Monasteries: suggestions?

[Father Anthony]

Greetings all on the eve of the Great Fast!

I am in the beginning of a personal project in collaboration with one other individual. We are setting about photographing and compiling video footage for a documentary on Orthodox Monasticism in the US. We are doing this because we find that those within the church and those outside have some very strange concepts as to what a monastic is, and the role of monasticism in the Orthodox Church. So far on out planning we have some of the big names of communities, i.e. Holy Trinity, some of the communities (male & female) under Elder Ephriem, etc.

I am looking for other suggestions as to locations, and if possible some your reflections of your experiences at these monastic communities.

I look forward to your replies and suggestions.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Andrew]

Saint Michael's Skete (OCA) in Canones, New Mexico
Saint Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania
Saint Herman of Alaska Monastery, Platina, CA
Holy Archangels Monastery, Kendalia, TX (of these, this is the only one I've been to)

[Herman Blaydoe]

Transfiguration Monastery in Ellwood City, PA is quite popular.

Mercy House (MP) in New York City is worthy of note in that they run an inner city homeless shelter.

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

Greetings all on the eve of the Great Fast!

I am in the beginning of a personal project in collaboration with one other individual. We are setting about photographing and compiling video footage for a documentary on Orthodox Monasticism in the US. We are doing this because we find that those within the church and those outside have some very strange concepts as to what a monastic is, and the role of monasticism in the Orthodox Church. So far on out planning we have some of the big names of communities, i.e. Holy Trinity, some of the communities (male & female) under Elder Ephriem, etc.

I am looking for other suggestions as to locations, and if possible some your reflections of your experiences at these monastic communities.

I look forward to your replies and suggestions.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Dear Father,

Bless

St. Issac of Syria Skete, Boscobel, Wisconsin (highly recommended by a close friend).

What about the frozen North (Canada)?! We have some wonderful Sketes - you will need snow shoes though (just joking).

Also I have heard good reports on Fr. Ambrose's (formerly Fr. Alexi) Monastery, though I do not know where it is.

May our Lord bless such a worthy undertaking.

[Maria Mahoney]

Dear Fr. Anthony,

The Theotokos, Llife-giving Springs Convent in Dunlap, CA is heaven on earth... Although, I am not sure that Mother Markella would be happy about me suggesting it.

St. Paisius Convent in Safford AZ is also VERY wonderful.

St. Anthony's in AZ is a must.

[Macarius]

If you wish to inclue OO Monasteries, I recommend St. Mary and St. Moses Abbey in Corpus Christi, Texas. We also have St. Anthony Monastery in Barstow, California.

[Father Anthony]

Thank you everyone and please keep the suggestions coming. Some of these are on the list and some may need to be considered.

As far as the frozen North of Canada :), since this project is being funded between myself and and my collaborator, we are not tight on funds but travel across the border with professional photo and video equipment does entail some extra expenses. If it can be worked out in our budget, they will be considered.

We are trying to do a nice sampling of different communities, large and small, male and female, and of various traditions. We know that it will be certainly impossible to cover all the monastic communities in the next 18 months (the time span of the expected photo and video work before editing and post production), so we are trying to gain a representative gathering.

Again thank you all for your suggestions to date, and i hope you also realze why I have asked for some of your experiences also.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Father Anthony wrote:


As far as the frozen North of Canada :), since this project is being funded between myself and and my collaborator, we are not tight on funds but travel across the border with professional photo and video equipment does entail some extra expenses. If it can be worked out in our budge, they will be considered.

Not far from Bluffton, Alberta ( that's about 1 1/2 hours drive south of Edmonton) is the small women's Pokrov monastery. This is one of the holiest places in North America and a real entryway into paradise.

But absolutely a person would want to phone a few weeks or so before planning on a visit.

In Christ- Fr Raphael

[Father David Moser]

I'll second Fr Raphael's mention of Pokrov in Alberta.

Also you might wish to consider Holy Cross Skete in Wayne WVa and All Merciful Savoir Monastery on Vashon Island in Seattle WA. Both men's monasteries, both basically convert operations.

Fr David Moser

[Robert Hegwood]

Isn't there a monastery on Spuce Isand near where St. Herman reposed?

[Father Anthony]

Everyone,

Believe me, I am taking some notes on your suggestions and will discussing it with my collaborator via Skype.

