My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity (Young and Old) of our God-Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 18th, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, PASCHA to receive the Resurrected Christ.     

We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another.  In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our Church families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the society in general.      

JOHNSTOWN, PA --  [Diocesan Chancery]   The schedule of His Eminence, Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa  for March and April 2024 has been released by the Diocesan Chancery and is as follows:

JOHNSTOWN, PA  [Diocesan Chancery] -- The Diocesan Chancery is pleased to release the schedule of  this year's ,  in-person Diocesan regional Lenten Retreats for youth and adults, hosted in various regions of the Diocese. The details are as follows: 

JR ACRY Lenten Youth Encounter Sat April 6, 2024 - Camp Nazareth, Mercer, PA

Eastern Region Lenten Retreat - Sat April 6, 2024 - Holy Ghost Orthodox Church, Phoenixville, PA.

Central Lenten Regional Retreat - Sat April 20, 2024  - St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Homestead, PA. 

  Western Region Lenten Retreat - Sat April 20, 2024 - Chicago Deanery. 

JOHNSTOWN, PA  [Diocesan Chancery] --  The Diocesan Chancery is pleased to announce that a helpful resource for our Diocesan  faithful and Cantors has just been released.

An audio recording of the beautiful and somewhat complex plain chant melodies of  the Lenten Triodion period and the Anaphora Hymns of the Saint Basil Liturgy is now  posted on our Diocesan website.

[Camp Nazareth]  Mercer, PA,  The National Junior American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Youth (Jr. ACRY) is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated Annual Spring Lenten Encounter, set to take place at Camp Nazareth from April 5th to April 7th, 2024. This exciting event invites children aged 8 to 18 from across the diocese to embark on a transformative “mini camp”, Camp Nazareth experience.

On the third Sunday of Lent, participants will come together for a Christ-centered journey as we remember the Sunday of the Holy Cross. The Cross of our Lord is the source of strength, and the weekend's theme, inspired by Deuteronomy 31:6, serves as a reminder that our God is our strength: Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.