STEELTON, PA – DECEMBER 18-19, 2025 – The Orthodox Christian faithful of South-Central Pennsylvania gathered in joyful anticipation to celebrate the feast of their patron, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia. A group of parishioners of the St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in Steelton, PA, welcomed His Grace, Bishop Irinej, upon arrival, led by this year’s host, Jovan Milanovich.  

The celebration began with the remembrance of all of those who have gone before us in the faith and hope of the Resurrection, all departed Orthodox Christians from the St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church of Oberlin-Steelton. During the festal Vespers which followed, His Grace led the faithful in offering the festal procession –litija. He reminded the faithful that with the blessing of the five loaves of bread, wheat, wine and oil, it is the Lord Who provides all that we need, both physically and spiritually, for our salvation.

The Executive Board of the Church-School Congregation then hosted Vladika Irinej for dinner and fellowship, giving thanks to God for the opportunity to converse in an open and less formal setting.

The community continued the celebration with Matins the next morning. The faithful proclaimed in thanksgiving, “Well done, O good and faithful servant; well done, O laborer in the field of Christ. You bore the heat of the day, You multiplied the talent delivered to you, and you did not envy those who came after you. Thus, the gate of heaven was opened to you. Enter into the joy of thy Lord. And intercede, O Saint Nicholas, for us.” Orthodox Christians are prepared through the Matins service both in mind and body to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. With particular gratitude to God for the Matins chanters and the Marinkovic Choir, who all led the faithful in singing the responses.

His Grace then led the faithful in worship, during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. This Pan-Orthodox concelebration included: Protopresbyter-Stavrophor Ilija Balach of St. Nicholas Churchg, Archpriest Timothy Hojnicki of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Presbyter-Economos Borjan Vitanov of Lebanon, PA, and assisted by Deacon Bojan Gligorevic of St. Nicholas Church. A full choir, under the direction of Nina Radanovic, led the faithful in liturgical responses. Also welcomed to sit with the faithful were Archpriest John Onofrey of the OCA, and the V. Rev. Dr. James Lease, the ecumenical officer of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.

The Gospel of St. Luke, in which Christ proclaims the Beatitudes during the sermon on the plain, emphasizes the importance of humility, i.e., being “meek” and “pure in heart”, being “poor in spirit” in the unfettered following of Christ. As such, His Grace taught from the Troparion to St. Nicholas, how he won his “heights by humility” and “riches by poverty”, and how the life of St. Nicholas models this exact humility, by making the heart into fertile ground through which the seed of the Word of God may take root, grow and bear fruit. He encouraged all to emulate this example, drawing our gaze to the earth, preparing to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Christ.  He taught of the importance of the Truth, embodied in the person of our Lord, to Whom we must be connected to truly live. He reminded us of our patron, St. Nicholas, who was also a defender of the Truth of Christ, willing to sacrifice his own person, wealth, and reputation so that it was not he who lived, but Christ Who lives in him. Glory to God for all things!

Many of the faithful prepared themselves and received the Holy Body and Precious Blood of our Lord. 

His Grace also blessed the festal bread – kolach and boiled wheat – koljivo for the parish Slava, hosted by Jovan Milanovich and his family. After the Slava service, a quarter of the kolach was transferred to John Semic and Danilo Yanich, who will host next year’s celebration.

The Milanovich Family led the “liturgy after the liturgy” with a delicious luncheon, highlighted by a beautiful fish paprikaš over polenta – riblji paprikaš. Domačin Jovi joined in with Justin Greenwald to serenade the faithful throughout the meal. Special thanks to the Starcevich, Hoover, and Gligorevic families, and all of those who brought cookies and cakes to share in the joy of this glorious day.

May the Saintly Bishop Nicholas of Myra in Lycia intercede before the Lord, our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the salvation of all who honor him!