As for the monastery or skete in Alberta, if you PM me with contact information I am more than willing to consider it. We seem to have have listed mostly communities on both the East and west Coasts and the southern part of US. Any recommendations for any monastic communities in mid-America? Any possibilities of communities that are not of the Russian or Greek tradition?

As far as Spruce Island, there was a community there at one point, but I have not heard anything about it in a few years.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Father Anthony]

Also if anyone is interested, I have two galleries on line of the raw photo images tat I shot at the beginning of the month at Holy Protection Monastery in Weatherly PA. One gallery is the complete raw image library from the shoot (97 photos) and the second is the photos (13 chosen) that are in consideration for inclusion in the documentary.

If you interested in viewing them, I would ask that you send me a Private Message with your email address so that I can send the link to the gallery site. I am a photographer and graphic artist by trade that actually applies these skills as part of my work for the Greek Archdiocese of America.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Paul Cowan]

Father Bless;
Please also consider the St. Paraskevi convent in Washington Texas. It is only 3 years old or so. Someone else has already mentioned Holy Archangels in Kendalia TX.

Paul

[Maria Mahoney]

Dear Fr. Anthony,

St. Paisius in Safford, AZ is Serbian.

There is a book that lists all the monastic communities in North America. I will send you the title and ISBN tomorrow... if I can remember where I put it. Also, I will e-mail you my experiences... they were all quite wonderful! :)))

[Father Anthony]

Thank you Maria for the suggestion of the book. In many cases the information is old and with some new communities that are in formation it is out of date. This would include the contact information and in some cases locations. The monastery I shot at earlier this month had only recently located to their present location from another. The address and directions listed in publications was out of date and I could have lost precious time in trying to find the monastery. Also in a few instances above some communities named, have been some communities that where not even in consideration. Now they may be considered, and after speaking to one poster via PM, I might be expanding the scope to include a community outside of the territory of the continental US.

I am asking for recommendations only because the list can be endless and when planning on a project like this, we are trying to get a good representational sampling of communities as not to be redundant. Each community offers something different in ethos, and we are trying to capture this uniqueness by the communities that will be shown. Certain parts of the documentary will incorporate the common virtues of these communities such as prayer and services, but what is unique is that each has its own witness while being true to the ideal of monastic life. This is what I am trying to bring out and educate the faithful and those outside the church about. Also anecdotal information could possibly help in forming some questions or reflections that can be used in interviews or the narration.

Many have some strange misconceptions, only because their exposure to monasticism has been non-existent or extremely limited. Monastic communities are a wonderful resource for the church and world as a whole, and this one of the major points that will be attempted to be brought out.

Again thank you for the offer. It is late right now and I do have to be up early to serve in the morning.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Maria Mahoney]

1996

The very first monastery I visited was the Protection of the Holy Veil of the Theotokos Convent in Colorado. At that time Mother Kassiani and Mother Thaisia were the only nuns. They were both from a convent of about 400 nuns in Romania. Mother Kassiani wrote a book called: Come Follow Me, about the monastic tradition in Romania. The convent also published a monthly periodical called: The Veil.

The convent was located in a national forest in Lake George, CO. The convent was in the process of building a chapel when I visited. Mother Kassiana and Mother Thaisia offered me hospitality in allowing me to share meals with them. We said Vespers together in the living room, and then I retired to sleep. Mother Kassiani let me know that we would be having Orthros at 4 a.m., I was surprised that they would be up so early praying. Later, I was able to talk with Mother Kassiani about the Orthodox understanding of the heart...but at that time I was very green, spiritually speaking. :)))

1997

The second monastic community that I visited was St. Michael's Skete in Canones, NM. Fr. Andrew is the Abbot there and Fr. John is the Hieromonk. Fr. John was not yet there when I visited. It was a very small community, I think there were three monks. There was a little house, another building with a small chapel, and a third building for making candles. They were in the process of building the Church, which has since been completed, and is quite nice from what I hear. My Community of St. Elias the Prophet made arrangements to go to the Skete for services and a picnic. We celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the not yet completed church building; followed by a picnic.

About a year later, the three monks were traveling together and there was a terrible car accident - Fr. Andrew was the only survivor. He was in a coma for some time. Mother Kassiani and the sisterhood cared for him at the convent in Colorado while he was recovering.

