Category: Recent Events
808 results found.
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Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross - 09/27/24

Some of the twelve great feasts of the Church come in pairs.  Nativity followed by Theophany; so also is the case with the feasts of the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Exaltaton of the Cross.

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Feast of the Opening of the Relics of Saint Job of Pochaev - 09/10/24

In a recent posting, the monastery’s “All-People’s” celebration of the memory of the Venerable Job, Abbot and Wonderworker of Pochaev every year on Labor Day weekend was described.  The actual feast day, August 28 (Sept. 10, new calendar) is also celebrated, as the patronal feast of our lower church.   The All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy was celebrated by our abbot-bishop, His Grace Luke together with the monastery clergy also my with the local faithful as well as many pilgrims who are always in attendance on monastery feast days. The  new school year has started, so our seminarians, both old and new were participating. 

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People's Celebration of the Memory of Saint Job of Pochaev and the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God - 09/01/24

It has been the tradition of the Holy Monastery to take advantage of the long Labor Day weekend for the spiritual benefit of the faithful, by holding an All-People’s celebration of the memory of St. Job of Pochaev together with the Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

he traditions of the monastery in large part hark back to the Pochaev Monastery in Volynia, Ukraine, a great center of Orthodoxy and missionary work in defense of our holy faith from the times of its first abbot, the Venerable St. Job.  Known for his printing efforts in defense of the faith against the inroads of Uniatism in the southwestern part of Holy Rus,” the monastery founded by Archimandrite Vitaly Maximenko, later Archbishop in North America and abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery and first Rector of the Holy Trinity Seminary, in Slovakia, was consecrated to his memory.  Under his protection, the monastery continued the printing efforts of the famous printing presses of Pochaev both for the Church Abroad as well as smuggling literature into the Soviet Union, during the seventy-year communist persecution of the Church.

An exact copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Pochaev was gifted by the brotherhood in Pochaev to the monastery in Slovakia, and from there was taken into exile with the brotherhood during World War II, eventually finding its way to the New World.  At first the icon was kept in a cathedral in the Bronx, later being brought to stay in Holy Trinity Monastery.  From those times, it became the tradition to hold a Meeting of the Icon on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, a time when hundreds of pilgrims, taking advantage of the civil holiday, made their way to the monastery.  Many of these pilgrims came from what is now known as Ukraine and were familiar with St. Job, the Pochaev monastery and its miraculous icon of the Theotokos. 

We continue these traditions until this day, having a meeting of the Icon at 3PM, followed by a moleben to the Mother of God and St. Job with an Akathist to St. Job, before the Vigil service Saturday evening. 

Once again, our shores have filled with many immigrants from the Ukrainian land.  And thus, the desire to especially pray to St. Job and the Pochaev Icon continue to be relevant to us, especially in light of what is going on in Ukraine in our days.

On the Sunday itself, besides an early liturgy in the basement church of St. Job, His Grace, Bishop Luke, abbot of the monastery, together with monastery clergy and guests, served a hierarchal liturgy at 9AM in the cathedral, followed by a moleben with a procession around the cathedral with the icons of St. Job and our copy of the Pochaev Icon, which is held by many of the faithful to be miraculous, having received cures of spiritual and medical problems from it.

At the end of the service, the traditional monastery trapeza was open to all of the pilgrims.  Again, on Labor Day itself, Vladyka served a hierarchal liturgy.  After the noon-day meal, His Grace, along with the monastery clergy, served a general pannikhida for members of the brotherhood, whose anniversaries of death were in recent days, including the every-memorable Metropolitan Laurus.  And thus concluded our celebration.

 

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Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos - 08/28/24

The Feast of the Dormition falls closely with the monastery’s “People’s” feast of the Pochaev Icon and  St. Job, Abbot and Wonderworker of Pochaev, celebrated for convenience’s sake on Labor Day weekend, as this usually falls within the afterfeast.

 

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Burial of the Most Holy Theotokos - 08/26/24

  The burial service was observed in many cathedrals and monasteries in Russia.  Here in our monastery this service was done many years ago.  With the generous gift of a beautiful shroud of the Mother of God, from Vladyka Nicholas, who became our First Hierarch, Vladyka Luke decided to renew this observance for the spiritual benefit of our community.

 

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The Rite of Consecration of Antimins Celebrated at Holy Trinity Monastery - 08/25/24

On Sunday, August 12/25, 2024, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada presided over the Rite of Consecration of Antimins, concelebrating with Bishop Luke of Syracuse. The Antimins (also known as “antimension”) is a rectangular cloth depicting the burial of our Lord Jesus Christ, on top of which the Holy Mysteries are consecrated. The Antimins contain relics of martyrs, in remembrance of the persecuted Church of ancient times, where Liturgy was often celebrated using a tomb of a martyr as an Altar table.

 

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Concerning continual persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - 08/24/24

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 August 24, 2024

Ever since the beginning of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia, we have prayed in our services for peace between these two countries, whose origins hail back to ancient Kievan Rus’
            The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is recognized by most of the brother Orthodox Churches as the only canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine.  Sadly, Patriarch Bartholomew has created a separate church in Ukraine, which has caused a grievous schism.  Nevertheless, the majority of the Orthodox remain faithful to their mother Church, despite ongoing persecution. People of ill-will interrupt services, attack elderly women, and have brutally taken over churches and in some instances, injured clergy and faithful laity.

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Feast of the Lord's Transfiguration - 08/19/24

In the midst of the Dormition fast, we have the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor.  All the altar coverings are changed from Lenten red to bright white, symbolizing the bright light given off by our Lord on Mount Tabor as seen by the holy apostles, Peter, James and John and the unseen light as experience as much as possible by them.

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Feast of the First Saviour - 08/14/24

In the month of August there are three feasts of the Lord, besides the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God.  In Russian popular parlance, the first feast, the “First Saviour” is the feast of the Procession of the Life-Giving Cross.  This is also the feast of the Maccabean Martyrs.  On this day, in the Russian Church, it is traditional to bless holy water, as according to tradition this is about the time of the Baptism of ancient Rus’.  On this day it is also traditional to give out blessed honey.

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AN EXPRESSION OF LIBERTY OR A SATANIC BALL? By Metropolitan Siluan of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church - 07/30/24

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic games in Paris was a vivid and most emphatic manifestation of what spirit has descended among men. Many people from across the world were left shocked, scandalised, and in disbelief watching what was unravelling before their eyes. This global event that gathers all nations from across the globe, this 'opening' - expressed in an unequivocal way the inauguration or affirmation of a 'new world order' which is antithetical to God's order, an open declaration of who it serves, i.e, who its 'master' is, and who it battles against. This 'ceremony' was nothing less than a satanic assembly, very dark and very telling of the spiritual state the world is cataclysmically spiralling into. This worldly 'state of affairs' is nothing new for Orthodox Christians.

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Feast of the Equal to the Apostles Grand Princess Olga at Quick to Hear Convent - 07/24/24

On the Feast of the Equal to the Apostles Grand Princess Olga,  Bishop Luke served the Vigil and Liturgy at the convent of Quick to Hear. St. Olga is the second patron of the Convent and of their craft shop.

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Feast of Saints Peter and Paul - 07/14/24

The fast of the Apostles culminated with the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul on July 12th (N.S.)  With the attendance of many pilgrims in addition to the “summer youth,” 25 of whom are presently here, and of course the brotherhood, His Grace Bishop Luke celebrated the divine services. 

 

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Feast of Pentecost in the Monastery - 06/23/24

Praise be to God that the brethren of Holy Trinity Monastery were able to once again celebrate the patronal feast of the monastery in the traditional way, with three days of solemn services.

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Ascension - 06/13/24

  Forty days after Pascha, the feast of feasts, the Church celebrates one of the twelve main feasts of the Church, the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven.  This is a great feast in that we celebrate that the Lord Jesus Christ took our human nature which he divinized and took it to Heaven to sit at the right hand of His Father. 

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Open Letter to Bulgarian Bishops by Metropolitan Luke of Zaporozhye and Melitopol - 06/11/24

Dear brothers in Christ and fellow intercessors before the Throne of God!

Christ is Risen!

            Our Universal Church is now passing through difficult times.  The canons have been flagrantly violated, a deliberate and brazen legalization of the schism has taken place, and the scale of the destruction of pan-Orthodox unity is increasing. 

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HOLY TRINITY SEMINARY'S 76TH COMMENCEMENT - Photo Report - 06/09/24

Article of the event  and photos will be posted soon on the Seminary's website https://hts.edu/

 

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Bishop Luke Serves at the Saint Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in Florida - 06/02/24

On June 2, the Fifth Sunday after Pascha, that of the Samaritan Woman, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Luke of Syracuse, performed an archpastoral visit to St. Luke the Blessed Surgeon Church in Pompano Beach, FL. With the blessing of parish rector, Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America & New York, the celebration of the parish’s patronal feast of the Holy Hierarch Luke of Simferopol (June 11) was transferred to that day.

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Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker - Photo Report - 05/22/24

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Anniversary of the Repose of Metropolitan Hilarion - 05/16/24

  On May 17, the monastery observed the 2nd anniversary of the repose of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion, whose body is buried in the brotherhood cemetery of the monastery.  For the brethren it is a great consolation to have with us one who was a graduate of our Seminary and then one of our hieromonks and spiritual father to many of us.

            It was God’s will that Vladyka Hilarion, who was himself a cell attendant of the ever-memorable Archbishop Averky, would become a bishop of our church and eventually its First Hierarch, succeeding another member of our brotherhood, Metropolitan Laurus.

            On this day, our present First Hierarch, another graduate of our Seminary, Metropolitan Nicholas, provided for a commemorative meal at the monastery trapeza.  This was followed by a pannikhida at the grave of Vladyka Hilarion, served by our present abbot, Bishop Luke, also a graduate of our Seminary.  May the memory of Vladyka Hilarion be eternal, and may he rest among the saints.

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Radonitsa - 05/14/24

All of Bright Week, it is like one day of Pascha.  The Church celebrates the great joy of the Lord’s Resurrection, His victory over death.  For this reason, it is considered out of place to hold memorials for the dead since all of our attention is directed to the conquering of death.

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Holy Pascha - 05/05/24

As it is everywhere in the Orthodox world, Pascha is the feast of feasts.  Perhaps due to the Great Lenten atmosphere in the monastery, where all revolves around the Lenten services, the strict fasting, and this year the unprecedented great flow of pilgrims every weekend during Lent, the buildup of anticipation of Paschal joy is significant.  This is especially felt during Holy Week.

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Holy Week - 05/04/24

Holy Week is very special in our monastery, as are all of the festal services.  They are served in their completeness and with great solemnity.  Perhaps this is also due to the atmosphere kept in the monastery, where the fast is strictly kept, and there is not the distraction of the “World.”

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Palm Sunday - 04/28/24

  Palm Sunday is a most glorious holy day on the eve of Holy Week.  According to tradition, the children of Israel with great joy greeted He Whom they hoped would free them from the Romans.  They had a worldly understanding of His coming to the Holy City, after raising Lazarus from the dead.  Within a short time, these same people would shout “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”

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Holy Unction - Photo Report - 04/23/24

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Repose and Funeral of Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk - 04/15/24

Fr. Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk was one of those rare people who combined within himself a very skillful way of serving at the divine services with a very humble and amicable character.  He served very carefully and also prayerfully.  And he loved to serve at all opportunities.  The older brethren of the monastery remember how for over 50 years he would spend all of his free time serving in the monastery for the special days of commemorating the dead, and who can forget his awesome voice, serving at the festal services of Pascha, Holy Nativity, Pentecost as well as the very special Holy Week services?

 

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2024 Great Lenten Diocesan Clergy Retreat - 04/10/24

The annual Great Lenten northern American diocesan clergy retreat was held at Holy Trinity Monastery.  Over 70 priests and deacons traveled to the Monastery to participate in the gathering on April 10 and 11.  Seminarians were also invited to take part.   Russian Church Abroad church traditions and other pastoral important issues were discussed on Tuesday. Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, all attended the Great Lenten services in the monastery cathedral, culminating in the hierarchal celebration of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.  

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Veneration of the Cross and Annunciation of the Theotokos - 04/07/24

This year, the feast of the Annunciation coincided with the Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross.  The feast, of course, happens at a fixed date, and so, from year to year, depending on what day it falls, it is always interesting to see the commination.  The hymns of this feast, celebrating the incarnation of the Son of God, go along very well with those of adoration of the Son of God’s Life-giving Cross.  The adoration of the Cross gives us the strength to continue our Lenten podvig and helps us concentrate on where we are going with our Great Lenten feat of prayers and fasting.  The feast day of the Holy Theotokos, bursts forth with joy during this somber time of year.

