Zima Winter Invierno L'hiver

 St. Vladimir Parma, Friday 18 January 2019

I figured that because this part of January is the coldest time of the year here, it would also be across the country; but, no. January 19, 1994 it was -20°F in Cleveland. I decided i wasn't going to work, i was working at the baseball park. To schedule events now is foolhardy.

                                                 from Casimir the Cat Weather Bureau:
With the upcoming storm this weekend, Casimir is nervously preparing for his Feb. 2 forecast. Many of you will recall that Casimir’s prediction was right on the money again last year as we endured a brutal April. His words were simply: “Sorry, you’ll be Freezing your Whiskers off for weeks to Come”. Casimir still batting 100%. Remember Casimir makes his forecast at High Noon on Feb. 2. He has the brains to sleep in not like that varmint in Pennsylvania. Look for the news release about 12:30pm that day.  

Wishing you many happy pierogi dinners followed by paczki for desert,
                                             —John Niedzialek

John is perhaps the most fervent member of St. Casimir Cleveland. When the Homecoming Mass, the 14oᵗʰ week after the attempt of episcopal extinction, arrived a street kitten was found.  John named the cat, Casimir. John teaches at Lakeland Community College and had been giving weather forecasts with his cat, Abby, on February 2nd. Casimir inherited the duties. [click]

But here, in the Middle West and the North East, now is generally the coldest days of the year. A polar vortex, or air blowing in from Siberia, would make it worse. Monday is the MLKing Jr. holiday, and several cultural institutions around Cleveland (and elsewhere) have scheduled events, and museums have free admission. The weather makes leaving the home not so cheery.

In the bottom part of the mural is the Baptism of the (Kievan) Rus nation in 988. The holy day on the 19th is also the baptism of Jesus. Some places in the old country people go for a dip outside, sometimes a hole has to be cut in the ice. The cross is a better idea, if you are not in Greece or somewhere warm.

finished

group picture

time to go home

Now, on the Julian calendar, January 19ᵗʰ is the Theophany/Epiphany/Baptism of Jesus. St. Vladimir Ukrainian Orthodox in Parma erects an ice cross. To-day's the 18ᵗʰ and the waters have been blessed, and for the 34ᵗʰ time the parish's cross has been made. [click, and click] Some years the timing goes perfectly for the weather.  Sometimes, in the old country the ice is stained with beet juice. The cross is red, this has not been done in Parma. I asked Fr. John, where else in America do they do this. At one time, Maplewood New Jersey, but not now.