Once he was better, he returned to the Skete. He often would attend services at Holy Trinity in Santa Fe. Benefactors from that community have contributed to the Skete and it has been built up. I have not visited though. Fr. Andrew would come to our Parish sometimes, and the Hieromonk Fr.John was elevated to the Priesthood at our Church of St. Elias the Prophet.

January 1998

I went to St. Anthony's Monastery in Florence AZ! It was - Unbelievable! Overwhelming! Fantastic!

A couple of years ago Fr. Anthony (Moschonas) was on a hill in the desert praying at night, when suddenly he heard bells and St. Anthony appeared to him and told him to build a monastery on that site. Money was given to buy the land and the monastery was built!

On the way to the monastery, I continued to read my book - A Different Christianity by Robin Amis - when I took up my reading, I was exactly at the description of a vigil that he had witnessed on Mt. Athos... I didn't know that I would be seeing everything that he described re-enacted that night for the vigil of the Feast of St. Anthony. It would be the first time that I ever experienced anything like that!

I arrived at the monastery gates at 2pm and was greeted by the Gatekeeper - Fr. Vladimir, whom I had met in Santa Fe. He offered me hospitality - water and sweets; and told me where I would be staying. I entered into the inner monastery grounds and what I saw took my breath away! Water fountains (in the middle of the desert) flowing with water, a beautiful natural well under a dome, a huge church built with red and pink brick, beautiful landscaping, it was definitely a fit tribute of love to the King of All!

When I went into the Church I was filled with awe - it was just too beautiful and too overwhelming! The icons were large and beautifully depicted. Many icons of St. Anthony the Great and St. Nectarios are everywhere. In the church, they are on the two central support columns. There are two special icons painted especially for the monastery in what is termed "Arizona" style - they are, Jesus the King and the Theotokos. Then of course the beautiful chandeliers! The central one is 20 feet in diameter, with a small one in the center of it and four more in cruciform position to the central chandelier. They did not have electric lights, instead they were adorned with hundreds of candles made of beeswax! The walls were inlaid with gold and made of rose marble. The floors were covered with Persian carpets. I stood there for some time - transported to that other world and felt great peace. A monk was busy taking down oil lamps, lighting them, and hanging them back up.


Everyone was waiting for the arrival of Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco. Archbishop Anthony arrived and everyone greeted him at the gates with the staff, the Gospel, and the icon of St. Anthony. We proceeded to the church in a grand procession led by the Archbishop and Abbot Paisius and all the monks, the men, and the women.

When the vigil began, two monks began lighting the candles in the chandeliers... the prayers were chanted in Greek. Archbishop Anthony, with his usual enthusiasm sang with all his heart (I will always remember him for his enthusiasm for "Everyone to sing! And if you don't know the words... hum!"). Soon the candles were all lit, and two monks brought out two long poles and started the large chandelier to rock back and forth...the other five chandeliers were set to spinning in the opposite direction... the effect was hypnotic... the lights spinning, the chanting. Two monks dressed in majestic robes, carrying a small church each on their shoulders, came from the Sanctuary, censing the Church, the Archbishop, the icons, the Narthex, the bells on the censers ringing in unison ... the two monks in perfect synchronization; it was a powerful image.

Everyone was in heaven! Near the end of the vigil two monks again appeared and extinguished the candles. The sun was rising and the Divine Liturgy began.

After Liturgy, we proceeded to the Trapeza for the Feast day lunch of St. Anthony the Great; First the Archbishop and Abbot, then the monks, the men, then the women. We found our places at the tables - Archbishop and Abbot at the head table, monks on the far side, men in the middle, and women on the other side. We stood in the great hall at our places. The meal was blessed and we sat in silence and ate the most wonderful food. As we ate, Fr. Markellos (he was the Greek teacher at our church in Santa Fe before he became a monk) read in Greek, the life of St. Anthony, from an elevated pulpit.

No one touched their glass or their picture of water, until mid-way through the meal, when the Abbot gave the signal, then everyone poured water and drank. That is the custom. When it was time to stop eating, the Abbot gave the signal... everyone stopped eating, the reader stopped reading. The reader received a blessing and blessed bread from the Abbot, kissing his right hand. Everyone stood, the blessing was said. The procession left... Archbishop and Abbot first, followed by the monks, men, and women. When I passed through the door, the cooks were there, standing in line, heads humbly bowed...I passed by the icon of St. Anthony, reverencing it, and kissing it, and received the blessing of the Abbot and Archbishop.

