Category Archives: Churches

Maxo Vanka Murals

Maxo Vanka Murals & St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale

Today’s preservation month post is inspired by the Millvale Musical Festival, which is happening on Saturday, May 13. Millvale continues to gain popularity as a destination for breweries, music, community projects and some impressive community events. If you are headed to Millvale then you need to know about the Maxo Vanka murals, which might be one of the best kept secrets in Pittsburgh.

If you are headed to Millvale for the music festival, you might want to take a little break to check these unique works of art. Even if you are not headed to the music festivals, the Maxo Vanka murals are worth an hour of your Saturday. More details on visiting the murals below.

Photo credit: St. Nicholas Church website.

From Route 28, St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic church looks like an unassuming church building that is tucked away on the bluff. Inside the church, the decor is anything but ordinary, the walls of the church are covered with 25 murals by the artist Maxo Vanka. What makes these church murals unique are the political statements found in several of the scenes. The Maxo Vanka murals have been compared to the works of Mexican muralist Diego Rivera and some of the murals of the Works Progress Administration artists.

Maxo Vanka Murals

Croatian Mother Raises Her Son for War, Maxo Vanka, 1937. Photo credit: Society to Preserve Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka.

All of the murals can be viewed online here.

The other unique thing about the murals is that they have their own nonprofit that works to preserve, restore and promote the murals to an audience outside of the congregation. The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka was founded in 1991 and has worked to put the murals on the National Register of Historic Places.

If you are interested in learning more, start with the SPMMMV website at vankomurals.org.

Pittsburgh filmmaker Kenneth Love made a documentary about the murals in 2012, “Maxo Vanka’s Masterpiece: The Murals at St. Nicholas Church”. You can purchase a DVD of the documentary from the church.

Visiting the Maxo Vanka Murals

Docent led tours are held every Saturday at 11am, Noon and 1pm. Tours last about an hour. Note that tours may be cancelled or postponed due to parish activities. It is recommended that you register in advance for tours. Private tours are available on request.  If you are visiting Pittsburgh on a weekday, be sure to reach out for a tour or if the church is open, you should be able to stop by and see the murals in person.

More information on the VankaMurals.org website. The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka is also on Facebook.

WPA Murals in San Francisco’s Coit Tower

Detail of one of the murals in Coit Tower.

Last November, I had the good fortune to visit San Francisco. San Francisco has a nonprofit, SF City Guides, that offers free walking tours of a variety of places around the city. Since it was raining we opted for the indoor tour of Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. If you enjoyed seeing the murals of Maxo Vanka, I highly recommend a visit to Coit Tower to see the fresco murals from the Works Progress Administration artists. The skill of the fresco artists is impressive and these murals also contain many political messages.

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Merry Christmas! A Guide to Orthodox Christmas Services in Pittsburgh

I have been feeling like Christmas went past too fast this year. I didn’t get to look at enough trees or holiday lights and I am still listening to the Christmas station on Pandora. I just posted a photo from New Years Eve to the IheartPGH Instagram account and realized I had not posted any holiday photos of Pittsburgh at Christmas since December 12. I was trying to capture a panorama of the perfectly Pittsburgh scene at Pennsylvania Macaroni Co, and happened to snap a guy wearing a Santa hat in the photo.

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Thankfully for me, there are a few more days left to celebrate the holiday season. While I was raised Presbyterian in Sq. Hill. My fathers side of the family is Ukranian Orthodox from McKees Rocks. As a kid, I thought this was the best thing ever because I got to celebrate Christmas and open presents in both December and January.  My fathers side of the family still celebrates Russian Christmas, but now on the Saturday that is most convenient for everyone to get together.

I have become more and more interested in local churches and church services. These church buildings are beautiful structures that are steeped with Pittsburgh history and the filled with stories of the people who have been worshipping there. Each year the Post-Gazette writes an article about Orthodox Christmas and every January 7th, I read the article I pledge to attend a service the following year. Yesterday, I remembered that it wasn’t quite yet the 12th day of Christmas and started searching for a Christmas service to attend.  It turns out, and I suppose this is telling sign of change in this city, it is not easy to find out the time and location of these Orthodox Christmas services.  The churches that hold these services are not necessarily the ones that posting weekly updates on Twitter and Facebook.

