THEOPHANY CELEBRATION OF ST. GEORGE CHURCH IN CARMICHAELS
Carmichaels, PA - For the past eleven years, during the time the Holy Orthodox Church celebrates Theophany, parishioners of the St. George Serbian Orthodox Church in Carmichaels,Pennsylvania have traveled to the nearby Monongahela River for a brief service and blessing of the river.
Normally the weather is quite cold. Snow and ice have been common. This year on January 24, the outpouring of heavy rain seemed it would not end. Parishioners were resolute and didn’t hesitate to go to the river bank.
The hill approaching the river was quite muddy but the faithful went forth. At the riverside, members of St. George Choir under the direction of Sonia Janson assembled and heartily sang responses and did the festal readings.
Andrea Janson and Djelosh Milosevich have faithfully participated in the readings each year. This year they were joined by Stojan from Monroeville who read from his heart in Serbian language the reading from the Holy Prophet Isaiah.
Readings from the Holy Prophet Isaiah, the Holy Apostle Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians and the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark are part of the riverside service each year.
Meaningful verses from the Feast of Theophany remind believers in attendance of the manifestation of the Holy Trinity and of the importance of Christ in their lives.
The service at the river culminates with the troparion of the feast being sung and the placing of an ice cross into the river waters. The ice cross is made each year by Sonia Janson specifically for this purpose.
The Monongahela River touches and affects the lives of thousands of people. Everyone served and affected by the Mon River can benefit from the prayers of the Feast of Theophany and renewal in the Lord Jesus Christ.
The liturgical celebration of Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan and the resultant renewal initiated for believers begins with a forefeast and is an extensive celebration with an afterfeast lasting for several days.
The blessing of the Monongahela River has become an annual expectation and interest has grown. Following the river blessing, parishioners attend the Slava celebration of Executive Board President Stan Brozik.
Stan and his wife Karen celebrate the Synaxis of St.John the Baptist as their Slava. They host the faithful attending the river blessing. The Slava celebration is an added joy for parishioners and a fitting conclusion to the Mon River blessing.
Father Rodney Torbic