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Second Weekend of Great Lent in the Monastery - 03/30/24

This past weekend in the monastery had many grace-filled blessings.  His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel brought us the reliquary from Synod, containing the right hand of the New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth and a relic of her co-struggler the New Martyr Barbara.  Vladyka was traveling to his diocese in Canada an desired to bless us with the opportunity to venerate these holy relics.

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Clean Week and Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy - 03/24/24

Once again, the Lord has blessed us at Holy Trinity Monastery to be able to “retreat” for a week in prayer and strict fasting to attempt to renew ourselves spiritually.  On Forgiveness Sunday, Great Vespers was celebrated at 3PM, celebrated by His Grace Bishop Luke, together with the clergy assigned to the monastery.  After the Great Prokeimenon, the service reverted to a simple Great Lenten service as the covers on the analogions were changed to black from gold.  In the evening, after trapeza, Small Compline was served, ending with a sermon by our Abbot.            Upon finishing his sermon, Vladyka asked forgiveness of us, and thereupon, all those present, monastics, clergy, seminarians and neighbors asked forgiveness one of another as we venerated the icons. 

 

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Bishop Luke visits Alaska - 03/23/24

"The Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sitka and Alaska held its annual clergy retreat in Anchorage from Friday March 8th through Sunday, March 10th hosted by His Grace ALEXEI, Bishop of Sitka and Alaska. As a special guest, His Grace LUKE, Bishop of Syracuse and Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, led our retreat meditations, speaking on the theme “Confessing Holy Orthodoxy.”  The retreat commenced with a solemn and joyful All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy served at Saint Tikhon’s Russian Orthodox Church in South Anchorage.  The resplendent service included a universal memorial for all the Orthodox Faithful departed.  Vladyka Alexei offered fervent prayers and blessed koliva for the departed in anticipation of the Sunday of the Last Judgment.

 

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Anniversary of the Repose of Metropolitan Laurus - 03/16/24

The ever-memorable Metropolitan Laurus, First Hieraarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia from 2001 to 2008, also abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery and rector of the seminary from 1976 to 2008, reposed on March 16, 2008.  It was under his leadership that the two parts of the Russian Church reconciled and joined in canonical union.

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Meeting of the Lord - 02/15/24

Depending upon the date of the beginning of Great Lent, this feast has a longer or shorter afterfeast.  Since this year Pascha is late, the afterfeast lasts a full week.

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Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/11/24

On February 12 (New Calendar) the Church celebrates the memory of Saints Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Gregory the Theologian.  This feast was established to end the controversy over who among these holy fathers was the greatest.  In other words, the Church wants to emphasize that they are all equal in honor and piety and importance for the Church.

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Feast of Theophany - 01/19/24

In the evening was held the All-Night Vigil, consisting of Great Compline, Litya and Matins.  The polyleos was served by Vladyka. 

 

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Eve of Theophany - 01/19/24

            The Royal Hours for the feast were served at 8 AM Thursday morning.  After a brief rest, there was the Meeting of the Bishop at 9:45, vesting, and then promptly the Vespers Liturgy of St. Basil was started.  During the Old Testament readings, the clergy chanted the praises antiphonally with the choir.  At the conclusion of the Liturgy, there was the Great Blessing of Water.  The clergy, followed by the faithful, processed to the bell tower for this ceremony.  Vladyka poured some water from the Jordan River into the fount.  As Vladyka lowered the Cross into the water of the baptistry fount, all the bells of the bell tower pealed.  Then all returned to the church as the bishop blessed with holy water the church, including the altar.  The liturgy concluded with the Many Years.

 

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Holy Nativity in Holy Trinity Monastery - 01/07/24

The feast of the Holy Nativity is celebrated with great solemnity in our monastery. 

During the fore feast, all of the monastery and seminary buildings are thoroughly cleaned.  Every evening, at Compline, a special canon is read to prepare us for the upcoming feast.

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Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple - 12/04/23

On November 21/ December 4, the Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Theotokos Into the Temple, one of the twelve great feasts of the Church. 

One of the remarkable features of this feast is that for the first time, we hear the Irmosoi of the Nativity sung in church, as katavasia on feast days.  Thus the Church gradually accustoms us to the coming of this wonderful holy day.

What made this feast more joyful this year, was that Vladyka, with the blessing of Metropolitan Nicholas and the Synod, awarded our Seminary professor, Father John Boddecker, with the gold cross, for his service to the Seminary and the monastery. 

Also, the missionary priest in Grenada, Hieromonk Ambrose, was awarded with the nabedrinik.  Fr. Ambrose is spending some time in the monastery to practice serving and to have a spiritual rest from his labors.

 Congratulations to both these laborers in the Lord’s vineyard.

 

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Feast of the Holy Archangel Michael - 11/21/23

On November 21 (8th Old Style), is held the feast of the Archangel Michael and all of the Bodiless Hosts.  His Grace Bishop Luke concelebrated the divine liturgy together with the monastery clergy on the feast day itself after the All-Night Vigil served the evening before. 

As this is also the anniversary of the repose of the every-memorable Metropolitan Philaret, the third First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, as has become traditional, a litya was served at the end of the divine liturgy for his blessed repose.

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VISIT OF NUN HILARIA TO THE MONASTERY FROM THE ST. ELIZABETH THE GRAND DUCHESS CONVENT OF MINSK, BELARUS - 11/16/23

Mother Hilaria from the Convent of the Holy New Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Convnet of Minsk, Belarus, visited our monastery more than a week ago.  

Mother Hilaria in her talk described how the convent lives and functions.  It is amazing the social work that they carry on, for the poor, the sick, prisoners, and all kinds of people who cannot live without support.  In this they try to emulate their patron saint, the Venerable Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth. 

The convent has both traditional nuns with obediences and daily cycle of services.  They pray for people all over the world.  They also have lay sisters who take care of the needy in several asylums.  Their workshops are known for their handiwork and its high quality.  There are over one hundred nuns and about the same number of lay sisters. 

After Mother Hilaria’s very informative talk, there was a question and answer time with refreshments served.

 

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Liturgy of Apostle James, Brother of the Lord - 11/05/23

October 23/ November 5 (NS) is the day of the commemoration of the holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord in the flesh.   It has been the tradition on this day to serve the ancient Liturgy of the Apostle James, ever since the fathers of our church revived this liturgy in the Russian Church Abroad.

 

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Special Commemoration of the Late Metropolitan Hilarion - 11/03/23

October 21 (Nov. 4 O.S.) is the day of the commemoration of the Venerable Hilarion of the Kiev Caves.  This was the Name’s Day of our ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion.  His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas came from New York to serve the Divine Liturgy on this day.  His Grace Bishop Luke along with the monastery clergy concelebrated with the Metropolitan.

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Name's Day of Bishop Luke - 10/31/23

The abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery and rector of Holy Trinity Seminary, His Grace Bishop Luke celebrated his Name’s Day on Tuesday, October 31, the day of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke.

 

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"Brother Jose" Weekend - 10/29/23

Since the horrific murder of Brother Jose Munoz in 1997, it has been traditional for the parish of St. John the Baptist in Washington, DC to organize a pilgrimage to the monastery to commemorate this servant of God and his heroic feat of being caretaker of the Myrrh-Streaming icon of Iveron of Montreal. 

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Feast of the Protection of the Theotokos - 10/14/23

A uniquely great feast in the Russian Orthodox Church is the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos.  In other local Orthodox churches, this feast is considered a minor feast, but the Russian Orthodox celebrate this feast as if it were one of the great feasts in honor of the Mother of God, to whom Russia has always been especially dedicated.

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Synaxis of the Holy Fathers of the Kiev Caves - 10/11/23

On September 28 (October 11 New Style), the Church celebrates the memory of the Venerable Fathers and God-pleasers of the Kiev Caves Monastery, reposing in the Near Caves.

During World War II, the Dormition Cathedral of the monastery was blown up by the Soviets.  Fortunately, before this, many valuable holy things were saved from destruction, and after the war, a large tabernacle of relics from the Kiev Caves Lavra was gifted to the monastery by refugee fathers from the monastery.  One of the first decisions made by Vladyka Luke, when becoming abbot of the monastery in 2008 ,was to establish a feast in the monastery of the Kiev Caves Fathers.

 

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STATEMENT ON RECENT EVENTS AT HOLY TRINITY ORTHODOX SEMINARY - 09/30/23

On the morning of Thursday, September 28, 2023, the Seminary administration discovered an anonymous electronic communication which made the claim that there was a bomb placed in the Seminary. The communication made the claim that a bomb was left because of “Russian atrocities in Ukraine.”  The administration made an immediate risk assessment and contacted NY State Police, who advised to evacuate the buildings.  The administration then cleared the Seminary and monastery buildings.  The NY State Police quickly brought in troopers, investigators, a K-9 unit, and an officer from the computer crimes unit.  The Richfield Springs Fire chief and EMS came and remained on standby.  Local roadways were closed, and pilgrims were turned away temporarily.  Students, monks, pilgrims, staff, and workers stayed outside for the rest of the morning and early afternoon while the police made an investigation and a K-9 unit swept the buildings.   As it happened, K-9 unit members were training nearby, so the police made use of many dogs at once, and so were able to make a complete and thorough sweep of the entire monastery campus very quickly. 

When the investigation found no evidence of any explosive device, the Monastery and Seminary community was cleared to re-enter the buildings.  The police investigation is ongoing.  Classes have resumed and monastery life continues as usual.  Local persons in the larger community are supportive.

On behalf of Bishop Luke, our Rector, and all the Monastery and Seminary community, we wish to thank the New York State Police for their speedy response and professional handling of this case, the Richfield Springs Fire Chief and local EMS responders, our First Hierarch, Metropolitan Nicholas, and all those who have offered and are offering their prayerful support. 

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Message from the First Hierarch - 09/28/23

Greetings to All with the ongoing feast of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross!
 
Having served the Divine Liturgy today in the Synodal St. Sergius chapel and beginning to attend to various matters in my office, I was informed of the bomb threat situation at our Holy Trinity Monastery. This caused me grief. I prayed before the wonderworking Icon ‘Joy of All Who Sorrow’ located in the St. Sergius chapel. I was later informed from his Grace Bishop Luke that all was well and the threat had been cleared. His Grace Bishop Luke, the monks, seminarians, and those residing at the monastery, giving thanks to Almighty God, returned to their assigned obediences and studies. 

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Exaltation of the Cross - 09/27/23

One of the great feasts of the Church is the Exaltation of the Live-giving Cross of the Lord.   The Cross is the main symbol of our salvation.  Upon it our Saviour was crucified and died for our sins. 

 

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Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos - 09/21/23

The first feast of the Church year is the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.  His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill in his sermon for the feast pointed out that Orthodox Christians begin the Church year with the blessing of the Mother of God and finish the Church year, also with the Mother of God, with the feast of Her Dormition.

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75th Anniversary of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary - 09/17/23

On Friday evening, September 15, a concert entitled "Bells, Choirs & Resounding Virtuosity" was held at the Christ Episcopal Church in Cooperstown, NY, beginning the celebrations dedicated to the 75th anniversary of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY.

 

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Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist - 09/11/23

The monastery is blessed to have a relic from the head of St. John the Baptist, gifted to the brotherhood still in Slovakia. 

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Feast of Saint Job of Pochaev - 09/10/23

On this day we celebrate the feast of the Uncovering of the Relics of St. Job of Pochaev in 1659.  As noted before, due to the long Labor Day weekend, the monastery holds an All-People’s pilgrimage of our beloved saint.   On this day, however, we also have an All-Nigh Vigil and hierarchal liturgy served in the basement church of St. Job.

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Labor Day Weekend in the Monastery - 09/03/23

From way back, it has been the tradition of the monastery to hold a special All-People’s Feast commemorating our Venerable and God-bearing Father Job of Pochaev, the heavenly protector of our publishing efforts and also the Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, taking advantage of the long weekend.

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PANNIKHIDA ON THE DAY OF THE COMMEMORATION OF HOLY MARTYRS FLORUS AND LAURUS - 09/02/23

This day, August 18/31, 2023, we celebrated the memory of the Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus, the patron saints of two people who played a remarkable role in the life of the monastery and of the Church Abroad.