The next day, I was able to speak with Abbot Paisius and get his spiritual guidance on personal matters and my spiritual life. He invited me to return and call him anytime.

1999

A group of friends and I decided to drive to TX and visit the Monastery of the Holy Archangels on their Feast day. It was once a mosque that went bankrupt, and the Orthodox bought it and converted it to a monastery (what goes around, comes around I guess). We drove through a monster blizzard and arrived just in time for the Vigil. After driving 18 hours straight, through a blizzard, I was already in a hypnotic state, then the chanting, the spinning lights... I could hardly stand. The monastery is the only one established under Elder Ephraim in Metropolitan Isaiah's Archdiocese. It follows the Athonite rule and everything is in Greek. There were no guest accommodations, so after a short nap in the car, we headed back to New Mexico.

Lent & Pascha 2002

I stayed at St. Anthony's Monastery for a couple of weeks during Lent and for Pascha. Elder Ephraim was there, teaching and counseling his spiritual children, many who came from Canada and one even came all the way from Australia to see him. He spoke in Greek, so unfortunately, I was not able to understand.

The guesthouse where I stayed was also the house where groups of nuns visiting for Pascha, from Arizona, California, and Pennsylvania were staying, but cloistered upstairs. Abbot Paisius' mother was staying there also, and she talked to me and taught me many things. I worked - sweeping, chopping vegetables, and anything else that was given to me. The monks went about their business - gardening, building, cooking ... in peaceful silence, except for the Prayer of Jesus or a calling on the Name of Jesus.

The monastery had changed very much since my visit years ago. Now there were several churches and chapels spread across a large area. I was blessed to reverence the Holy relics contained there. Every Lent I can still hear the chanting in my heart.

There was also a very reverent family that lived nearby the monastery, they had twin boys, about four years old. I was enchanted to watch those little angels, with their prayer ropes in hand, making prostrations with the monks. One of the little boys even used his prayer rope as a censer and swung it blessing the Icon of the Theotokos; they were charming!

I spent hours in peaceful prayer, attended services, and once again, I was able to obtain spiritual guidance from Abbot Paisius ... and he blessed me to look around at different convents with the goal to one day become a monastic.

At first the grounds were very quiet and peaceful ... but each day that grew closer to Pascha, brought more and more pilgrims. The guesthouses began to fill up with people. I was moved to another guesthouse, which was very beautiful. Soon there were hundreds of pilgrims. Then the Holy Pascha. My heart was full of joy. After the meal, I left. I headed to Safford, Arizona, to live close to the convent of St. Paisius; to attend services and perhaps one day to join them in the monastic life.

Bright Week 2002

After settling in, I struck out one night to find the convent. It was not far from town. Mt. Graham rose up like a dark giant in the light of the moon, the sky filled with stars. I drove out into the desert, and after about 20 minutes I was at the gate of the convent. I said a prayer of thanksgiving, and rested there for a while in the peace of the convent gate.

I called to find out what time Liturgy would be. The Church was a little log cabin, it was rustic, but very sweet. The nuns sang in the sweetest voices, in English and some Serbian. Every Bright Week I can still hear their voices in my heart singing, "Shine, Shine New Jerusalem..."

A nun was given permission to show me around the grounds. I learned that the land had been donated, along with a little ranch house. At the time, the ranch house was being renovated to accommodate perhaps 20 rooms. There was also a nice greenhouse and the nuns kept goats and used the milk to make yogurt and cheese...and they had chickens. I was allowed to take breakfast with them. The nuns also run a school for young girls and daughters of priests.

I attended Liturgy whenever possible. Afterward the nuns offered me hospitality in a small house by the Church... a light breakfast with a nice hard-boiled egg each morning. I was able to speak with the Abbess, and tell her what was on my heart. But it was not yet time for me to become a monastic.

January 2007

I wrote to Abbess Markella in November of 2006, asking to come and visit the Theotokos, Life-giving Springs Convent. I received the reply in December saying I could come to visit in January. I noticed the date which the reply was sent, "12Dec06 'St. Spyridon'". It was wonderful to realize that the nuns operate on Heavens time even in their correspondence.

