-14
Bulletin Contents

Organization Icon
Holy Cross Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • 724-346-9937
  • Street Address:

  • 950 Maple Dr

  • Hermitage, PA 16148-2333


Contact Information








Services Schedule

Wednesdays: Daily Vespers 6 pm; Bible Study after

Saturdays: Great Vespers 6 pm; Confessions heard after

Sundays: Matins 9 am, Divine Liturgy 10 am

 


Past Bulletins


Sunday September 14, 2025 - Exaltaion of the Holy Cross

     

BACK TO TOP

Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion for the Church in the First Tone

O Lord save your people and bless your heritage. Grant victory to Orthodox Christians over the enemy, and preserve your people by your cross.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

Lifted up on the Cross by Your free will, Christ God, grant mercies to the new commonwealth that bears Your name. Gladden our faithful rulers by Your power, giving them victories over their adversaries. May Your alliance be for them a weapon for peace, an invincible standard.
BACK TO TOP

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 12:28-36

The Lord said, "Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out: and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." He said this to show by what death he was to die. The crowd answered him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?" Jesus said to them, "The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."


Epistle Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:18-24

Brethren, the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will thwart." Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.


Gospel Reading

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross
The Reading is from John 19:6-11, 13-20, 25-28, 30

At that time, when the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no crime in him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God."

When Pilate heard these words, he was the more afraid; he entered the praetorium again and said to Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore he who delivered me to you has the greater sin." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called the Pavement, and in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, "Behold your King!" They cried out, "Away with him, away with him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek.

But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. Then when Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.


BACK TO TOP

Wisdom of the Fathers

A MARVELOUS thing is longsuffering; it places the soul as in a quiet harbor, fleeing it from tossings and evil spirits. And this everywhere Christ hath taught us, but especially now, when He is judged, and dragged, and led about ....
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century

But why was it that Pilate made the enquiry not in their presence, but apart, having gone into the judgment hall? He suspected something great respecting Him.
St. John Chrysostom
Homily 84 on John 18 and Homily 85 on John 19, 4th Century

BACK TO TOP

Saints and Feasts

September 14

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross

Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.


September 14

The Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross

Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.

Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.


BACK TO TOP

Announcements

Blessed Feast!

This Sunday is our Patronal Feast! May the grace of Christ our God, through the power of the Holy and Lifegiving cross, be with you! Many blessed years!


Parish Council Meeting

Please note that this month's Parish Council meeting will occur on Wednesday, July 10th at 7 pm. The meeting was previously scheduled for July 17th but has been rescheduled for the 10th.


Instructional Prokomidi

Next Sunday, September 21st, we will start Divine Liturgy with an Instructional Proskomidi. Proskomidi is a short liturgical service that takes place before every Divine Liturgy in the Holy Altar. This service is only done by the priest, and a deacon if present. This service prepares the gifts so that they may be used in Divine Liturgy. For educational purposes, this service will be served at the start of the Divine Liturgy in the Nave so that we may witness the service. Following coffee hour, Orthodoxy 101 will be a Q & A session about Proskomidi. 


Pastoral Meetings

Please do not hesitate to contact Fr. Spyridon with any pastoral issues that you may have. For scheduling meetings, it is best to contact Father through text or email. If you call Father and he is unable to pick up, please leave a voicemail. 

Things to contact Father about:

  • Illness and or injury
  • Spiritual direction
  • Theological and moral issues
  • Anything that you could use guidance, prayer, and support with

Orthodoxy 101

Next Sunday after Liturgy

Ever wanted to learn more about your faith?

On the third Sunday of every month, our parish will be offering an "Orthodoxy 101" class. These classes are designed to help us deepen our understanding of the Orthodox faith. 

How is this different from Bible Study?

Great question. In our Bible Study, we work our way through different books of the Holy Scriptures. We discuss in detail the particular passages and how they help us understand how God reveals Himself to us. In Orthodoxy 101, we will discuss more broadly the Orthodox Church, her traditions, and how developing a better understanding of the Church helps us draw nearer to Christ.

Who is this for?

If you are reading this, then Orthodoxy 101 is for you. Though Orthodoxy 101 is especially helpful for inquirers and catechumens, all of us have so much more to learn. 

Next Orthodoxy 101 is Next Sunday!


Bible Study and St. Emmeliea

Bible Study every Wednesday at 6 pm. We are currently studying Romans. 

St. Emmeliea 7 pm on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. Please see Psa. Sarah, for additional information. 

Next St. Emmeliea is this Tuesday, September 23rd, at 7 pm.


Prayer List

Please keep the following in your prayers:

Living:

  • Mary Ann 
  • Helen
  • JaBree & the child to be born of her

Departed: 

 


BACK TO TOP

Parish Calendar

  • Calendar

    September 14 to September 28, 2025

    Sunday, September 14

    Exaltaion of the Holy Cross

    9:00AM Matins

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    Monday, September 15

    7:00PM Parish Council Meeting

    Wednesday, September 17

    6:00PM Bible Study

    Saturday, September 20

    6:00PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, September 21

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

    12:00PM Orthodoxy 101

    Tuesday, September 23

    7:00PM Saint Emmelia

    Wednesday, September 24

    6:00PM Bible Study

    Saturday, September 27

    6:00PM Great Vespers

    Sunday, September 28

    9:00AM Matins

    10:00AM Divine Liturgy

BACK TO TOP

Online Donations

BACK TO TOP