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Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - 08/28/23

As was previously written, the Burial service of the Mother of God was served on the Apodosis of the feast of Transfiguration.  On the feast itself, Vladyka served the polyleos during the Vigil and the Divine Liturgy on the feast day, along with the monastery clergy. 

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Feast of Transfiguration - 08/19/23

On the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, His Grace Bishop Luke served the Divine Liturgy together with the monastery clergy.  After the Great Entrance, Vladyka ordained Deacon Paul Siewers to the priesthood.  Fr. Paul serves in the mission in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania and will be serving his 40 days in the monastery.

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Feast of the Royal Martyrs of Russia - 07/17/23

            The murder of the Tsar of Russia Nicholas II and his family is a very dark day in the history of Russia.  However, out of their deaths came great spiritual gains for not only Russia, but for all of the Orthodox world.  They truly offered their lives for the future rebirth of Holy Russia and for the expiation of the sins of the people.  As the years go by, more and more people, not only in Russia, but from all over the world, come to participate in the divine services in Ekaterinburg on this day.

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Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - 07/12/23

The fast of the Apostles, or the fast of the Apostle Peter as it is sometimes called, is not only for preparing us for the feast celebrated on July 12, but also, in the wisdom of the Church, an opportunity to take advantage of the Christian virtues of prayer and fasting, after the long Paschal period.  The Church, aware of our human weaknesses, realizes that we need a time of fasting to help us live a life of repentance and prayer.

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Bishop Luke serves at the Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco Mission in Lewisburg PA - 07/02/23

The patronal Feast Day of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco was celebrated at St. John Mission in Lewisburg, PA, on Sunday July 2, with Bishop Luke of Syracuse presiding.

His Grace arrived for Vigil Saturday evening, and also served Divine Liturgy on Sunday.
 
With Bishop Luke were mission clergy, the Rector Father George Sharonoff, the founding Rector (retired) Hieromonk Claude Vineyard, and Deacon Paul Siewers. Holy Trinity seminarian and Reader John Keller assisted the Bishop along with mission altar servers.
 

00059
Sunday of All Saints of Russia - Bishop Luke Serves at Sts Theodore Church in Buffalo - 06/19/23

On June 17-18, 2023, the Sunday of All Saints who have shone forth in the land of Russia, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Luke of Syracuse, came from Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY to Saints Theodore Church in Buffalo, NY, where he led the celebrations in honor of one of the parish’s patron saints, Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates and the translation of his relics.   

00060
Concerning Saint Benigne (Benignus) of Dijion - 06/17/23

Over two years ago our Abbot Bishop Luke was struck by the aura of spiritual antiquity and holiness reflected in the artifact, a stone head of an early Hieromartyr Benigne of Dijion France. After extensive research he decided to attempt to obtain a relic of the Saint for the Monastery.  Correspondence began with the Archbishop of Dijon, Monseigneur Roland Minnerath, with the assistance of a parishioner at our Synod Cathedral Dr. Joachim Pissarro. Finally our priest in France, Père Quentin de Castelbajac, was able to receive the relic in Dijion from the hands of Archbishop Roland. Eventually, several months later (as this was during the pandemic) he was able to pass it on to  Dr. Pissarro who was on a lecture tour in France.

On his return to America Dr. Pissarro brought the holy relic to the Monastery. Much labor was needed to create an icon wherein to enshrine the relic. Because the image would be one of its kind an iconographer  the postulant Gabriela from our convent of “Quick to Hear“ worked together with Bishop Luke for more than six months and with God’s help the icon was completed. Through the prayers of the Hieromartyr Benigne (Benignus) may the Lord
bless all those who contributed to a revival of the veneration of an early Western Orthodox Saint.

Copies of the icon are available from our icon mounting studio.
 

 

00061
Feast of Pentecost 2023 - 06/08/23

Pentecost is the patronal feast of the Holy Trinity Monastery.  More exactly, Holy Spirit Day, the 2nd day of Pentecost is the patronal feast of the cathedral of the Holy Trinity.  This feast traditionally Is celebrated in the monastery with great solemnity.  

00062
Bishop Luke Visits Australia - 05/31/23

On May 13,  2023, His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse, Vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery  and Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville arrived in Australia to take part in the celebrations of the 100-year anniversary of the founding of Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Brisbane, Queensland.

 

00063
Commencement at the Conclusion of the 75th Academic Year - 05/28/23

On the Seventh Sunday of Pascha, in addition to the appointed celebration of the Commemoration of the 318 God-Bearing Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, Holy Trinity Seminary held its  Commencement ceremony at the conclusion of the 75th  academic year. The Divine Services for the weekend were celebrated by the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolian NICHOLAS, along with members of the monastery clergy and some distinguished alumni.

00064
First Anniversary of Repose of Metropolitan Hilarion in the Monastery - 05/17/23

On May 16, 2022, the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion of New York and Eastern America, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, from 2008 to 2022, reposed in the Lord.  He was buried behind the monastery cathedral in the brotherhood cemetery.

00065
Mid-Pentecost - 05/10/23

Following ancient Jewish traditions of dividing the year into festal seasons and the feasts themselves into parts, the Orthodox Church commemorates the half-point way from the feast of Pascha to the feast of Pentecost, with the feast of Mid-Pentecost.  It is an ancient tradition to bless holy water on this feast, which is done in the monastery at the old-fashioned water-well, which has recently been refurbished.  At the end of the liturgy on this day, several of the monastery priests and deacons, accompanied by the choir and the faithful processed to the well to the ringing of bells, for the Lesser Blessing of Water. 
             
 

00066
Sunday of Paralytic - 05/07/23

On the feast of St George , Cyprian Fennema was ordained to the diaconate and on Sunday of the Paralytic he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Luke at Holy Trinity Monastery.  Father Cyprian will be serving as a Chaplain for Hosparus Health in Louisville, KY; as a Chaplain for the Kentucky Army National Guard at the 103rd BSB in Harrodsburg, KY; and as a (on loan) priest for the Antiochian Archdiocese at St. Andrew parish in Lexington, KY. Jurisdictionally he will report directly to ROCOR's First Hierarch Metropolitan Nicholas.

Fr Cyprian is currently a lecturer in Patrology in the Certificate of Theological Studies program at Holy Trinity Seminary.

May God help the newly ordained Father Cyprian to work for the salvation of souls.

 

00067
Baptism of Babies Born Through Surrogacy - 04/21/23

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
The issues below have become more critical with daily technological advances. The positions expressed are those of Holy Trinity Seminary and reflect the opinions of our late spiritual fathers such as Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Kiprian.
 
+ Bishop Luke
Rector, Holy Trinity Seminary
 
 
 
 
Currently, reproductive biomedical technology, called "surrogate motherhood", is becoming increasingly widespread. Although this practice is permitted by law in several countries, it continues to cause heated discussions in society. The "Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church", adopted by the Jubilee Bishops' Council in 2000, assesses this phenomenon. However, a number of issues concerning the pastoral attitude to the consequences of "surrogacy" continues to be debatable. By this document, the Russian Orthodox Church gives church-practical instructions concerning the baptism of children born with the help of a "surrogate mother".

00068
Holy Pascha - 04/16/23

This year, the monastery celebrated a very warm Pascha in all senses of the meaning.  The Lord gave us unusually warm temperatures.  Many pilgrims arrived at the monastery in order to celebrate the Feast of Feasts with the brethren and the seminarians.  The large bell begins to be rung as the choir sings the Canon of Holy Saturday during the Midnight Office. At the end of this, the shroud is brought back into the altar and placed on the Holy Table, where it will stay all during the Paschal season.

00069
Holy Wednesday to Holy Saturday - 04/15/23

Holy Week in the monastery, as experienced by our many pilgrims, is a very special time of year.  All of the many special services of Great Lent lead up to the commemoration of the Passion of the Lord.  Liturgically, on Great and Holy Wednesday, there are changes in the typicon which express the unity of these days, leading up to the feast of our Lord’s Resurrection, Holy Pascha.  Whereas the Psalter is read twice a week during Great Lent, and there are many Prayers of St. Ephraim, no more are these observed, neither is the Presanctified Liturgy celebrated, the last one being served on Great Wednesday.

00070
Obituary of Matushka Galina Tkaschow - 04/10/23

On April 6, 2023, on the even of the feast of the Annunciation, Matushka Galina Tkaschow reposed in the Lord after a long illness.  She was the matushka of Archpriest Nikolai Tkaschow, pastor of the Church of the Entrance of the Mother of God Into the Temple in Syracuse, New York.

00071
Feasts of the Annunciation and Palm Sunday - 04/09/23

The feast of the Annunciation is like a bright light in the dark solemnity of Great Lent.  This year, it was two days before Palm Sunday, so we had the delight to celebrate two great feasts within a couple of days of each other, with the equally joyous feast of Lazarus Saturday in between. 

00072
Holy Unction Service - Photo Report - 04/04/23

00073
5th Saturday of Great Lent: of the Akathist to the Theotokos - 03/31/23

On the Fifth Saturday of Great Lent, the Saturday of the Akathist, we commemorate the “Laudation of the Virgin” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

See more

00074
2023 Eastern American Diocesan Lenten Clergy Conference - 03/22/23

To provide our clergy with the opportunity to better spiritually prepare for the great feast of Pascha, it has been a tradition to hold conferences during Great Lent.  It was agreed that future conferences should be held annually in Holy Trinity Monastery/Seminary due to the conducive monastic atmosphere and especially the complete lenten services.

00075
JORDANVILLE, NY: RESOLUTION OF THE CLERGY OF THE NORTHERN DEANERIES OF THE EASTERN AMERICAN DIOCESE - 03/22/23

Having gathered in Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, for the Lenten retreat and conference of clergy of the northern deaneries of the Eastern American Diocese, we, clergy and monastics, having bowed down in worship before the Cross, communed of the Holy Mysteries, and honored the memory of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste, raised up our prayers for the flock entrusted to us. We prayed especially for our persecuted brothers and sisters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, led by His Beatitude Onuphry, Metropolitan of Kiev & All Ukraine.

00076
15th Anniversary of the Repose of Metropolitan Laurus of Blessed Memory - 03/16/23

Incredible as it might seem, fifteen years have gone by since the repose of our beloved archpastor and abbot, Metropolitan Laurus, on March 16.

00077
Special Moleben for His beatitude, Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine and his God - Preserved Flock - 03/14/23

As is commonly known among Orthodox Christians, of late the canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine has been undergoing increasing persecution in Ukraine.  And now it has been announced by the regime in Kiev, that the monks of the Kiev Caves Monastery, the holiest site of Orthodoxy in Ukraine, and the birthplace of Russian Orthodoxy, have to leave their home.  The Church has announced that they do not recognize this as legal and intend to remain.

00078
First Week of Great Lent at Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/05/23

The First Week of Great Lent is a very special time of spiritual retreat for the brotherhood and seminarians at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary.  Although the monastery celebrates many feasts with great solemnity and observes the Church fasts strictly, the First Week is a very special time of year, when literally everything shuts down except for the most necessary activities. 

00079
Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/12/23

This year, the patronal feast of the seminary was celebrated with special solemnity.  This being the 75thanniversary of the seminary, it is only fitting that the seminary was able to mark this holy day in such a special way, for which we give thanks to our Lord.

 

00080
Feast of Theophany - Photo Report - 01/19/23

00081
Christmas in the Monastery - 01/09/23

This year, the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been as festive as usual, however without the snow that usually typifies Christmas in Jordanville

00082
Religious Freedom and the Systematic Persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Government of Ukraine - 01/04/23

00083
2022-12-19 Feast of Saint Nicholas - 12/19/22

On December 6/19, the Church celebrates the memory of one of the most beloved saints of the Orthodox Church. 

00084
FEAST OF THE ENTRY OF THE MOTHER OF GOD INTO THE TEMPLE - 12/04/22

On December 4 (NS), the Church celebrates the great feast of the Entry, or Entrance, of the Mother of God Into the Temple.  This is a feast very much beloved by monastics.  At the age of three, the holy little child is taken to the temple in Jerusalem, to become prepared to be the Mother of our Lord.  She spent her time there in prayer, fasting, and in conversation with the heavenly hosts.  In this way, her life in the inter-sanctum, or the Holy of Holies, was a forerunner of the monastic life.

00085
Feast of the Venerable Father Paisius Velichkovsky - 11/29/22

 
            On November 30 (New Style), the Church commemorates the memory of St. Paisius, who was very much responsible for the renewal of monasticism in Russia in the 19th century.

