Special Mass

Special Mass
BOARDMAN -- Myrna Nazzour returns to St. Mary's Byzantine Catholic Church when Bishop John Michael Botean of the Romanian Catholic Diocese of Canton celebrates the Divine Liturgy at 4 p.m. Aug. 25 at the church.
In 1996, hundreds of people gathered at the church in the hope of witnessing the oozing of pure olive oil from the hands of Nazzour.
At the end of the service, all who wished to be were anointed with the oil. The phenomenon of the oil began in 1982 in the Christian quarter of Soufanieh in Damascus, Syria. An icon of the Virgin Mary has also exuded olive oil and has come to be called Our Lady of Damascus or Our Lady of Soufanieh. St. Mary's has an outdoor shrine dedicated to the Holy Virgin under this title.
Nazzour also bears the wounds of Christ's crucifixion, and through apparitions of the Virgin and visions of Jesus, she receives messages that she shares.
The messages that Nazzour receives during her ecstasies are in full harmony with the Gospels, and many emphasize the unity of the Church, especially between East and West.
The last three times that Nazzour experienced the stigmata have been when Catholics and Orthodox have celebrated Easter on the same day.
For more information about the visit or Our Lady of Soufanieh, contact the pastor of St. Mary's, the Rev. George D. Gage at (330) 726-8573.
Men's day service
CAMPBELL -- The men's day service at 4 p.m. Aug. 25 in Mount Moriah F.B.H. Church will have the theme "Be a God-Man!"
The speakers include Clarence Anderson of Soul Saving Station, Bre Boudrey of Union Baptist Church, Kenneth Brown of New Hope Baptist Church, Sam Caffey of Beulah Temple United Holiness Church, James Eiland of Prayer Tower C.O.G.I.C., Robert Fryson of New Bethel Baptist Church and Leon Robinson of Mount Moriah House of Prayer.
Women's day speaker
YOUNGSTOWN -- The women's day speaker at Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church at 10:45 a.m. Aug. 25 will be Evelyn Burton, who retired after teaching kindergarten for 35 years in Cleveland. She served 12 years as president of the Ohio Baptist State Convention women's auxiliary. She's the wife of the Rev. Ralph Burton, who is pastor of Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church in Struthers.
Director appointed
YOUNGSTOWN -- Melinda Knight was appointed the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown's director of pro-life activities by Bishop Thomas J. Tobin effective Aug. 1. Her duties include providing information and educational opportunities to Catholic parishes, groups, schools and the general community on pro-life teachings of the Catholic Church, and coordinating the Human Life Guild and its activities.
Knight holds a master's degree from Ohio State University and a bachelor's degree in secondary education from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa. She is a member of St. Dominic Parish in Youngstown, where she serves as catechist and lector. She is a member of Westminster College's board of trustees, council president of Boardman Schools Parents' Association and secretary of the Junior League of Youngstown.
84th anniversary
STRUTHERS -- St. John A.M.E. Church will celebrate its 84th anniversary at 4 p.m. Aug. 25. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Wesley I. Reid of Lee Memorial A.M.E. Church in Cleveland.
Gospel play set
NILES -- Transformation Entertainment-One Accord Production of Austintown will present the Gospel play, "I Feel It Deep Down In My Soul," at 8 p.m. Aug. 28 in Pleasant Valley Evangelical Church in Niles.
The play features Eddie Howard and songs from his new CD, "The Word," and vocalist Deborah "Debbee" Dangerfield. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for children and $12 for senior citizens. For further information, call (330) 792-3505.