In January of 2007 I headed to Dunlap, CA to visit the Convent. As I took off from Albuquerque airport, it was snowing... a blizzard. I would be staying at St. Nicholas Ranch, which is on the same grounds as the Convent. I had been to St. Nicholas Ranch in 1986, when it was new. I went with a group from my Parish of St. Demetrios in Tucson, AZ. It was Bishop Anthony's birthday then. Now, 21 years later, I was back.

I settled into my room and put on my head-covering and walked to the convent gate. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and birds were everywhere. The convent is located in the Sequoia National Park, midway up the mountains.

At the gate there was a little phone. I picked up the receiver and a voice on the other end said, "Evlogite." I introduced myself and they told me to come. I walked up the road ... the first things to come into view are two large marble lions guarding the entrance to the convent. Then a well covered by a dome with an icon of the Theotokos, the Life-giving Spring painted on its dome. Behind that is the Church. Next to that is a garden with a gurgling water fountain, and on the other side of garden, the monastic house.

I made my way to the monastic house, where I was directed to wait in a reception room. There were two women visiting from Alaska, who were waiting to say good-bye to the Abbess. In the room was a wonderful mosaic of Archbishop Anthony and an Icon of the Theotokos that I have never seen before, but one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Abbess Markella soon greeted us and I bowed reverently, touching my right hand to the ground, then holding both hands out, palms up, right hand crossing the left, to receive a blessing, and kissed her hand after she blessed me with the sign of the Cross. Abbess Markella invited me to join the sisterhood for lunch, and then left me in order to say good-bye to the Pilgrims from Alaska.

I looked around in the little convent bookstore for a few minutes, then went into the garden to pray and wait for lunch. The monastery cats came to say hello to me. They were very friendly. One climbed up to the top of the fountain to get a drink. A few minutes later, a pretty little canary stopped to get a drink from the fountain. I noticed a hawk circling overhead, probably hunting for a rabbit. A nun came out from the Trapeza and picked up a charming little iron bell and rang it to call everyone to lunch.

As I was waiting at the door, the Priest, Fr. Michael, and his Presvetyra arrived. We went inside together and stood by a table apart from, and to the side of the nuns. Fr. Michael said the Blessing, and we all sat in silence, eating, while one of the nuns read from the Lives of the Saints, in Greek. The food was delicious and wholesome, extraordinarily so. The food here and at St. Anthony's was seasoned with prayer ... prayer definitely changes food! What is merely material food becomes, spiritual food. When the Abbess gave the signal, we poured water and drank. When the Abbess gave the signal, we stopped eating, the reader stopped reading. The reader received a blessing and blessed bread from the Abbess. Then we left, nuns first, followed by us. The nuns who cooked stood by the door, heads humbly bowed.

Abbess Markella gently took me by the arm and led me back into the reception room to have a talk. I told her my desires and we talked for some time. Over the next couple of days we talked once a day, and she opened my heart to its depths...she is a wonderful spiritual surgeon. She advised that I should also go to Confession with Fr. Michael because he "is a very good and wise and spiritual Priest. He's almost 70!" I did talk to Fr. Michael for some time about my monastic desire.

Abbess Markella took me for a walk and showed me the inside of the big Church. It was Gorgeous! A little bit smaller than St. Anthony's in Florence, but with the same chandelier arrangement. I imagine the services are very similar when they use the big Church. The Church also has a beautiful Baptistery in a chapel off to the side of the Narthex. Another Chapel contained Huge Icons that at one time belonged to Archbishop Anthony of San Francisco.

We left the Church and Abbess Markella explained to me that the Archbishop was buried behind the Church, and she took me around and showed me his grave. Archbishop Anthony fell asleep in the Lord on Christmas day 2005. As I stood there, I could see his beaming face and hear him chanting with his usual joyous enthusiasm. I remembered all the times he had blessed me in his life. I told Abbess Markella of the time I came to St. Nicholas Ranch on his birthday, how I accidentally sat in his new birthday rocking chair and was told by his own mother that I should stay in the chair and continue rocking. We laughed. I was surprised that it was his wish to be buried here, I always thought he would have chosen St. Anthony's ... but I was glad to find him here. I desired with all my heart to stay.

The Abbess left to go care for her nuns. I walked around to the other side of the Church and read the plaque of Donors on the front of the Church. I found Fr. Anthony Moschonas and Presvetyra listed there, and our Parish of St. Demetrios in Tucson, AZ. I felt a moment of oneness.