00086
Bishop Luke celebrates 5th anniversary - 11/22/22

On November 21, 2017 Metropolitan Hilarion blessed the opening of the new  woman’s monastery Convent of the Mother of God, Quick to Hear.   Metropolitan Hilarion and Bishop Luke belived there was a need for a woman’s monastery in the Russian tradition using English and with God’s blessing our monastery is now celebrating its 5th year anniversary.   Bishop Luke and Mother Nektaria (McElroy) searched for a suitable property for establishing a monastery.  After several months of searching a lovely and very picturesque piece of property was found, a five acre plot of land with a house and a very large unfinished two-story garage.  It is in the quiet rural hills just outside of Richfield Springs, NY and a 20 minute drive from Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville.

00087
Uncut Mountain Press Conference - 11/21/22

On the second weekend of October, from the 6th to the 9th of the month, the inaugural Uncut Mountain Press conference took place at the Antiochian Village, Pennsylvania. More than 250 people were in attendance and nearly thirty were clergy, with broad pan-Orthodox representation. His Grace, bishop Luke of Syracuse, was the honorary chairman and a speaker at the conference, which was dedicated to the ethos of the Orthodox Church.

00088
Feast of the Archangel Michael and All of the Heavenly Hosts - 11/21/22

Before God created the physical world, he created the spiritual world.  Especially important for Orthodox Christians are the Bodiless Hosts who are a constant in our spiritual life.  On this day, we celebrate their memory.  In a way, it is the Name’s Day of all of us since we are all given a Guardian Angel at baptism, who assist us along the path to salvation and in all of our needs.

00089
Special Days in the Monastery - 11/04/22

Today, the holy and miraculous Icon of Iveron from Hawaii departed the monastery after a most blessed stay of almost one week, during which all felt and witnessed the great mercy and love of the Most Holy Theotokos towards us sinners.

 

00090
BLESSED WEEKEND - 11/01/22

There are times when the grace of the Holy Spirit seem especially abundant in the Holy Trinity Monastery.  Such has been so these past few days.

00091
Bishop Luke Celebrates Divine Liturgy in Holy Protection Church in Rochester NY - 10/20/22

On Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th of October, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Luke of Syracuse came from Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY to Protection of the Mother of God Church in Rochester, NY. His Grace’s visit was timed to coincide with the parish’s patronal feast day, which had taken place on the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos the Monday prior.

00092
Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos - 10/14/22

Unlike in other local Orthodox Churches, in the Russian Church, the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos is considered a great holy day and is treated much as one of the twelve major holy days of the Orthodox Church.  In part this is due to historical reasons.  This feast commemorates the miraculous appearance of the Most Holy Mother of God in the Church of Blachernae in ancient Constantinople, when the city was in danger of sacking by pagan warriors from present-day Russia.  This intervention of the Holy Virgin caused the pagans to reevaluate their paganism, upon beholding the power of the Mother of God in protecting the Orthodox people.

00093
Feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross - 09/27/22

Among the many relics that the monastery is blessed to have, perhaps one of the most precious is a piece of the true Life-Giving Cross of our Saviour.  It is contained in a beautiful wooden pectoral cross, which belonged to the every-memorable Archbishop Averky, previous abbot of our monastery.  The cross itself is contained in a larger cross.  This cross is the one used for a couple of the commemoration days of the Cross of our Lord, specifically for this feast.

00094
Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos - 09/21/22

On September 8/21, the Holy Church celebrates the first great feast of the church year, the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, as it is called in the service, “The beginning of our salvation.”

00095
The enthronement of Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia takes place - 09/19/22

On Sunday, 18 September, 2022, ceremonies surrounding the enthronement of His Eminence His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Eastern America and New York, newly-elected Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, took place.

00096
Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan Elected First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia - 09/13/22

On Tuesday, 13 September, the election of His Grace Nicholas, Bishop of Manhattan, as the new First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia by its Council of Bishops took place.

In accordance with the Act of Canonical Communion, signed on May 17, 2007, the Council will send the Act of Election, drafted by the vote-counting committee, to His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia, with a request to bless the electee to assume the duties of the First Hierarch entrusted to him by his brother-archpastors, and for confirmation of the election by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The rite of enthronement of His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, newly elected First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, will take place on Sunday, September 18.

Schedule of Divine Services
for the Enthronement of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad:

Saturday, September 17 ‒ All-Night vigil in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign at 6:00 PM.

At the end of the service, the newly elected Primate will emerge through the Royal Doors in a black klobuk and common bishop’s mantle and face the congregation. Two senior hierarchs will then present a white klobuk and blue mantle, which the newly elected First Hierarch will don, aided by subdeacons. At this moment, the senior-most hierarch will announce "Axios" ("he is worthy") which will be repeated first by the bishops then by the choir.

After this, the Primate will bless the clergy and congregants. Before this, the blue mantle and white klobuk will be blessed with holy water by the senior-most hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad during the reading of the First Hour.

Sunday, September 18 ‒ Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral at 9:30 AM.

After the reading of the entrance prayers and the customary vesting of the two senior hierarchs, the new Metropolitan will be escorted to the vesting area, when "Axios" will be repeated by the hierarchs and clergy, then by the choir. Divine Liturgy will commence in the customary manner.

After the service, a moleben will be performed along with the entrusting of the archpastoral staff to the new Primate, which was blessed on the crypt of the Holy Hierarch Tikhon, Patriarch and Confessor of All Russia.

 

Source: https://eadiocese.org

00097
Feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist - 09/11/22

This year, the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist coincided with this Sunday’s service.  The monastery was blessed with a pilgrimage of faithful from the parish of St. Panteleimon in Hartford, CT., along with its pastor, the Very Rev. Dionysii Nalitov.

00098
Feast of Saint Job of Pochaev - 09/10/22

As shown in a previous posting, the monastery celebrates the memory of St. Job of Pochaev on Labor Day weekend for the sake of the faithful, who take advantage of the long weekend to come to the monastery in pilgrimage. 

However, the real feast is on August 28/September 10.  On this day, the monastery had an All-Night Vigil the evening before, and His Grace Bishop Luke celebrated a hierarchal Divine Liturgy together with the monastery clergy.  At the end of the Liturgy, a moleben was served to St. Job with a Cross Procession around the church. 

00099
Saint Job Pilgrimage Weekend - 09/04/22

Since Labor Day weekend is a long weekend, and in order to provide the faithful the opportunity to spend the holiday in a spiritually profitable way, it has been the tradition of the monastery for many years to dedicate this weekend to the memory of St. Job of Pochaev and the Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God.  This is only fitting as the roots of the monastery’s traditions go back to the Pochaev Monastery in Volynia, present-day Ukraine.

00100
Name's Day of the Ever-Memorable Metropolitan Laurus - 08/31/22

Today in the Church calendar are commemorated the holy Martyrs Laurus and Florus.  This was the Name’s Day of our beloved and ever-memorable Metropolitan Laurus (+2008) and Archimandrite Flor (+2012).

00101
Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - 08/28/22

The feast of the Dormition is celebrated very solemnly in our monastery.  In recent years, the Burial of the Mother of God has been added to the typicon of our monastery.  On the feast itself, special hymns are chanted to glorify the Most Pure Holy Virgin in her Dormition. 

00102
Forefeast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - 08/27/22

A few years ago, His Grace Bishop Luke, abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, instituted the practice of celebrating the “Burial” of the Mother of God.  In Russia, there were different practices of how to commemorate this event.  In our monastery it was decided to perform this service on the Eve, or the Forefeast, August 14th. 

00103
Transfiguration of Our Lord - 08/19/22

There are three feasts of the Saviour in the month of August.  The first one was the feast of the Procession of the Cross. The Transfiguration is the second one, and the feast of the Image-Not-Made-By-Hands is the third, the day following the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos.

00104
Feast of the Procession of the Cross, First Day of Dormition Fast Feast of the Maccabean Martyrs - 08/14/22

It is the tradition of the Orthodox Church to put the Cross in the middle of the church for the veneration of the faithful, during the Matins service on the eve of this feast.  This commemorates when the True Cross was brought out of the Imperial Treasury and placed on the altar of the Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Constantinople. 

00105
Bishop Luke Serves at the Saint Panteleimon Orthodox Church in Hartford CT - Photo Report - 08/09/22

00106
Visit of Bishop Alexis of Sitka and Alaska to Holy Trinity Monastery - 07/23/22

 
            On July 23 and 24, 2022, His Grace Bishop Alexis of Sitka and Alaska (OCA) paid a visit to the Holy Trinity Monastery.  Having been given a tour of the monastery grounds, His Grace Bishop Luke, abbot of the monastery, invited Vladyka Alexis and his travel companions to a tea in the afternoon.  The two bishops interchanged ideas about contemporary issues of the Orthodox Church locally and in the world.  Vladyka impressed all with his humble and sincere bearing. 

00107
Feast of Saint Peter and Paul - 07/12/22

The celebration of the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul is the culmination of the fast that precedes it, differing ever year in its length due to the date of Pascha.  However, the fast is not only for preparation for a great feast, but also the Holy Church established this fast knowing very well our weaknesses and tendency to excess, especially after Pascha and the end of the Great Fast.  Also, in keeping this fast, we united ourselves prayerfully to the holy apostles who fasted and prayed after Pentecost to prepare themselves to begin preaching the Gospel to the world.

00108
Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist - 07/07/22

On July 7 (N.S.), the Church celebrated the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, of whom the Lord spoke as a man no greater of whom had been created.

00109
Feast of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco - 07/02/22

The feast of St. John falls on the Saturday closest to the day of his repose, so that the faithful might find it easier to participate in the feast of this saint of the Church Abroad.  This year, this was July 2nd. 

00110
40th Day Since the Repose of Metropolitan Hilarion - 06/24/22

Today, June 24 is the 40th day of the repose of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Hilarion.  Our dear Vladyka was much loved by his flock, as he himself always showed us so much love.  So, not just as our natural duty, but out of love for all that Vladyka did for us, his spiritual children, we observed a special day of prayer in his memory.

00111
Holy Spirit Day - 06/13/22

For Holy Spirit Day, many visiting clergy arrived from all over to participate in the monastery’s feast day.  Vladyka was greeted “with glory” at the refectory staircase.  Despite being a work-day, the church was filled with pilgrims.  Before the Small Entrance, Priest Ephraim Willmarth, the assistant to the seminary dean was awarded the right to wear the kamilavka.  Vladyka stated that this is due to his diligent service to the seminary and the Church.  We whole-heartedly congratulate Fr. Ephraim and Matushka Joanna for this well-deserved distinction.

00112
Pentecost - 06/12/22

The patronal feast of the monastery is Pentecost, more particularly, the Day of the Holy Spirit, the day after the great feast day.  On Saturday afternoon, the Rule for Communion is longer than usual as the Akathist that forms part of the Rule is to the Holy Trinity, a very lengthy composition.  During the All-Night Vigil, when the Litya is served, it is our tradition to process around the church, stopping at all four corners for the petitions to be read. 

00113
Pentecost Ancestral Saturday - 06/11/22

The day before Pentecost, Saturday, there is a special commemoration in the Church’s typicon for all of the Orthodox reposed.  Since the monastery has a very large cemetery, it has been the custom for many years to have the Divine Liturgy on this day in the cemetery’s chapel of the Dormition, which was built almost fifty years ago in memory of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, especially the Royal Martyrs.

00114
Graduation at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary - 06/05/22

The Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary is an integral part of the life of the Holy Trinity Monastery.  The seminarians participate in the life of the monastery, in its services as well as in all other aspects of monastery life.  Likewise, the monastics participate in many ways in the life of the seminary. 

00115
Feast of Ascension of the Lord - 06/02/22

On June 2, the Holy Church celebrated the great feast of the Ascension of the Lord.  Culturally, this feast trails behind the solemnity of how Pascha and the Nativity of the Lord are celebrated by the faithful.  However, this is unfortunate, since this feast celebrates the culmination, one might say, of the Lord’s salvific life on this earth for mankind, in that this holy day commemorates how the Lord took our human nature and with it sat at the right hand of God the Father. 

00116
Apodosis of Pascha - 06/01/22

On June 1st was the celebration of the Leave-taking, or Apodosis, of Pascha.  His Grace, Bishop Luke, celebrated the divine liturgy early in the morning, along with monastery clergy.  During the Liturgy, he ordained seminarian Lawrence Remington from Indonesia, to the deaconate. 

