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Pascha Bread is a sweet, egg-rich round bread made for Pascha Sunday (Easter.) It is typically blessed in church on Pascha morning and is one of the traditional foods in the Easter Basket. A decorated pascha bread is a stunning centerpiece for your Easter dinner table. At St. Athanasius we took a tried-and-true recipe, Aunt Julia’s Pascha Bread, and improved on it. While we won’t “spill the beans” as to the exact recipe we will tell you about the modifications. Namely,

1. substitute some honey for a portion of the sugar – for flavor, and honey is a natural preservative
2. Add citrus – produces a wonderful aroma and elegant taste
3. Let it rise 3 times before baking – adds depth of flavor but takes longer

If you don’t have the time to make your own we sell pascha breads at the church. We bake lots of ’em. And it takes some dedication of the volunteers to braid and decorate them. It’s a labor of love for our parishioners and customers.
 
 
 
When making lots of paschas how do you tell which ones have raisins?

 
 
 
 
Answer: We put 3 raisins in the bottom of the container. Why 3? The Trinity!

Pascha BreadRead More

Great and Holy Week and Bright Week 2014

SAT. APR. 12 LAZARUS SATURDAY
10 AM CHURCH AND HALL CLEAN UP
5 PM VESPERS WITH DIVINE LITURGY
6:15 PM MYSTERY OF HOLY REPENTANCE [CONFESSIONS] SUN. APR. 13 PALM [FLOWERY] SUNDAY. THE ENTRANCE OF OUR LORD INTO JERUSALEM.
9:45 AM THIRD HOUR [BLESSING OF PALMS AND PUSSYWILLOWS] 10 AM DIVINE LITURGY
11:30 AM PARISH SOCIAL [DEMOSTRATION OF PALM WEAVING] 1:15 PM PALM SUNDAY LENTEN VESPERS
TUE. APR. 15 GREAT AND HOLY TUESDAY
9 AM BRIDEGROOM MORNING PRAYER
7 PM LITURGY OF THE PRE-SANCTIFIED GIFTS
WED. APR. 16 GREAT AND HOLY WEDNESDAY
9 AM BRIDEGROOM MORNING PRAYER
7 PM LITURGY OF THE PRE-SANCTIFIED GIFTS
[WITH MYSTERY OF HOLY ANOINTING] THUR. APR. 17 GREAT AND HOLY THURSDAY
7 PM VESPERS & LITURGY OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
FRI. APR. 18 GREAT AND HOLY FRIDAY
12 NOON THE CHANTING OF THE PASSION GOSPELS
7 PM VESPERS AND BURIAL SERVICE
8 PM TO 12 MIDNIGHT VIGIL AT THE TOMB
SAT. APR. 19 GREAT AND HOLY SATURDAY
10 AM SETTING UP OF CHURCH AND HALL FOR THE HOLY PASCHA
EVERYONE’S HELP IS NEEDED!
SUN. APR. 20 THE HOLY PASCHA ~ THE RESURRECTION
10 AM PROCESSION & RESURRECTION MATINS
DIVINE LITURGY
BLESSING OF PASCHAL FOODS [PLEASE PLACE BASKETS IN THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH ON THE TABLES PROVIDED, BEFORE DIVINE SERVICES BEGIN!] 12 NOON PASCHAL LUNCHEON
1:30 PM PASCHAL EVENING PRAYER [AGAPE VESPERS] MON. APR. 21 BRIGHT MONDAY
9 AM FESTAL DIVINE LITURGY
TUE. APR. 22 BRIGHT TUESDAY
9 AM FESTAL DIVINE LITURGY
7 PM FESTAL EVENING PRAYER FOR FEAST OF ST. GEORGE
WED. APR. 23 BRIGHT WEDNESDAY & FEAST OF ST. GEORGE
9 AM PASCHAL THIRD HOUR
10 AM FESTAL DIVINE LITURGY
7 PM WELCOME OF PILGRIMAGE ICON
AKATHIST TO THE THEOTOKOS
THU. APR. 24 BRIGHT THURSDAY
9 AM FESTAL DIVINE LITURGY
7 PM MOLEBEN FOR THE VICTIMS OF ABORTION
FRI. APR. 25 BRIGHT FRIDAY
9 AM PASCHAL THIRD HOUR
10 AM FESTAL DIVINE LITURGY
SAT. APR. 26 BRIGHT SATURDAY
5 PM VESPERS WITH DIVINE LITURGY
6:15 PM MYSTERY OF HOLY REPENTANCE [CONFESSIONS] SUN. APR. 27 THOMAS SUNDAY
9:45 AM THIRD HOUR
10 AM DIVINE LITURGY
11:30 AM PARISH THOMAS SUNDAY POTLUCK LUNCHEON

