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Pilgrimage to the city of St. Nicholas

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Clergy, Religious, and Faithful of the Archeparchy,

Every Byzantine Catholic Church in the United States has an icon of our most beloved Saint Nicholas. All of our children have prayed to his icon for his help. This fervor is increased by the connection to the giving and receiving of gifts during the Christmas celebration honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. For children, Saint Nick is remembered because he is a saint who answers their prayers for presents under the Christmas tree.

The icon and stories of the generosity of Saint Nicholas of Myra are given to us as a model to follow in our lives. These vary from giving gold coins to poor young women for their dowry, to the giving of his life to the service of the Church. As one of the bishops who gathered for the Council of Nicaea in 325, he helped define our understanding of church and of our Lord Jesus Christ. We should thank him and the other church fathers each time we recite the Nicene Creed during the Divine Liturgy.

In October of this year, a Byzantine Metropolitan Pilgrimage group journeyed to Bari, Italy to visit the resting place of Saint Nicholas. In my many years of travel to Italy for retreats and the work of the Church, I have always dreamed of praying at the tomb of Saint Nicholas. Bari is not an easy place to visit because it is a day’s ride over the mountains to the Southeastern corner of Italy. We were able to make the trip and to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in the crypt church of the Basilica of Saint Nicholas.

As does every Byzantine Catholic child, I too gazed upon the icon of Nicholas in our home and church. I was impressed by the story of the transfer of his relics to a place called Bari in the year 1087. I always imagined Bari as a small fishing village on the coast of the Adriatic Sea on the East coast of Italy. The Basilica of Saint Nicholas is located in the ancient part of the city which is preserved. There are two altars for the celebration of liturgies: one for Catholic and the other for Orthodox pilgrims. The Saint has blessed the city of Bari with growth. A metropolitan area with a city of over one million people now surrounds the Basilica. Continue reading →

Through pilgrims’ eyes

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Metropolitan Leads Memorable 12-day tour Metropolitan Archbishop William C. Skurla accompanied a group of 15 pilgrims to Italy, where the entourage visited the cities of Bari, Rome, Assisi, Ravenna and Venice October 19 – October 30, 2016. The tour … Continue reading →

97 Years of Fraternal Excellence

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]GCU District 1 Bids Farewell “Thank you District 1 for all of your efforts throughout the years to bring GCU fraternalism to the people of Western Pennsylvania. The mark that the district has left on the GCU — from the events … Continue reading →