00117
Fourth Sunday of Pascha - 05/25/22

On Sunday, May 15, Deacon Lawerce Cunnighham was ordained to the priesthood by His Grace Bishop Luke at Holy Trinity Monastery. May God help Priest Lawrence to serve the Church with zeal and piety.  Fr. Lawrence currently is enrolled in the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary.

00118
9th Day Pannikhida for Metropolitan Hilarion - 05/24/22

On Tuesday, May 24, the whole Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, and also many in other churches, commemorated with prayer the 9th day since the repose of our dearly beloved Metropolitan Hilarion of blessed memory.  In the monastery His Grace, Bishop Luke, together with the monastery clergy served a pannikhida at the grave of Vladyka with the monastery/seminary choir singing.  Joining in prayer were many neighbors and pilgrims. 

00119
WORD OF PRAISE OF THE NEWLY REPOSED METROPOLITAN HILARION - 05/23/22

Christ is Risen!

I was introduced to Metropolitan Hilarion (then  Fr. Hilarion) by Fr. Luke (Bishop Luke), the present abbot, who introduced me to Orthodoxy, when the time came to prepare for baptism.  Fr. Hilarion had been busy preparing one of the older professors for passing into eternal life, Professor Sergei Ivanov.  My memories of Fr. Hilarion are those that are universally held by all those who had the grace to know him.  He was so kind and friendly.  He made you always feel that you were the center of his attention.  He remained so until his last days.

00120
BIDDING FAREWELL TO METROPOLITAN HILARION - 05/22/22

            The newly reposed Metropolitan Hilarion began his spiritual life in our Holy Trinity Monastery.  After successfully completing his studies in the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, Igor Alexeivich Kapral was tonsured the Monk Hilarion and rapidly was ordained to be a hieromonk.  Until he was chosen to be Bishop of Manhattan in 1984, he began his pastoral life in the monastery while performing many different obediences.  The monastery being the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, he quickly became well known by our pilgrims as a spiritual leader, exhibiting the important monastic and pastoral virtues of deep humility, simplicity and love.  It was extremely rare that Fr Hilarion was seen to be angry or depressed.  He exhibited spiritual joy and was very attentive to the needs of all with whom he crossed paths. 

         

00121
Pannikhida for Metropolitan Hilarion - 05/16/22

After Compline today the first Pannikhida was served for Metropolitan Hilarion at Holy Trinity Monastery presided by our Abbot, Bishop Luke. Bishop Luke asked for everyone gathered to pray for the repose of our beloved Metropolitan who was not only a member of the brotherhood but a caring and accesible ruling Hierarch who always showed interest in the life of the monastery, seminary and convents. He was a tireless shepherd giving his time to answer the many requests from different people and often staying up very late at night being on the phone with people to help them. The pannikhida was served in an atmosphere  of sober sorrow but also hope in the Resurrection that God would grant His servant eternal rest to where the righteous repose. 

 

00122
Metropolitan Hilarion Reposed in the Lord - 05/16/22

Today, May 16, 2022, the feast day of St Theodosius of the Kievan Caves, at two o’clock New York time, following a lengthy illness, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, reposed in the Lord, in a NYC hospital.

 

00123
SUNDAY OF MYRRH-BEARING WOMEN - 05/08/22

On the third Sunday of Pascha, the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women, His Grace Bishop Luke presided at the Divine Liturgy, along with the monastery clergy.  This was a particularly joyful occasion as Vladyka performed two ordinations along with a tonsure to the subdeaconate.

00124
Bright Monday - 04/25/22

00125
Pascha 2022 - 04/24/22

Our abbot, His Grace Bishop Luke, commented at the luncheon meal on the day of Pascha, that whatever our Lord wills, happens, and without Him, nothing happens.  So it was that He willed that our monastery and community has had a most wonderful and solemn paschal celebration.  This is especially felt after two years of the Covid crisis.  For this we are most thankful to our Risen Lord.

00126
Holy Saturday Liturgy - 04/23/22

After a brief rest of several hours, Vespers for Holy Saturday is served with many Old Testament readings and the Prokeimenon, “Arise, O God…,” during which all the coverings in church and the altar as well as the vestments of the clergy are changed to Paschal white.  Thereupon we proceeded with the Liturgy of St. Basil with the chanting of “Let all creation be silent…” in place of the usual Offeratory Hymn.  It is also monastery tradition that on this day all partake of the Holy Mysteries. 


            At the end of the Liturgy, according to and in remembrance of ancient practice,  large loaves of bread were blessed and distributed to the faithful which were eaten with some wine, in memory of the fact that in the early Church, Christians remained in church all day, awaiting the Resurrection of the Lord.
 

00127
Lamentations - 04/23/22

00128
Holy Friday - 04/22/22

00129
Holy Thursday - 04/21/22

Holy Thursday the Church commemorates the first Mystical Meal, or Divine Liturgy.  The main theme is the partaking of the Body and Blood of Our Lord and the unity of His apostles with their Master.  By divine providence, we still have this in Christ’s Church to this day.  The Eucharist both unties us to our Lord and one to another.

00130
Holy Wednesday - 04/20/22

00131
Holy Tuesday Snowfall - 04/19/22

00132
Palm Sunday - 04/17/22

 
            Liturgically Great Lent finishes on Friday of the 6th Week of Great Lent, and the Church celebrates a dual feast, that of the Resurrection of Lazarus from the dead and the Entrance of the Lord Into Jerusalem, or Palm Sunday as it is commonly known.

00133
Lazarus Saturday - 04/16/22

00134
Mystery of Holy Unction - 04/12/22

Many years ago the monastery did not have its own Unction service as is customary, during Great Lent in many dioceses, however around 30 years ago, a time when several of the monastery brethren were ailing from serious illnesses, Archbishop (later Metropolitan) Laurus, became convinced that it was a good thing to do. 

00135
Fifth Sunday of Great Lent - 04/10/22

On the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent, the Holy Church commemorates the life of St. Mary of Egypt, as an example of ascetic struggling for the purification of the soul and deep repentance.

00136
Monastic Tonsures on the Feast of the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos - 04/08/22

According to the typicon of the Lenten Triodion, on the Saturday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent, the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos is chanted as part of the Matins service.  As usual, His Grace Bishop Luke served the Akathist Hymn along with the brethren of the monastery. 

00137
Feast of the Annunciation - 04/07/22

The feast of the Annunciation and the rubrics on how to serve it are very interesting, since the feast can fall on any number of days during Great Lent and Bright Week, including, howbeit very rarely, on Pascha itself.

00138
PILGRIMAGE FROM HOLY RESURRECTION SERBIAN ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL, Chicago, Illinois - 04/03/22

On the weekend of April 1-3, the monastery was visited by a pilgrimage of approximately 50 people from the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Resurrection in Chicago, Illinois.  The group was headed by a priest of the cathedral, the Rev. Nikolaj Kostur, a graduate of our Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary. 

00139
Lenten Pastoral Retreat at Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/28/22

A very good practice of our Church has been to hold clergy conferences a couple of times a year, during which the clergy many have brotherly contact and interaction with each other and the bishops.  Due to the COVID -19 pandemic, this was not possible until this year since 1920. 
           

00140
Veneration of the Holy Cross - 03/27/22

During the middle of the Great Fast, the Holy Church, wanting to strengthen her faithful in their Lenten struggles, brings out the Life-Giving Cross for the veneration of the faithful.  The service itself in many ways repeats the service of the Exaltation of the Cross in September, both of them drawing their inspiration from the service of Holy Friday, the Passion of the Lord.

00141
Statement on Abortion by His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse, Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/26/22

The faithful have expressed concern that some recent statements seem to indicate that the Orthodox Christian position on abortion has changed. The Orthodox Church has consistently and unequivocally recognized the full humanity of every person beginning at the moment of conception and, therefore, has always been pro-life, regarding abortion as the murder of another human being. While the society around us may change its views from century to century, the Church can still reiterate the words of the Lord’s Teaching through the Twelve Apostles to the Nations (the “Didache”), which dates to the earliest generations of the Church: “Do not murder a child by abortion or kill a newborn infant” The Church proclaims the love of God to all mankind, with no exception, and, while condemning the practice of abortion, the Church still holds out the offer of mercy and forgiveness to those who have been victims to the deceitful pressures of the world and have made the tragic choice to kill their own children or who have facilitated abortions for those seeking them. 

+ Bishop Luke

00142
Sunday of Orthodoxy - 03/13/22

It is sometimes asked why does the Orthodox Church celebrate the Sunday of Orthodoxy on the first Sunday of Great Lent.  What does this feast have to do with fasting?

00143
First Week of Great Lent - 03/12/22

We have just finished the first week of Great Lent for this year.  Hopefully, we have changed to some degree in order to enter more into the spirit of the fast.  Great Lent is supposed to prepare us to celebrate joyfully the feast of the Lord’s Resurrection.  But in a greater way, it is meant to be a school of true Christianity, a time of repentance and redirecting our steps back onto the true path.  With all of the cares of contemporary life, we often get distracted from “the one thing essential.”  However, after participating in the deeply moving services of the first week, having entered into a “retreat” as it were, with ten hours daily of prayer and strict fasting, we hopefully will now spend the rest of the fast concentrated, each according to his strength, in the true meaning of our faith.

00144
Concerning the War in Ukraine - 03/03/22

1) Archpastoral Epistle to the Clergy and Flock of the Eastern American and Australian-New Zealand Dioceses on Great Lent and on the Events on the Holy Ukrainian Landby Metropolitan Hilarion

2) Metropolitan Onouphry Appeals for Penintential Prayer and End to the "Fratricidal War

 

00145
Meeting of the Lord - 02/15/22

The feast of the Meeting of the Lord is a wonderful, great feast which happens just before the solemnity of the beginning of Great Lent.  Its afterfeast’s length depends on when Lent commences.  This year, we have a full afterfeast, since Pascha is relatively late this year.

00146
Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/12/22

The feast of the Three Hierarchs, Sts. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom, is the feast of our Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary.  More information about this feast can be found on the seminary website and facebook page.

00147
Feast of Theophany - 01/19/22

The feast of Theophany comes at the end of the holy day season, called “Sviatki,” or “Holy Days.”  Originally being one feast of the Theophany, or “Appearance of God” in the early centuries of the Church, in the fourth century, the feast of the Nativity became a feast by itself.  The two feasts are like twins in the way they are celebrated.

00148
Feast of the Holy Nativity of Our Lord - 01/07/22

The monastery is now enjoying and celebrating the feast of our Lord’s Holy Nativity.  The Lord even provided us with seasonable snowy weather.  The brethren have decorated the monastery and seminary with lights and Christmas trees.  The church has been filled with poinsettias.  The choir has had practices to improve the chanting of the many special hymns and melodies.

00149
The Nativity Issue of Pravoslavnaia Rus' is Now Available for Download - 01/02/22

The Nativity Issue of Pravoslavnaia Rus' is Now Available for Download
 
The fourth and final issue of Holy Trinity Monastery's Russian-language journal Pravoslavnaia Rus' for 2021 may be downloaded as a free PDF directly from the publisher's website.

In this issue:
 
1.     Nativity Epistle of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.
2.    Archbisop Dimitri of Kherson and Odessa. Homily on the Day of the Nativity of Christ.
3.    On Christian Burial of the Dead.
4.    From the History of the Chinese Ecclesial Mission (Conclusion)
5.    Matushka Elena Perekrestov. Memories of Archimandrite Iov (Kotenko, 1926-2021)
6.    About the private library of Holy Trinity Monastery
7.    About monastic obediences. The Apiary.
 
*****************
 
Православная Русь is published four times a year and made available free of charge in electronic form. Donations towards the ongoing costs of production are accepted:

1) Via Patreon (recurring donations)
2) Via Paypal
3) By phone — 315 538-5008
4) By check - Please make your check out to 'Holy Trinity Monastery' and mail to:

Holy Trinity Publications
P.O. Box 36
Jordanville, NY 13361
 
So that we may properly record your support, please note 'Православная Русь' in the memo field.
 
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Вышел в свет Рождественский номер «Православной Руси»
 
Очередной номер русскоязычного журнала Свято-Троицкого монастыря можно скачать бесплатно на сайте издательства.
 