Holy Week and Bright Week Schedule 2014Read More

The announcements have been in our bulletin, in the Parma Eparchy‘s Horizons newspaper and on Catholic radio. We ask that you spread the word that the icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa is coming to our parish during Bright Week that follows Pascha (Easter.) It will be at St. Athanasius the Great parish in Indianapolis from Wednesday, April 23rd through Friday, April 25th. See the flyer for the detailed schedule since it will be at a few locations during those 3 days. Plan to come to the many services Father Eyman will be celebrating.
Human Life International is sponsoring the “Ocean to Ocean Pilgrimage” in defense of life. Their website is tracking where the icon has been and where it’s going during the tour throughout North America.

Our Lady of Czestochowa icon upcoming visitRead More

Karibu………..Karibu sana  by Judith Ernst, parishioner
The members of St. Athanasius the Great Byzantine Catholic Church (St. As), Indianapolis, Indiana welcomed Miriam Jemeli Kosgei, from Kenya, this past January 31-February 2 when she was visiting Judy Ernst.  It was a trip of “firsts” for Miriam…..first time in the USA, first time to worship in a Byzantine Catholic Church, first time to experience snow as we know it in the mid-west, first time cooking for a group of hungry Hoosiers.

 
Yes, Miriam provided a Kenyan feast after the Divine Liturgy on both Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Everyone enjoyed the simple, yet very fresh, homemade meal that is the mainstay of Kenyan households.  The menu included pinto beans, ndengu (pronounced “deng – oo”), chapatti (pronounced cha-pa-ti), rice, fried cabbage and a fruit salad of mangos, bananas, and pineapple.
 
 

Miriam started cooking in the St. A’s kitchen on Friday making the chapatti, the Kenyan version of a flour tortilla, and soaking the beans.
She returned on Saturday to boil the beans and then stir fry them in olive oil with sautéed onions, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, sweet green peppers and a sprinkle of chumvi (choom-vi) also known as salt.   The ndengu, a small green legume, native to Kenya, were prepared in a like manner.  Both received the secret ingredient that is traditional to Kenyan cuisine; a blend of spices spiked with coriander and cardamom.

The cabbage was also sautéed in olive oil with onions, tomatoes, carrots, sweet green peppers, pepper and chumvi.  The secret to cabbage (Kenyan style) is the very finely cut vegetables, only a trace of oil and final preparation just prior to serving.  The chapatti were warmed, rolled and cut in half, on a diagonal, and used like a spoon to scoop up the legumes and cabbage when eating.  Eating without utensils is the traditional and most sanitary way to eat in rural Kenya as long as one’s hands are clean.

