Holy Cross Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2026-02-22
Bulletin Contents
Sunday February 22nd - Forgiveness Sunday
Hymns of the Day
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Wisdom of the Fathers
Saints and Feasts
Announcements
Parish Calendar
Online Donations

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Holy Cross Orthodox Church

General Information

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

  • 950 Maple Dr

  • Hermitage, PA 16148-2333

Contact Information

The Most Rev. NATHANIEL
Archbishop


Right. Rev. ANDREI
Vicar Bishop


Rev. Father Spyridon Ickes
Parish Priest

[email protected] | 216-372-6217

Services Schedule

Wednesdays: Daily Vespers 6 pm; Bible Study after

Saturdays: Great Vespers 4 pm; Confessions heard after

Sundays: Matins 9 am, Divine Liturgy 10 am

 

Past Bulletins


Sunday February 22nd - Forgiveness Sunday

     



Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Sixth Tone

O Master, Prudence, Guide of Wisdom, Instruction to the foolish and Defender of the poor, strengthen my heart and grant it discernment. Give me words, Word of the Father, for behold, I shall not keep my lips from crying out to You, "O Merciful One, have mercy on me who has fallen."

The translations of hymns are under copyright and used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder:

  • Resurrectional Apolytikion in Fourth Tone © Holy Transfiguration Monastery
  • Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone © Narthex Press


    • Gospel and Epistle Readings

    Matins Gospel Reading

    Fourth Orthros Gospel
    The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

    On the first day of the week at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking spices, which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered His words and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the Apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

    Epistle Reading

    Forgiveness Sunday
    The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4

    Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

    As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for God is able to make him stand.

    Gospel Reading

    Forgiveness Sunday
    The Reading is from Matthew 6:14-21

    The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

    "And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

    "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."



    Wisdom of the Fathers

    Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul.
    St. Isaac of Syria
    Unknown, 7th century

    Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.
    St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
    Unknown, 18th century

    Love sinners and do not despise them for their faults. Remember that you partake in an earthly nature, and do good to all. Let your manner be always courteous and respectful to all. For love does not know how to be angry or lose its temper or to find fault with anyone out of passion.
    St. Isaac of Syria
    Unknown, 7th century



    Saints and Feasts

    February 22

    Forgiveness Sunday

    The Holy Fathers have appointed the commemoration of Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight here, on the eve of the holy Forty-day Fast, demonstrating to us not by simple words, but by actual deeds, how beneficial fasting is for man, and how harmful and destructive are insatiety and the transgressing of the divine commandments. For the first commandment that God gave to man was that of fasting, which the first-fashioned received but did not keep; and not only did they not become gods, as they had imagined, but they lost even that blessed life which they had, and they fell into corruption and death, and transmitted these and innumerable other evils to all of mankind. The God-bearing Fathers set these things before us today, that by bringing to mind what we have fallen from, and what we have suffered because of the insatiety and disobedience of the first-fashioned, we might be diligent to return again to that ancient bliss and glory by means of fasting and obedience to all the divine commands. Taking occasion from today's Gospel (Matt. 6:14-21) to begin the Fast unencumbered by enmity, we also ask forgiveness this day, first from God, then from one another and all creation.



    Announcements

    Forgivness Sunday

    Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

    As we enter into the Great Lent, it is our tradtion to ask forgiveness of everyone we may have wronged, so that we enter this great time of repentance on the right note. I sincerly ask of you all to forgive me, the sinner and the unworthy priest. 

    St. Moses the Black, when called to judge his brother monk, carried on his back a leaking sack of sand. When the other monks asked what he was doing as he created a mess in the church, St. Moses responded, "My sins are running out behind me, and I cannot see them, and you've asked me to come and judge another". Our sins are far greater than only the ones we realize we have committed. We often don't even understand the magnitude of the effect our sins have on others, or how they cut us apart from one another and from God.  So with this in mind, I ask of you all:

    Forgive me the sinner! 

    In Christ, 

    Fr. Spyridon


    Clean Week Schedule - Feb. 23-28

    Monday, Tuesday, & Thursday 6 pm

    Great Compline with Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

    Wednesday 6 pm

    Presactified Liturgy of St. Gregory Pope of Rome

    Friday 10 am 

    Presactified Liturgy of St. Gregory Pope of Rome

    Saturday 10 am 

    Commemoration of St. Theodore Tyro & the Miracle of Coliva

    Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrystom with general Parastas to follow.

    Please bring lists of the departed to be prayed for. If you can not attend, you may email or give Father a list of the departed beforehand. 

     


    Presactifed Liturgies

    We will serve the Presanctified Liturgy every Wednesday Evening at 6 pm and every Friday morning at 10 am throughout Great Lent. Following the Wednesday evening Presanctified Liturgies, we will have a Lenten potluck dinner. Please bring a Lenten dish to share. 

    Why do we have Presactifed Liturgies?

    During the weekdays of Great Lent, the Church forbids the serving of the Divine Liturgy, as it is always a joyful occasion. Great Lent is a journey that leads us to the resurrection of Christ. During Great Lent, we are earthly pilgrims. We are given a respite and a taste of our destination on the weekends of Great Lent while the fasting is slightly lossened and we get to experience the Divine Liturgy and stand with the saints in the resurrection of Christ. 

    As there may not be Divine Liturgies on weekdays in Great Lent, St. Gregory the Pope of Rome added the distribution of reserve eucharist to vespers on the weekdays so that we can, and should, partake of the most holy Eucharist often during Great Lent and be strengthened for the spiritual journey. 


    Ladies Aid Meeting

    On March 1st, after Divine Liturgy, there will be a meeting of the Ladies' Aid. Please contact Adela Price with any questions. 


    Sunday Vespers - Youngstown Area

    Every Sunday throughout Great Lent at 5 pm, we will have a Lenten Vespers served at a local parish served by the Clergy of the local Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood. 

    March 1st - Triumph of Orthodoxy

    Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church

    401 12th St Campbell, OH 44405

    March 8th - St. Gregory Palamas

    St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church 

    429 High St NE Warren, OH 44481

    March 15th - Veneration of the Cross

    Holy Trinity Romanian Orthodox Church

    626 Wick Ave, Youngstown, OH 44502

    March 22nd - St. John of the Ladder

    St. John Orthodox Church

    2220 Reeves Rd NE Warren, OH 44483

    March 29th - St. Maria of Egypt

    Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church

    1025 N Belle Vista Ave, Youngstown, OH 44509




    Parish Calendar

    • Calendar

      February 22 to March 8, 2026

      Sunday, February 22

      9:00AM Reception of Converts

      10:00AM Divine Liturgy

      Monday, February 23

      6:00PM Canon of Saint Andrew

      Tuesday, February 24

      6:00PM Canon of Saint Andrew

      Wednesday, February 25

      6:00PM Presanctified Liturgy

      Thursday, February 26

      6:00PM Canon of Saint Andrew

      Friday, February 27

      10:00AM Presanctified Liturgy

      Saturday, February 28

      4:00PM Great Vespers

      Sunday, March 1

      10:00AM Divine Liturgy

      Wednesday, March 4

      6:00PM Presanctified Liturgy

      Friday, March 6

      10:00AM Presanctified Liturgy

      Saturday, March 7

      11:00AM Baptisms

      4:00PM Great Vespers

      Sunday, March 8

      10:00AM Divine Liturgy



    Online Donations

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