 В текущем номере: 
 
1. РОЖДЕСТВЕНСКОЕ ПОСЛАНИЕ Высокопреосвященнейшего ИЛАРИОНА, митрополита Восточно-Американского и Нью-Йоркского, Первоиерарха Русской Зарубежной Церкви
2. Димитрий, Архиепископ Херсонский и Одесский. Слово в день Рождества Христова  
3. О христианском погребении умерших
4. Изъ исторіи Китайской Духовной Миссіи (Окончаніе)
 5. Матушка Елена Перекрестова. Памяти архимандрита  Иова (Котенко) 1926-2021
6. О книжном собрании Свято-Троицкого монастыря
7. О монастырских послушаниях. Пасека
 
*****************
 
Православная Русь издается беcплатно четыре раза в год в электронном формате.
Пожертвования на издание журнала принимаются:
 
1) На сайте Patreon (повторные пожертвования)
2) Через Paypal - www.paypal.me/HTPub
3) По телефону – 315-538-5008
4) По почте – чеки надо выписывать на ‘Holy Trinity Monastery’; и высылать на адрес:
 
Holy Trinity Publications
P.O. Box 36
Jordanville, NY 13361
Пожалуйста укажите на Вашем чеке ‘Православная Русь’
 
 

00150
Feast of Saint Herman and Saint Spyridon - 12/24/21

Our fathers established the feast of the Venerable Father Herman of Alaska on December 12 (25th N.S.) in part to provide a pious means of emphasizing that while following the Church Calendar it would be inappropriate to break the Fast by engaging in Christmas celebrations on the Gregorian Calendar. Thus the creation of the annual St Herman’s conferences at this time.

00151
Feast of Saint Nicholas - 12/19/21

St. Nicholas of Myra is perhaps, after the Mother of God, the most beloved by Russians of all the saints.  Every home traditionally has at least an icon of St. Nicholas besides of the Saviour and the Virgin Mary.

00152
Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos - 12/04/21

On November 21 (Old Style)/ December 4 (New Style), the Church celebrates one of its twelve main feasts, that of The Entrance of the Theotokos Into the Temple. During Matins, the katavasia of the canon consist of the Irmosoi of the feast of the Holy Nativity.  Thus in this way, the faithful hear for the first time hymns of the upcoming feast.  As we approach the feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Church more and more uses hymns concerning the incarnation of Christ, thus preparing us gradually for the celebration. On this day, His Grace, Bishop Luke, celebrated the Divine Liturgy, along with the monastery clergy.

00153
Holy Trinity Publications visits Orthodox communities in England - 11/12/21

With the blessing of Bishop Luke of Syracuse, abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, staff of Holy Trinity Publications (the monastery’s publishing arm) made a visit to the United Kingdom from October 9 - 21. Since mid-2019, Holy Trinity Publications titles have been widely available in the UK & Europe through Oxbow Books, an Oxford-based book distributor. Among the aims of the trip was to publicize this arrangement and increase the visibility of these books in the UK, in particular the works of some of their recently published British authors.
 

00154
Funeral of Archimandrite Job - 11/08/21

Even though Fr. Job was basically a shut-in for several years, a multitude of people made their way to Holy Trinity Monastery for his funeral from all over the country.  People truly loved this meek and very devout monk who spent 72 years of his life living in our holy abode, laboring for the monastery and his salvation.  I think he would have been truly amazed at the number of people who came to bid him farewell, to this true and faithful servant of our Lord.

 

00155
Memorial to Archimandrite Job - 11/08/21

When I started visiting the Holy Trinity Monastery and eventually came here to live and study in seminary in the fall of 1980, I quickly came to know the fathers and brethren of the monastery.  All of them, of course, had their individual characteristics.  Fr. Job was one that truly stood out for his humility and tranquility of soul. 

00156
Archimandrite Iov Kotenko of Holy Trinity Monastery 1926 - 2021 - 11/06/21

The early morning hours of November 6, 2021, the feast day of the Icon of the Mother of God «Joy of All Who Sorrow», saw the passing of Archimandrite Iov (Kotenko), the oldest monastic of Holy Trinity Monastery, who had spent 72 years within its walls. While liturgy was being celebrated in the monastery cathedral, Father Iov reposed peacefully at the age of 95 after a prolonged illness.

Archimandrite Iov was born on April 26, 1926 in the pious family of Sergei Ivanovich and Olga Dmitrievna Kotenko. In baptism he was named Ivan (John). He was the youngest of three children – the older siblings were named Nicholas and Claudia. Ivan’s childhood and youth were spent in Kharkov. The children wore crosses, and their mother had to send the children away to their grandmother’s house in an outlying village whenever a certain commissar or committee would appear in the city that were likely to demand that the children take off their crosses. Through some miraculous happenstances, all three were able to avoid joining the Communist Pioneer Youth.

00157
24th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MURDER OF BROTHER JOSE - 10/31/21

The guardian of the Myrrh-Streaming Montreal Icon of the Mother of God of Iveron suffered a martyric death on October 31, 1997.  He is buried in the cemetery of the Holy Trinity Monastery.  Since his burial many have been the pilgrims who have made their way to his grave to honor his memory and to ask his prayers before the throne of God.

00158
Feast of the Protection of the Mother of God - 10/14/21

On the first of October, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God.  It is especially and solemnly celebrated in the Russian Orthodox Church.  This is due to the fact that the pious Russian people regard the events associated with the feast as the beginning of their salvation, in that the pagans who inhabited what is now Russia and Ukraine were humbled by God in the miracle of the appearance of the Theotokos in the church in Constantinople, showing Her intercession before Her Son and Lord, so that the Christians would be saved and the heathen defeated, when the pagans were set to conquer the capital city of the Byzantine Empire.
 
One of the most precious relics housed in the monastery cathedral is a piece of the cincture, or the girdle of the Mother of God, which is contained in the icon of the Protection, which is brought out and placed in the middle of the church for the veneration by the faithful. 

On this day, it is traditional to commemorate all of the past and present choir directors of the monastery as well as the present day singers in the choir.  May the Lord through the prayers of His Most Blessed Mother inspire them to lead us in prayer.

00159
Feast of the Exaltation of the Life- Giving Cross - 09/27/21

The monastery is very blessed to have among its many precious relics a piece of the Cross upon which our Saviour Jesus Christ was crucified.  It is contained in a pectoral cross once worn by the ever-memorable Archbishop Averky, a previous abbot of our monastery, when he was an archimandrite in Eastern Europe.  As a bishop, he had the relic of the Cross placed in his pectoral cross, also made of wood, and that cross is used for a couple of the feasts of the Cross, including the Exaltation. 

00160
Nativity of the Theotokos - 09/21/21

The first feast of the Church Year is the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.  This is very apt since her birth is, as the troparion of the feast states, the beginning of the construction of our salvation. 

00161
Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossae - 09/19/21

On the day before this feast, Saturday, a pilgrimage arrived from Hartford, Connecticut, from the ROCOR parish of St. Panteleimon, along with their parish priest, the Very Rev. Dionisii Nalitov.  From its foundation, the monastery has been conceived as a place of pilgrimage to provide spiritual solace for the faithful, so in need of comfort in a difficult world.  We are glad to be able to once again receive pilgrims, and we pray that all those who came here went home renewed and filled with the grace of God.

00162
Feast of Saint Alexander Nevsky in Howell NJ - 09/12/21

Between the 11th and 12th of September, His Grace Bishop Luke participated in the festivities for the 800th Anniversary of the birth of Saint Alexander Nevsky at the St. Alexander Nevsky Catrhedral in Howell , NY. For a complete report click here

00163
Feast of Saint Job of Pochaev - 09/10/21

The first abbot of the Pochaev Lavra in Volynia, Little Russia, was St. Job, who besides being a holy guide of monasticism, was a fervent defender of Orthodoxy in an area besieged by the Roman Catholics.  His zeal was in publishing the printed word.  His struggles in this way were later continued by an offshoot of this monastery, founded in the 1920’s in Slovakia.  Towards the end of World War II, the printing brotherhood of this monastery was forced to flee the onslaught of the Red Army, and most of them eventually found their way to the New World, to our Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York.  Glory be to God, we continue to this day their enlightening work in the printed word.

00164
Visitation of the Hawaiian Myrrh-Streaming Icon - 09/09/21

Our Russian Orthodox Church Abroad has been blessed with the appearance of several myrrh-streaming icons in recent years.  Perhaps due to the grave and frightful circumstances that we find ourselves in for a number of years, the Mother of God desired to show us Her love and care for us sinners, to strengthen us to forebear all that is happening and that which might come to pass.

00165
Great Consecration of the Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in Rochester, NY - 09/06/21

It was with great joy that the faithful of the Russian Orthodox parish of the Protection of the Mother of God of the city of Rochester, New York, were finally able to have their beautiful church fully consecrated.  This long-awaited day was postponed from last year due to the Covid crisis. 
 
His Grace, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, along with His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse, Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, presided at the consecration and the Divine Liturgy that followed on September 6, 2021. 

00166
Sunday, People's Commemoration of St. Job of Pochaev and Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God - 09/05/21

The Pochaev Lavra in present day Ukraine, is one of the most venerated holy places of Holy Rus.’  It has had a very difficult and complicated history due to the struggle to maintain Orthodoxy in that part of ancient Rus,’ and is very much connected with the history of our monastery as well as the whole Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.

00167
COMMEMORATION OF POCHAEV ICON AND ST. JOB - 09/04/21

The traditions and history of the Holy Trinity Monastery are very much connected with the famous Lavra of the Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in Volynia, present-day Ukraine.  Although the monastery was started back in 1930 by Archimandrite Panteleimon, they were joined in 1946 by a group of fourteen monks from the St. Job of Pochaev Monastery in Ladomirovo, Slovakia, who had fled the onslaught of the area by the Red Army and eventually found their new home in Holy Trinity Monastery.  Thus began the intimate connection with the traditions of the Pochaev Lavra, one of the most famous of Russian monasteries.

00168
Pannikhida for Metropolitan Laurus - 08/31/21

On August 18/31 the Holy Church celebrates the memory of the holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus.  This was the name’s day of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Flor.  Metropolitan Laurus was abbot of the Holy Trinity Monasery for 32 years and was one of the group of monastics from the St. Job of Pochaev Monastery in Slovakia, who immigrated to the United States after World War II to join the brotherhood already established here by Archimandrite Panteleimon.  Fr. Flor was also part of this group.

00169
FEAST OF THE DORMITION OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS - 08/28/21

The feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God has always been celebrated in the monastery with great solemnity.  The Most Holy Theotokos is greatly beloved by all Orthodox Christians and especially by monastics, who look to Her for guidance and aid in their struggles.  In Mount Athos, the “garden” of the Most Holy Virgin, She is considered the abbess of all the monasteries.  In our monastery, we have a thread from Her most sacred belt as well as a miraculous copy of the Pochaev Icon, the mother house, so to speak, of our monastery.

00170
FEAST OF THE HOLY TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD - 08/19/21

During the Dormition Fast, a strict, two-week fast before the feast of the Falling Asleep of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Holy Church provides its faithful with the joyous feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, when Jesus Christ ascended Mount Tabor in Galilee with his holy Apostles Peter, James and John and was transfigured before them, being accompanied by the Old Testament holy men, Moses and Elias. 

00171
‘’FIRST SAVIOUR’’ OF AUGUST - 08/14/21

In the popular tradition of Russian Orthodox people, the feast of the Procession of the Cross, which falls on the first day of the Dormition Fast, this day is called the “First Saviour” feast of August.  Holy Transfiguration is the “Second Saviour,” and the Feast of the Image-Not-Made-By-Hands is the “Third Saviour.”

00172
+Archimandrite Paneleimon, Founder and Builder of Holy Trinity Monastery - 08/10/21

It is impossible to imagine Orthodoxy in America without the Holy Trinity Monastery.  Not only the monastery, but the whole Orthodox world in the West owes so much to this humble, ascetic who almost single-handedly built what was called the Lavra of the Russian Diaspora by the ever-memorable Metropolitan Anastassy, the second First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad.
 
           

00173
Feast of Saint Panteleimon in Hartford CT - 08/09/21

00174
Feast of St. Olga at Quick to Hear Convent of the Mother of God - 07/24/21

Bishop Luke designated a summer feast for the Convent of the Mother of God, Quick to Hear.  And so on July 24th the sisters celebrated their first annual feast for St Olga, Princess of Russia.