After our meal on Sunday, Miriam joined St. A’s parishioners in listening to the Liturgy and Life Presentation by Very Rev. Protopresbyter Bryan R. Eyman, Pastor.  Before she left St. A’s, Miriam thanked all for the opportunity to cook for everyone.  In Swahili that is “asante sana” (a-sa-n-tae  sa- na) or thank you very much.  She also invited parishioners to visit her in Kenya.
Judy met Miriam about 8 years ago while doing work in Kenya as a nutrition researcher and also volunteer work for Cherish Our Children International (COCI-pronounced “KOSI”).  Over the years, Miriam has hosted Judy in her home and cooked her a similar Kenyan meal numerous times during her visits.  This past year in April, 2013, Miriam became the first international member of the Board of Directors of COCI and she and Judy, also a Board member, split the cost of her ticket to travel to the board meeting held in Houston, Texas in January.  COCI, a 501c3 organization committed to “Creating Brighter Futures for the World’s Most Vulnerable Children” celebrated in September of this year, 20 years of changing lives of the world’s most vulnerable children living in desperate situations.  COCI supports a number of projects all over the world in which Kenya is one of them. Other countries include Serbia, Bosnia, Mexico and the United States. Miriam attended her first COCI Board meeting in Serbia in June, 2013 and met the children whose lives are impacted by COCI.
COCI has been in Kenya since 2000. Efforts there include the establishment of Children First Organization (CFO) a NGO that supported 17 orphans in Kisumu, the building of a pre-school with a capacity of 100 vulnerable children in Nyalenda slums in Kisumu which provided not only education, but also nutrition and medical care to the children, and supported 51 vulnerable children through an Outreach Program in Bondo.  COCI expanded its efforts in Kenya in 2012 and now supports an SOS house, House No.3, in the new Kisumu SOS Village. The house like all other houses in the village has a capacity of 10 children. There are currently 8 children in house No. 3, two more are expected at any time to fill the remaining capacity. COCI fully supports the approach taken by SOS to provide a ‘mama’ in every house. Indeed it is impressive to know that ‘mamas’ remain mothers to these children throughout their lives.
During her board membership thus far, Miriam has spearheaded the development of COCI-Kenya, a newly forming NGO in Kenya that will allow Kenyan support for the Kenyan projects and programs.  Miriam has established a COCI-Kenya Board of Directors and they have begun fundraising for the children in House No. 3 in the Kisumu SOS Village.  When Miriam is not volunteering her time, she solves communication problems as an engineer for the leading internet provider in Kenya.
Judy shares “It was not until my third trip to Kenya that the light bulb went off in my head and I realized that Karibu pronounced (car-i-boo) has two meanings in Swahili.  When one enters a home in Kenya, the host’s greeting is “karibu” which means “welcome….please enter my house”.  Alternatively when one is thanked for a kindness extended, (asante in Swahili), the response is also “karibu” which means “you are welcome”.  When someone says “asante sana” or “thank you very much” the response is “karibu sana” or “you are most welcome”.   Karibu, in both contexts, were extended to Miriam.”  First we welcomed her into our Temple and our Fellowship Hall and second we extended our “you are very welcome” (karibu sana) when she thanked us for allowing her to worship with us and to cook for us.  Miriam mentioned that the highlight of her first trip to the US was the hospitality that she experienced at St. Athanasius and the opportunity to prepare a meal that everyone enjoyed eating.

Miriam Jemeli Kosgei visits St. Athanasius ParishRead More

This morning, at 10 a.m., Catholic Radio 89.1’s “Faith in Action”  program broadcast the interview with Father Eyman, our pastor, and Eric Slaughter of Indy’s Pro-Life Ministry. They are promoting the upcoming Tour of the Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa to Indianapolis, which will be on display at our parish, Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral and Our Lady of All Who Sorrows. Also Father Bryan was discussing his vocation story, the differences in The Great Fast vs. Lent, the use of icons vs. statues and more.
The “Faith in Action” radio show is heard Mondays and Fridays at 10 AM, Tuesday and Thursday at 4 PM, and Saturday at 9 AM. You can listen to the first of two interviews online later this week and the 2^nd interview during  week of April 7 here at those times. In Indianapolis area you can listen to Catholic Radio on 89.1 and 90.0 FM.
4/2/2014: Podcasts of 1st interview and 2nd interview are now available.

Father Bryan R. Eyman on Catholic Radio – week of March 24 and April 7Read More

Cheesefare Sunday is March 2, 2014. On the previous evening both Vespers and Divine Liturgy will celebrated at St. Athanasius the Great parish at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, 2014. We welcome the singing group Laetare who will be singing the responses to the prayers being offered by our pastor, Father Bryan Eyman during this combined liturgical service.
Laetare is a vocal ensemble based in Bloomington, Indiana, and dedicated to the enrichment of liturgical life. Laetare take their name (which means, “Rejoice!”) from the introit for the fourth Sunday of Lent.
Please come and join us as we worship God in the Byzantine Catholic tradition. All are welcome. Invite your family and friends.
2014-Mar-1 Cheesefare Vespers Liturgy flyer