One of the things I have learned from blogging about the ‘burgh is that I am probably not the only one searching for this information. Thankfully there is a very comprehensive list of Pittsburgh Orthodox Churches at PittsburghOrthodox.com. I don’t know anything about who put this site together, but I am thankful for this list. I rather enjoyed visiting the websites for these churches.  There is some impressive architecture and iconography to see. I am also eager to learn more about this tradition of burning of the Yule log. I am hoping I can make it to one of these services tomorrow.

Pittsburgh Area Orthodox Christmas Services

Pittsburgh-orthodox-chirstmas-services

Photo Credit: St. Nicholas McKees Rock Facebook Page

I read all of the past articles about Orthodox Christmas and I visited each of the websites for the churches on the PittsburghOrthodox.com list and here are the Christmas Services I could find. There are many more churches that don’t have websites, so I suspect this is only a partial list, but it is a start. If you know of any other services, please leave the details in the comments below.

Carnegie

St. Peter & St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church

220 Mansfield Boulevard- Carnegie, PA 15106

 Wednesday, January 6, 2016

  • 6:00pm Sviate Vechir dinner
  • 8:00 pm Nativity Eve Service

Thursday, January 7, 2016

  • 10:00 am Nativity Day Service

Monday, January 18, 2016

  • 6:00pm Theophany dinner
  • 8:00pm Grand Compline Theophany Eve Service

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

  • 10:00am Liturgy for Theophany
Homestead St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Homestead
903 Ann St., Homestead, PA 15120Phone:  412-461-3264 (rectory);  412-804-8865 (mobile)
Services for the Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas):
  • Wednesday, January 6, 8pm – Vigil of the Nativity Service (Choir to sing Christmas carols starting at 7:30pm)
  • Thursday, January 7, 9:30am – Divine Liturgy for the Nativity of Our Lord (Choir to sing carols at 9am)
McKeesport

Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary Russian Orthodox Church

330 Shaw Avenue, McKeesport, PA 15132

  mckeesport-orthodox
Whitehall
450 Maxwell Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
412-882-3900
info@htsoc.com
 Wednesday, January 6, 2016 – Christmas Eve
5:00 P.M. – Cutting of the Badnjak at the Picnic Grounds on Hamilton Road.
7:30 P.M. – Blessing and Burning of the Yule Log.
9:00 P.M. – VIGIL SERVICES

Thursday, January 7, 2016

10:00 am – CHRISTMAS – NATIVITY OF OUR LORD – DIVINE LITURGY

Saturday, January 9, 2016 

10:00 am – ST. STEPHEN ARCHDEACON, PROTOMARTYR, DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:00 A.M.
Monroeville
2110 Haymaker Road, Monroeville, Pa
 Wednesday January 6,

  • Badnje Vece in the spirit of celebrating Christmas Eve. All are invited.
  • The badnjak will be lit at 9:00PM followed shortly by the Yule Log Ceremony.
  • Christmas Matins begin at 10:00PM and all are encouraged to stay.

(Confession begins at 8:30PM on the 6th for those planning on takling Holy Communion on January 7th during Christmas Day Divine Liturgy starting at 10:00AM.)
Aliquippa
St. Elijah Serbian Orthodox Church
1198 22nd St, Aliquippa, PA 15001
Facebook page

Complete Holiday Schedule is available here.

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

  • 3:30 pm – line up for Yule Log
  • 4:00 pm – Cutting of the Yule Log
  • 4:30 pm – Children’s Program
  • 10:00 pm – Christmas Eve Vigil

 

Other Orthodox Events of Interest

I found this event on the website for Saint Anthony Orthodox Church in Butler and thought it was interesting that they are doing a service at Lake Arthur.

Sunday, 10 January, 1:30 pm: Outdoor Blessing of the Waters. After Divine Liturgy, we will gather at Lake Arthur in Moraine State Park, joining the parishes of Sts Peter and Paul and St Andrew, as well as the nuns at Transfiguration Monastery. The blessing of waters will “expand” our celebration of the Lord’s Baptism by bringing the blessing of the Jordan to all of creation.