 

00175
Russian History Museum at Holy Trinity Monastery Lends Unique Artifacts to Tsarskoe Selo - 07/24/21

ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – The Russian History Museum is honored to loan fifty rare objects to Russia’s Tsarskoe Selo Museum-Preserve in St. Petersburg, for a new exhibition on view July 23 – October 18, 2021. At the Sovereign’s Stirrup («При государеве стремени. Конные эскорты России с XVI века и до наших дней») presents the history of mounted military units that escorted Russia’s tsars and emperors. A significant part of the exhibition is dedicated to the history of His Imperial Majesty’s Own Escort, the elite Cossack Guards unit that served as the emperor’s personal detail from the early 19th century until the Russian Revolution.

 

For more information click here.

00176
Collecting Stories: The Search for the Romanovs - 07/24/21

July 29 @ 6:00pm - 7:00pm EDT

An exclusive online conversation with Peter Sarandinaki, President of SEARCH Foundation

In July of 1918, fourteen members of the Romanov family were murdered at Ekaterinburg and at Alapayevsk. On February 7th, 1919, Nikolai Sokolov began his investigation into the murder of the Imperial Family, and from May to July of 1919 he collected forensic evidence that to this day forms our understanding of what happened in those final days and hours.

For more information click here

00177
Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and 40th Anniversary of Ordination of Bishop Luke to the Priesthood - 07/12/21

Today, on July 12 (NS), the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, the monastery and seminary celebrated the 40th anniversary of its superior and rector to the priesthood.  This feast is always celebrated with great solemnity in the monastery for what these apostles signify for the Church, but this year was very special.

00178
Feast of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco - 07/03/21

00179
Holy Spirit Day - 06/21/21

On the eve of Holy Spirit Day, Sunday afternoon, Small Compline was served before supper with the reading of the Canon to the Holy Spirit.  After supper, Matins was served, in preparation for the altar feast of the monastery cathedral.

00180
Feast of Pentecost - 06/20/21

On June 20, the great feast of Pentecost was celebrated at Holy Trinity Monastery with the usual solemnity.  Last year, due to the Covid pandemic, the monastery celebrated this feast with much less pomp, although with great joy.

 

00181
Commemoration of the Dead - 06/20/21

On the Saturday before Pentecost the Church has establised a general commemoration of the departed. 

00182
Sixth Sunday after Pascha and Graduation at Holy Trinity Seminary - 06/06/21

When Pascha comes at a later date, the graduation celebration is made even more festive with the singing of “Christ is Risen…”  So it was this year; the 73rd commencement was solemnly celebrated together with Paschal hymns of joy.

His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada was invited and willingly came to participate in his alma mater’s celebration.  Vladyka has always been a great support of the monastery and seminary.

 The Vigil was celebrated accompanied by the chanting of the seminary-monastery choir, under the direction of its regent, Deacon Nicholas Kotar.  The divine liturgy on Sunday concelebrated by Archbishop Gabriel and the rector of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, His Grace, Bishop Luke.  During the Sixth Hour, seminarian Peter James was tonsured a reader.  He is in the Graduate of Divinity Program of the seminary.  We wish him, his wife, Lucina and their baby daughter, Sophia, good health and salvation.

 After the consecration of the Holy Gifts, Bishop Luke ordained Monk Subdeacon Theodore (Stanway) the be a hierodeacon.  Fr. Theodore graduated today with a Sumna com Laude from the Master of Divinity, recently established in the seminary.  Fr. Theodore, besides working in the bookstore, also bakes bread and prosphora among other various obediences.

 At 2PM there was a procession of seminary faculty to the cathedral of the monastery to commence a Thanksgiving Moleben for the end of the school year. 
 For further details about the graduation service, please visit our seminary website:  www.hts.edu

00183
BISHOP LUKE CELEBRATES LITURGY IN ST. ANDREW CATHEDRAL - 05/31/21

On May 23, the Sunday of the Paralytic Bishop Luke traveled to St. Petersburg, Florida to represent the Metropolitan at our parish of St Andrew the General.

 On Saturday morning Bishop Luke attended the Divine Liturgy in honor of the translation of the relics of St Nicholas. Every Saturday a newly formed missionary community meets at the parish for Liturgy in English. Father Stephen Zaremba, the head of the mission, served the Liturgy and asked Bishop Luke to speak to the community afterwards about the Monastery, the Seminary and answer questions.

00184
Radonitsa - 05/11/21

The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates on the Tuesday after Bright Week a special commemoration of all of those reposed in the Lord, and pannikhidas are served for the first time after Pascha.  In actuality, due to the present culture in which we live and due to work requirements, pannikhidas are served on St. Thomas Sunday, but here in the monastery, a universal pannikhida is served on Radonitsa itself. 

00185
Holy Pascha - 05/02/21

Pascha is always served with great joy in the monastery.  One time, someone described Pascha in one of our great cathedrals as being very glorious and solemn, whereas Pascha in the monastery is warm and very moving.  It seems to me that this is due to the long and very serious atmosphere in the monastery during Great Lent, with the daily and long, grace-filled Lenten services impart a treasure-house of divine grace to all those who are struggling in the monastery.

00186
Holy and Great Saturday - 05/01/21

Matins for Holy and Great Saturday, commonly known as “The Burial Service,” is served at 2 AM in the monastery, unlike as in parishes, for which this time according to the Church’s typicon, is very impractical.  The service starts with the Praises, which are interspersed with verses from the 17th Kathisma of the Psalter.  The serving clergy take turns reading the praises while the choir chants the kathisma verses.   Later on, the Canon of Holy and Great Saturday is sung and read before the Tomb of the Lord, which is the center of all liturgical activity for the services of Holy Saturday.

00187
SERVICE OF THE TWELVE PASSION GOSPELS - 04/29/21

One of the most moving services of Passion Week is the matins service of Holy Friday, during which there are twelve readings from the four Gospels concerning our Lord’s salvific Passion.  As is traditional, there was a ringing of a large bell at the end of each Gospel reading, according to the number of the reading.  At the end of the twelfth reading there was a light trezvon, symbolizing that the Lord’s salvific feat on the Cross was finished. 

00188
FEAST OF THE ENTRY OF THE LORD INTO JERUSALEM - 04/27/21

“Hosanna in the highest.  Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord,” exclaimed the children of Israel, as our Lord proceeded into the Holy City, surrounded by many people who thought that he had come to overthrow the Romans.  This after it was widely reported about how He had raised Lazarus from the dead.
 

00189
FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION - 04/07/21

The feast of the Annunciation is celebrated differently every year, depending on what day it falls during Great Lent of Bright Week.  Neither Great Lent nor Bright Week disappears on this great feast of the Mother of God, and a unique way enhances the feast.
 

00190
Sunday of Orthodoxy - 03/25/21

After the first week of Great Lent, one of strict fasting and long and compunctionate services, the monastery celebrated the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the triumph over the heresy of iconoclasm.  The Divine Liturgy on Sunday was presided over by His Grace, Bishop Luke of Syracuse and abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery as well as rector of the Holy Trinity Seminary.  Vladyka was co-served by the monastery clergy.  During the Small Entrance, Igumen Theophylact was raised to the rank of archimandrite by Vladyka.

00191
First Week of Lent - 03/23/21

At 3PM on Sunday, March 14, after the usual hierarchal Divine Liturgy, the brethren of the monastery along with the seminarians and gathered for Great Vespers, which started as a hierarchal service with the formal meeting of our abbot, His Grace, Bishop Luke, and his vesting.

00192
Selections from Vespers - Sunday of Orthodoxy - 03/22/21

00193
Selections from Great Compline - 03/18/21

00194
Meeting of the Lord - 02/15/21

            On February 2/15 the Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Meeting of the Lord.  In the Russian Church this feast is considered a feast of the Mother of God, even though it has several aspects of a feast of the Lord.  Another interesting detail of this feast is that the afterfeast can be either a full week, such as happens this year, due to the late date of Pascha, or it can be non-existent if Pascha falls on the earliest day possible.  The rubrics are very extensive to cover all the possibilities of celebrating this feast due to its proximity to the Lenten Triodion.

00195
Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/13/21

   The feast of the Three Hierarchs, Our Holy Fathers, Basil the Great, Gregory the Great, and John Chrysostom, is the feast day of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary.  This year, the seminary was blessed to have the presence and service of three hierarchs!  Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, and our own Bishop Luke of Syracuse, presided at the festive services.

00196
Feast of Theophany - 01/19/21

 
            The feast of Theophany is the culmination of the church festal period known as “The Holy Days,” in the Russian Orthodox Church, which commences with the feast of the Lord’s Nativity.  During this period, there are no full prostrations in church and no fasting from animal products. 

00197
FEAST OF THE HOLY NATIVITY - 01/07/21

            The monastery has always celebrated the three major feasts of the Church calendar in complete fulfillment of the Church typicon, that is, with festal services for three days.  This includes the feasts of Nativity, Pascha and Pentecost.  In this way, there is an atmosphere of spiritual joy which pervades the monastery.  Despite the current difficulties, the monastery once again was able to fulfill this if even with somewhat more simplicity this year.

 

 

00198
FEAST OF THE ENTRANCE OF THE THEOTOKOS INTO THE TEMPLE - 12/04/20

On November 21 (Old Style)/ December 4 (New Style), the Church celebrates one its twelves main feasts. During Matins, the katavasia of the canon consist of the Irmosoi of the feast of the Holy Nativity.  Thus in this way, the faithful hear for the first time, hymns of the upcoming feast.  As we approach the feast, the Church more and more reveals to us hymns from the service of Nativiy, thus preparing us gradually for the celebration.
 
            On this day, His Grace, Bishop Luke, celebrated the Divine Liturgy, along with the monastery clergy.

00199
JUBILEE OF THE HOLY TRINITY CATHEDRAL AT HOLY TRINITY MONASTERY - 11/26/20

Due to the COVID crisis, the monastery and seminary, which originally had planned very festive commemorations of several jubilees this year, has had to greatly diminish the original plans.  So it was that on November 26, 2020, which was also Thanksgiving Day in the United States, the monastery commemorated the 70th anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral of the Holy Trinity Monastery. 
 

00200
New Issue of Pravoslavnaia Rus' - 11/25/20

The third issue of Holy Trinity Monastery's Russian-language journal Pravoslavnaia Rus' for 2020 may be downloaded as a free PDF directly from the publisher's website.
 
*****************
 
Православная Русь is published four times a year and made available free of charge in electronic form. Donations towards the ongoing costs of production are accepted:

1) Via Patreon (recurring donations)
2) Via Paypal
3) By phone - 315 538 5008
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Holy Trinity Publications
P.O. Box 36
Jordanville, NY 13361
 
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Вышел в свет очередной третий номер «Православной Руси» за 2020 г.
 
Очередной номер русскоязычного журнала Свято-Троицкого монастыря можно скачать бесплатно на сайте издательства.
 
 В текущем номере: 
 
1. Диакон Андрей Псарев. Слово на Праздник Преображения Господня
2. Митрополит Макарий (Невский). О воспитании детей
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4. Опыт исторического описания Свято-Троицкого мужского  монастыря в Джорданвилле
5.  Архиепископ Аверкий (Таушев) и  его наследие.
6. Из  проповеднического наследия архиепископа Аверкия (Таушева)
Слово на Успение Пресвятыя Богородицы
Слово на Усекновение Честной Главы Иоанна Крестителя
Слово в день Рождества Пресвятой Богородицы 8 сентября
7. Личные документы священнослужителей в фондах архива Свято-Троицкой духовной Семинарии в Джорданвилле. Послужной список протоиерея Василия Шапошникова.
8. Храм на берегу Волги материалы к истории Петропавловской церкви  в селе Стрелка. Къ 180-летию основания
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Пожертвования на издание журнала принимаются:
 
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3) По телефону – 315-538-5008
4) Чеки надо выписывать на ‘Holy Trinity Monastery’; и высылать на адрес:
 
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Jordanville, NY 13361
Пожалуйста укажите на Вашем чеке ‘Православная Русь’
 
 

00201
Name's Day of Bishop Luke - 10/31/20

On October 18 (31 N.S.), the Church commemorates the memory of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke. This is the Saint’s Day of our superior and rector, His Grace Bishop of Syracuse.  As is traditional, Vladyka served the divine liturgy at 6 AM, together with the clergy of the monastery as well as some guest clergy.  A short moleben was served at the end of the liturgy, offering prayers for our Vladyka.  All those attending the service wished Vladyka good health and God’s strength in his church obediences.
 