Vespers and Divine Liturgy for Cheesefare – March 1, 2014Read More

At 5 p.m. on Christmas eve the parish will be celebrating Holy Supper in the parish hall.  For a description of some of the traditions, menu and recipes see the following pamphlet from the Greek Catholic Union:
Christmas Eve in the Carpathian Highlands
Following the non-meat Holy Supper everyone is expected to attend the beautiful Great Compline & Lityja service at 8 p.m.
On Christmas day the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Nativity of our Lord will be celebrated following the short 9:45 a.m. Third Hour service.
Come and join us at all these events. Everyone is welcome.
The Christmas greeting is: “Christ is Born!” response: “Glorify Him!”

Holy Supper – December 24, 2013Read More

Some customers couldn’t make it to last Saturday’s bake sale because of the snow/sleet/rain weather.  So we’ve extended the sale to Saturday December 21, 2013 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

So on the 21st you can still come and decorate your own cookies – a great activity for children and the kids in all of us.
Both sugar and ginger cookies are available to decorate yourself. You also have an option to decorate sugar & ginger cookies made with gluten free flour – until supplies last.
If you call in advance you may be able to purchase our cookies and baked goods during the week. Call 317-632-4157 to arrange a pick-up.
We’ve already had one customer buy a second 16″ party tray of cookies after the first one, bought 2 days earlier, was such a success. These make great gifts and many people have taken them to work parties.
Thank you for your patronage.

Christmas Cookie & More Bake Sale – December 21, 2013Read More

— Updated 12/9/2013
Friends and parishioners have been working hard to make Christmas cookies for your Christmas holiday season. If you need help with your hectic holiday baking we’ve done the work for you.

The sale is being held in the parish hall (just behind the rectory) on Saturday, 12/14/2013, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. You’re invited. Children will be able to decorate their own cookie(s) in the hall during the event. Each cookie to be decorated is only $1. More pictures are coming soon.
We’re already selling plates, bags, 1 dozen trays and 72 piece trays of cookies at the church and at the Carmel and Binford markets. You can still pick up baked goods at the church any day from 9:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. – just call ahead to make sure someone will be here to help you.
These are the colorful and tasty cookies made so far: Peanut Butter Blossoms, Mexican Wedding Cakes, Haystacks, Santa Whiskers, Chocolate-dipped Apricots, Kolachy (apricot, walnut, poppy seed, raspberry, lekvar, cherry, lemon), Sugar cookies, Chocolate Chip cookies (some with sugar and others made with Splenda), Chocolate Carmel Buttons (with either M&M, pecan or walnut topping), gingerbread cookies, decorated chocolate-covered pretzel sticks. Also made with gluten free flour: Almond Cresents, No-bake cookie dough dipped in chocolate, sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, and Mint Wafers. Please note that we are not a gluten free facility. Wheat flour is used in our kitchen. We try to keep one mixer and trays set aside for gluten free products but if your super sensitive to gluten then you should not use our cookies. We still encourage you to buy our cookies for someone else who doesn’t have gluten intolerance. They make great colorful, eye-popping gifts. (You can see them grinning from ear-to-ear already, can’t you?)
Our absolutely yummy pumpkin rolls are made with 2013 harvested pumpkins that we’ve pureed ourselves. Made with only 10 ingredients – unlike the grocery store version with close to 30 ingredients with all those preservatives. That’s why someone commented that our pumpkin logs were the “Cadillac of pumpkin rolls.” In late November we made some pumpkin logs with Splenda for those watching their calories. Over Thanksgiving weekend they were given a hearty “Thumbs-Up” by families in Ohio and Indiana. So we’re making more for our customers.
We encourage you to pre-order Christmas cookies and baked goods prior to Wednesday December 11th to be assured your selections aren’t already sold or give us a chance to make more. Call 317-632-4157. Oh, BTW, our other baked goods of nut & poppy seed potica rolls (and other flavors), kolachy, biscotti, pizzelles, pumpkin rolls, herbal bread and “Wonderful Waffles” will also be available until we run out.
Here is our 2013 Christmas cookie flyer. Thanks for dropping by.

Christmas Cookie and Bakery Sale – December 14, 2013Read More