Orthodox Christians enjoy balmy weather for lakeside blessing service
They didn’t need winter coats this year.
Instead, parishioners at St. Michael’s Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in South Greensburg on Saturday wore light jackets and had gloveless hands as they tossed ice crosses into the upper lake at Twin Lakes Park.
“This is a treat for me,” said Jim Laffin, who typically clears snow from around a park pavilion and has even cut through the frozen lake with a chainsaw. “I think this is the warmest year I can ever, ever remember.”
Laffin still built a small fire, keeping with tradition.
The annual Blessing of the Waters service recognizes the day that Orthodox Christians celebrate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. It falls on Jan. 6, but the church typically holds the service at the park east of Greensburg during the weekend after.
They have been doing it for about 30 years. During those decades, the temperature has widely varied — 12 degrees in 2018 to close to 60 degrees on Saturday.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had it warmer than this,” said the Rev. John Nosal, church archpriest.
A crow cawed overhead as the warm, cloudy weather brought out dog-walkers and anglers. The Rev. Lawrence Daniels, retired priest at SS Cyril & Methodius Orthodox Church in Jeannette, assisted Nosal during the service.
“This is one small day and one little moment that we get to think about how we fit into all of this,” Nosal told about 30 people of all ages who gathered at a fishing dock.
He asked them to think about how they are connected to the peaceful spot, the fish in the water, trees and sun.
“It’s difficult sometimes for us to remember just to do that,” he said. “Glorify the God that made all these wondrous things.”
Nosal and Daniels threw a large ice cross into the water. Parishioners tossed in small crosses, some of which were dyed blue.
“It’s just to remind you of this day,” said parishioner Pete Papas of Greensburg.
He has been coming to the service since the 1980s. Saturday’s weather brought a smile to his face.
“In a sense, we bless everything the God has created,” Papas said. “I wouldn’t miss this.”
Renatta Signorini is a TribLive reporter covering breaking news, crime, courts and Jeannette. She has been working at the Trib since 2005. She can be reached at rsignorini@triblive.com.
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