At 4:00 p.m. we gathered in the little chapel off the Trapeza for Vespers. Abbess Markella explained that we would pray there because the Church is too large to heat up and it is cold. Everyone took off their shoes and we said Vespers and the Akathist to the Theotokos. We were all very close together, and it was very nice and cozy. The nuns who chanted sang beautifully. Near the end, each nun approached the Abbess for a blessing. At about 6:30 the service ended. Before I left to go to the Ranch, Abbess Markella insisted that I take a plate of food with me, which I did, with much thankfulness.

At 4:00 a.m. I was back in the Chapel for Orthros and Divine Liturgy. I could hear the call for prayer being tapped out rhythmically on the semantron, a board they strike with a little hammer to call the monastics to prayer. The nuns entered the chapel and put on long black veils. Under the veil each nun entered into the prayer chamber of her heart. Each nun had a long prayer rope...at least 1000 knots. Abbess Markella often entered into intense prayer and I could feel the energy surrounding her. I was surprised when, about mid-way through Orthros, the nuns each had stacks of prayer lists of people who had asked for prayers. They prayed for each name everyday during the Orthros ... it was BEAUTIFUL!

After the Liturgy, we took a break until 9:00 a.m.. At 9:00, we had breakfast, which was much more informal than the lunch had been, and every bit as delicious. They served hot milk with breakfast which was very pleasant.

After breakfast, I went into the bookstore/gift shop. I asked the nun about the things I found there and learned that the convent supports itself from baked goods, canned goods, soaps and lotions which they make, and by selling books and Icons. There was another part of the monastery that I did not see where they had shops for doing these things and animals.

I was wandering around in the garden when Abbess Markella found me and asked what I planned to do for the day. I replied that I should like to work if she had anything for me to do... sweep ... chop vegetables ... anything. A while later I was peeling and slicing apples and separating the good peels into a bowl for the goats, bad into another bowl, and apples into a third bowl. I could hear the nuns as they went about their business, saying the Jesus Prayer and calling on the Name of Jesus. The wonderful chef in the kitchen turned the apples into a wonderful apple strudel for our breakfast the next morning. Two hours later I finished all the apples. I went back to my room and freshened up for lunch. At 2:00 we ate lunch.

At 4:00 we gathered together for Vespers and the Akathist... and each day it was the same cycle. Except that on the second day I peeled garlic for two hours.

Then it was time for me to leave, and Abbess Markella came to say goodbye. She opened my heart one last time and gave me a loaf of bread and a book - The Prayers of St. Isaac The Syrian. I thanked her very much through my tears and left in joyous sorrow. One of the nuns came up behind me to catch me and she said, "Gerontissa wanted you to have this orange". I totally lost it and thanked her through my sobbing, received the orange. and turned and walked down the road. I said goodbye to the monastery cats. Stopped to look one more time at the marble lions. I walked to the gate and noticed the tree by the gate was filled with hundreds of pretty little canaries singing a beautiful melody.

I left the monastery, but it has not left me, because I stole it all away with me in my heart. I shall treasure that time in my heart forever!

[Father Anthony]

Dear Maria,

Thank you for your reflections. Saint Anthony's is one of the monasteries that I will be shooting at. So far my collaborator and myself have a dozen monasteries that have agreed to take part in this project.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Michael C.]

Maria's narrative (thank you!) reminds me of the time in 1996 that I visited, for the first time, the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery in Saxonburg, PA. As I was leaving, for the first time in my life I received the Gerondissa's blessing to "Panagia be with You!" As I was driving off, I could see thousands of flowers blooming at the same time and the wind was blowing the blooms over my car, and I could see them through the sunroof. Nature was totally transformed into the most beautiful sight my eyes had ever seen. I was in total reverie for hours after that. In fact driving home, I took a wrong turn, and ended up in downtown Pittsburgh. Since I didn't know Pittsburgh at the time, I'm not sure how I came out of there, but I didn't care. Several hours later I was home in Ohio, and don't remember much of the drive.

[Nina]

Wow! Maria, what you wrote is so beautiful! Thank you! :)

[Vasile Dionisie]

Please where can a find a link to german monasteries?

[Paul Cowan]

http://www.kopten.de/hoexter/

http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/english/pages/firsttier/monasteries.html

http://www.suryoyo.uni-goettingen.de/news/morjacobconsecration.htm

Just a start, sorry

[David Naess]

St. Nectarios - Roscoe, NY
http://www.malf.net/nektarios.htm

[Father Anthony]

St. Nectarios - Roscoe, NY
http://www.malf.net/nektarios.htm
Thank you David.