Past Articles & Photos about Orthodox Christmas in Pittsburgh

Iheart PGH readers, Blogging and Unwrapping Holiday Shopping at the Union Project on Saturday

stained glass windows at the Union ProjectImage by artnoose via FlickrJust a reminder that tomorrow, Saturday Nov. 22, 2008 is Unwrapped at the Union Project. Unwrapped is the Union Project’s Annual Fundraiser Holiday Party . I have been helping out with the event and I helped to set up a blog to show off some of the amazing silent and live auction items for the event. Check out the snazzy website at UnionProjectUnwrapped.com.
I also wanted to post a follow up on this event because I wanted to say thank you to the IheartPGH readers who responded to my post and twitter about donating something for the silent auction.

Continue reading →

Art Meet Farm: Saturday in Sewickley

Tomorrow, Saturday, Sewickley will be offering up all things I love in Pittsburgh.  An art show and farmers market, as well as a separate flea market/children’s festival.

The Sewickley Farm Show Art Exhibit Opening Reception will take place tomorrow from 10am – 5pm at the Sewickley Gallery and Frame Shop, 549 Beaver Street.

Ten local artists were assigned to ten local farms

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to create new work inspired by the landscape, the families and the food of our farming community.  And stroll down to St. James Parish Farmers Market on September 6th for local food sampling and plenty of fall familiy activities.  

 

Also going on is Day on the Lawn: A Day for Missions, Family Festival and Sale at the Sewickley Presbyterian Church, 414 Grant Street, Sewickley, PA 15143

Saturday, September 6, 2008

tpcslogo.gif 10AM – 3 PMRain or Shine!

Household goods, Books, Electronics, Jewelry, Toys, Furniture, Antiques, Sporting Goods, Plants and more for sale!

Food concessions, homemade baked goods and deli

Children’s Activities – Petting Zoo & Pony Rides 

 

10:30 AM – 1:30 PM 

 

Author Lecture: Timothy Keller, The Reason For God

While I heart PGH is happy to answer lots of questions about Pittsburgh – questions like the reason for pierogi are more what this website is about. The Reason for God is a book and this event came to me from a Pittsburgh native and a good friend who is working on the publicity for the event. She only send me the best of the best in books and events so it comes with a major recommendation. The CCO is a great organization also based in Pittsburgh that helps to connect students and churches. More info about this event and the CCO is available here.

The CCO Presents An Evening with Timothy Keller, author of “The Reason for God”

When: Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA*
Cost: Open to the public and free of charge

Doubting your doubts?
Why does God allow suffering in the world? How could a loving God send people to Hell? Why isn’t Christianity more inclusive? How can one religion be “right” and the others “wrong”? Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God?

If you or your friends ever struggled with any of these questions, you won’t want to miss this event.

As the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, Timothy Keller has compiled a list of the most frequently voiced doubts skeptics bring to his church as well as the most important reasons for faith. His book, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, peaked at #6 on the New York Times Bestseller List. In his book, Dr. Keller “addresses each doubt and explains each reason, using literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and reasoning to explain how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth.”

Join the CCO in welcoming Dr. Timothy Keller to the Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland, situated between the campuses of Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 22, 2008. The event is free of charge, so bring your friends—skeptics, believers, cynics, and doubters alike!

For more information about this event, please contact Scott Calgaro, Director of Conferences & Events, CCO (scalgaro@ccojubilee.org or 412.363.3303 x109).

***

Dr. Timothy Keller attended Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He was ordained by the Presbyterian Church of America and served as a pastor in Virginia for nine years, while also serving as director for church planting for the mid-Atlantic region. As the founder of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, he started his congregation with a few dozen people in 1989. It now draws over five thousand weekly attendees who meet in three Manhattan locations. Redeemer has begun a movement of church planting across America and throughout major world cities. Many pastors model their churches on Redeemer and Keller’s thoughtful style of preaching. Dr. Keller lives in New York City with his wife and sons. For more information, visit www.redeemer.com.