I did one series of shooting there in March and I have to go back in the very near future to finish there. I live only about two hours away from there, so I get to enjoy my time there frequently.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[James Blackstock]

Panagia Vlahernon Greek Orthodox Monastery located west of Jacksonville, Fl and near Ocala. It is a beautiful Monastery!
12600 West Highway 318
Williston, FL 32696
Tel: (352) 591-1716

[David Naess]

I met Brother Antonios after a Sunday of Orthodoxy vespers service at the Ukranian Orthodox Church a couple of days ago...

I never even knew that there is a Coptic monastary right here in my home town of Rochester, NY!

Coptic Monastary of St. Shenouda
http://stshenouda.rochcopts.org/

Although it is Oriental Orthodox and not in communion with my church, I intend to learn all that I can from the Copts about monasticism.

Sorta' like "going to a prep-school" for a potential monastic.

Once again in my life... a case of "when the student is ready the teacher will appear."

Dave (soon to be "David")

[Kypreos]

St. Mary of Egypt Monastery.
An urban monastery in NYC: http://www.mercyhousenyc.org/

[Monk Michael]

Dear Fr. Anthony:

You may have more than enough suggestions by now; I have spent time at several of them (St. Nektarios, All-Merciful Savior, Mercy House, St. Herman) and can second their recommendations. Each has its own character, while all share a common devotion to our Orthodox monastic traditions. However, I didn't see the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco (OCA) in Manton, CA, listed by anyone else. I have visited there several times and am in process, with the blessing of my own bishop, of moving to be in residence there. It is a vibrant and growing Brotherhood and well worth your consideration. The services are all in English and are beautifully sung; the setting is lovely and very quiet, 40+ acres in a forest not far from Mt. Lassen National Volcanic Park. The Abbot spent time at Valaam in Russia and remains close to the current Abbot there. The web site is:

www.monasteryofstjohn.org/ (http://www.monasteryofstjohn.org/)

I would also suggest the Monastery of St. Barbara, Santa Paula, CA, (OCA). It is also growing and vibrant, and the hospitality is warm and generous. The Abbess is a remarkable and wise woman whose help and guidance were quite important to me last year when I was engaged in a ministry in Southern California.

In Christ,

Rasophore Monk Michael
(Antiochian Diocese of the West)


Greetings all on the eve of the Great Fast!

I am in the beginning of a personal project in collaboration with one other individual. We are setting about photographing and compiling video footage for a documentary on Orthodox Monasticism in the US. We are doing this because we find that those within the church and those outside have some very strange concepts as to what a monastic is, and the role of monasticism in the Orthodox Church. So far on out planning we have some of the big names of communities, i.e. Holy Trinity, some of the communities (male & female) under Elder Ephriem, etc.

I am looking for other suggestions as to locations, and if possible some your reflections of your experiences at these monastic communities.

I look forward to your replies and suggestions.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[T. Basil Finnegan]

Dear Fr Anthony,

Do you have a videographer for the documentary? If not I can recommend one Brent Finnegan to you. He won an award for best documentary in Virginia "Gang Signs" for WVPT and has produced another documentary "The Latino Underground" which should win something. He is a good editor and is familiar with monasticism.

Regards,

Basil



Greetings all on the eve of the Great Fast!

I am in the beginning of a personal project in collaboration with one other individual. We are setting about photographing and compiling video footage for a documentary on Orthodox Monasticism in the US. We are doing this because we find that those within the church and those outside have some very strange concepts as to what a monastic is, and the role of monasticism in the Orthodox Church. So far on out planning we have some of the big names of communities, i.e. Holy Trinity, some of the communities (male & female) under Elder Ephriem, etc.

I am looking for other suggestions as to locations, and if possible some your reflections of your experiences at these monastic communities.

I look forward to your replies and suggestions.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

[Owen Jones]

I wish I had a name like T. Basil Finnegan!

[David Stark]

DO'S: Mount Athos, Saint Herman's Monastery [Platina], Holy Trinity Monastery [Jordanville], Meteora, Saint Catherines Monastery.

DON'TS: Saint Gregory Palamas Monastery [Etna], Dormition Skete [Colorado]. Christ of the Hills Monastery [Blanco].