00202
FEAST OF THE PROTECTION OF THE MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS - 10/14/20

On October 14 (New Calendar), the Russian Orthodox Church solemnly celebrates the feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, which commemorates the vision of the Holy Virgin in the church of Blachernae, in the mid-10th century, during an All-Night Vigil, during which the faithful were imploring the aid of the Mother of God during a siege from pagan tribes of the ancestors of the Russians. 

00203
KURSK ICON VISITATION - 10/11/20

The weekend of October 10 and 11, the Kursk Icon was present in the monastery, having been brought here by His Grace, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, for the comfort of the monastery and the seminary, as well as the neighbors, for whom the monastery is their spiritual home.  On Saturday, after lunch, the icon was taken around to bless all of the rooms of the monastery as well as the seminary dormitory.  For some of our new seminarians, this was the first time that they had the opportunity to venerate in person this ancient holy relic of the Russian Orthodox Church.

00204
FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS - 09/27/20

The monastery has an immense blessing in having in its possession innumerable relics of saints.  One of our most treasured relics is a piece of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord.  It is set in a beautifully carved, wooden archimandrite’s cross which belonged to the ever-memorable Archbishop Averky, when he was an archimandrite in the Carpathian mountains area of north-western Hungary, before World War II.  Eventually, Vladyka used his cross for the setting of the wondrous relic, which itself was placed in a larger Maltese shaped cross, and which is used in the monastery for feasts of the Cross, especially the Exaltation of the Cross.

00205
FEAST OF THE BEHEADING OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST - 09/11/20

Although the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist is not one of the twelves great feasts of the Orthodox Church, nevertheless it is considered a great feast, as the Baptist was called by the Lord the greatest of men who had every been born.  The feast commemorates several things.  First of all, it is a day of great sorrow, that the holiest of men was put to death, not due to any fault of his won, but due to lust and envy.  Also it signifies the death of a man who connected the Old Testament with the New.  He himself stated that he had to become smaller while Christ would become greater.

00206
Feast of St. Job of Pochaev - 09/10/20

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, for the first time in memory, the monastery did not have its annual Labor Day weekend celebration of the memory of St. Job of Pochaev and the Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.  Due to this, the Pochaev Icon was not taken to the cemetery church of the Dormition on the feast of the Dormition as has been the usual custom, to be brought back in procession on Saturday of the Labor Day weekend. 
 

00207
Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - 08/28/20

The feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos has always been celebrated with great solemnity in the monastery.  Traditionally, it has been tied into our St. Job of Pochaev Pilgrimages on Labor Day weekend, and even if the afterfeast of the Dormition ended before Labor Day weekend, we would still keep blue vestments and sing hymns of the Dormition together with the Pochaev Icon and St. Job.
 
           

00208
Burial Service of the Theotokos - 08/27/20

The Holy Trinity Monastery has renewed the practice of serving the Lamentations and Burial of the Most Holy Theotokos in our monastery.  Forty years ago, the English language mission of the monastery, served by Hieromonk Ioannikiy and then later the late Archpriest Laurence Girard served this service in English at the conclusion of the regular All-Night Vigil in the cathedral of the monastery.  After a few years, unfortunately, the practice stopped.
 

00209
Candle Factory Expansion - 08/22/20

In 2011 Holy Trinity Monastery began making 100% Pure Beeswax Candles. Our standard has been since the begiining not to mix any chemicals or parrafin in the wax. Over the years we have been gradually increasing our production and variety of candles available. In 2019 the candle factory was expanded to better support the candle making operation. We hope by the end of 2021 to further exand the candle factory bringing in new equipment. There are many areas that need to be worked on in terms of upgrading electricity, bringing water to the building and adding new equipment. We ask for your continued support to be able to continue this work. You may purchase our candles here. We are now also accepting Amazon Pay. 

00210
Apiary - 08/22/20

In 2014 the Monastery Apiary suffered major damage due to a fire. Since that time a new building has been built to house the workshop for processing honey and every year more and more beehives are been added. Currenly a building is being prepapred made out of straw walls to house the beehives during the winter. We hope to soon be able to offer our honey products online. Asking for prayers and support to continue this work. 

00211
Repairing of Refectory Ceiling - 08/22/20

In January 2020 the ceiling of the Monastery Refectory was refinished because over the years much damage was done to the ceiling from various leaks due to plumbing problems. 

00212
Expansion of Holy Trinity Church Supplies Store to Lower Level - 08/22/20

00213
Expansion and Renovation of Upper Level Holy Trinity Church Supplies Store - 08/22/20

Holy Trinity Monastery Bookstore  is now Holy Trinity Church Supplies Store. In the past eight months we have been adding many more titles to our English and Russian books collection. In addition we are beginning to carry various church supplies for use in church and home as well as ecclesiastical clothing and vestments. The need arose for more space to stock all the items. The upper level store now houses all liturgical items, new and featured English and Russian books, English books and food items. The Lower Store houses all Russian books, vestments and ecclesiastical clothing. We hope in time to expand our range of products. We ask for your prayers and support.  

00214
New Monastery Roof Completed - 08/22/20

The roof of the main office and residence building was in great need of repair. In several places the shingle roof had rotted and there was water damage in several areas. An appeal was issued in the fall of 2019 as the Monastery had decided to replace the shingle roof with a metal roof with a guarantee that this would last for many years. However the Monastery could not cover the $150, 000.00 price tag and the faithful overwhelmingly answered the appeal with generous donations to cover the expense of this project. The work began in the fall of 2019 and was interrupted by the winter  climate. Thankfully due  to the phased  opening up of the economy in New York  State in May of this year the work continued until the end of July. We thank you for all your generous support so that this necessary work could be carried out to preserve our home. The Monastery has many repair needs but as our Abbot stated that without  a roof over the main monastery building we could not continue our mission.

00215
New Roof on Saint John of Kronstadt Chapel by the Lake - 08/22/20

The roof of the  chapel  of Saint John of Kronstadt and Saint John of Rila  was in great need of repair. It  was built through the labors of a bulgarian refugee Dimitri Blachev who was taken into the  monastery by Vladyka Laurus back in the 1970s. Dimitri after laboring here for many years decided it was time to leave and in gratitude to the Monastery he built this chapel in typical balkan style. The roof needed to be replaced as it was falling in and the beautiful iconography inside was in danger of being destroyed. Taking advantage of the roofers who were in the monastery replacing the roof of the main residence and office building it was decided to go ahead and replace the roof with a wood shingle roof. 

00216
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord - 08/19/20

There are antecedents of the Orthodox feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the Old Testament feast of the harvest.  For this reason, it is the tradition to bless the first fruits on this feast which comes towards the end of the summer, at least in the northern hemisphere.  Such was the influence of Orthodoxy on the common people in old Russia, that pious Christians would not eat any fruit until it had been blessed on this feast.  In our world of supermarkets and globalization, when fruit can be purchased at any time of year, this has lost meaning among most people. 

00217
Beginning of Dormition Fast - 08/14/20

            The Church year has four fasting periods, or periods of time of abstention from dairy products and all other animal products.  Occasionally fish or seafood is allowed, depending on the strictness of the fast.
 
            

00218
Feast Day of Saint Panteleimon CT - 08/09/20

The clergy and parishioners of the Church of the Holy Great-Martyr and Healer Panteleimon in Hartford, CT recently celebrated their patronal feast day. Bishop Luke of Syracuse, vicar of the Eastern American Diocese, came to share in the joy of the feast. Praying alongside the hierarch on Saturday, August 8, at All-Night Vigil and on Sunday, August 9, at Divine Liturgy were parish rector Dionysy Nalitov and Protodeacon Peter Markevich (cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, accompanying His Grace).

 

00219
Refectory Frescoes Restoration by Ekaterina Piskareva - 08/08/20

Due to water damage and the humid climate the monastery refectory which has beautiful walls painited with frescoes was in great need of restoration in certain areas. The services of Ekaterina Piskareva were contracted and a a few weeks of labor with her expertise the frescoes were restored to their original beauty. 

00220
Holy Prince Vladimir - 07/28/20

On July 28 (N.S.), the feast of Equal-to-the-Apostles, Grand Prince Vladimir, His Grace, Bishop Luke, our abbot, presided at the hierarchal liturgy.  During the Liturgy, after the consecration of the Holy Gifts, Vladyka ordained to the deaconate, Subdeacon Paul Siewers, from the ROCOR mission of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.  Fr. Deacon Paul then remained in the monastery for two weeks to practice, serving every day with the monastery clergy.
 

00221
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost - 07/19/20

00222
Holy Royal Martyrs - 07/17/20

Since its inception as a feast in the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, after their canonization by the Church, the memory of the Royal Martyrs of Russia, has been solemnly kept by the monastery.
 

00223
Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America Protests Against California Ban on Church Singing - 07/13/20

OPEN LETTER
to
The Honourable Gavin Newsom, Governor of California
from
His Eminence Kyrill Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America
in light of the decree issued by the Governor of California
that forbids choral singing in churches.

Your Excellency,

I hereby express my protest against the recent prohibition of liturgical singing in houses of worship, which is an infringement of the rights and religious freedoms of the clergy and faithful of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Diaspora, the other Local Orthodox Churches, performing their ministry in this state, as well as other religious bodies.

 

00224
Holy Apostles Peter and Paul - 07/12/20

On the feast of Saints Peter and Paul, July 12 (N.S.), which also was a Sunday this year, the monastery brotherhood had the joy of the tonsure to the sub deaconate of one of our own, Monk Paisios.  He was tonsured during the Hours by our abbot, His Grace, Bishop Luke. 
 

00225
Pentecost - Photo Report - 06/10/20

00226
Light A Candle - 06/06/20

If you would like us to light candles at our divine services please click here.

00227
Homily for Great and Holy Saturday by Monk Theodore - 04/18/20

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
 
Dear Brothers!
 
Today, God lies in the tomb, not as one dead, but as one resting from the completion of a great work. In the silence of this great and holy day, Our Lord keeps His Sabbath, having rendered a new creation by the work of His mighty hands.
 

00228
Sermon by Bishop Luke on Great and Holy Friday - 04/17/20

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
Holy is the Lord our God!
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us!
 
These and many other prayers and sacred writings characterize God as holy and the source of holiness.
 
The salvific struggle of the Son of God is completed, “In the grave bodily, but in Hades with Thy soul as God; in Paradise with the thief, and on the throne with the Father and the Spirit wast Thou Who fillest all things, O Christ the Inexpressible.”
 
Time and place disappear in the Grace-filled experience of the Body of Christ, the Church and the life of Orthodox Christians. However, God choose to be born in the flesh and to truly suffer and die so that He could work out our salvation though things of this world, beginning with His flesh and Blood and continuing to sanctify us through everything the Church offers us. He beckons us to receive into our bodies, to venerate, to touch the shroud before us, the incense we breathe, holy water, blessed salt, sanctified palms and pussy willows, myrrh from a streaming icon, our personal prayers, the sign of the cross, the struggle for virtue, the battle with sin, the endless invisible and visible means by which our Lord desires to commune with us and make us holy.
 
Dearly beloved  brothers and sisters, piety is Orthodoxy, holiness in life, in everyday life where we commune with the Holy Spirit, Who is the Giver of Life, not death. Beware lest we fall into a carnal purely natural worldly understanding of these mysteries, which God has ordained, for our salvation. Empty religious forms will not satisfy our spirit and we will then seek pleasure and satisfaction in the passions, in endless worldly distractions, neo-idol worship. Be careful not to shake the simple hearted faith of those little ones among us by disinfecting the sacred, the Lord warns us about this.  Yes it requires unshakable faith to move mountains, but our Creator tells us it is indeed possible. As we continue to repent, to grow in Christ, let us pray earnestly to God to forgive us for our weak faith, that He ever increase our faith so that we might put away sin, triviality, carnal thinking of the natural man, and enter into that which we are called, a life in the Holy Spirit, a spiritual life, and exclaim with St. David, “Take not Thy Holy Spirit from me but give me the Joy of Thy salvation!”

Amen.
 

 
 

00229
Blessing of Paschal Baskets - 04/17/20

Dear members of Holy Trinity Monastery Community!

Based on the inspiration of the Eldress Agatha below, considering the difficulty of gathering at this time and having consulted with the fathers, the following suggestion is offered for blessing of Paschal baskets.

 

00230
First Week of Great Lent - 03/14/20

The first week of Great Lent finally arrived, after a time of Holy Nativity and Theophany celebrations with the blessing of houses, combined with the preparatory weeks before Lent.
 
On Sunday, March 1st, at 3PM, the large bell toned very solemnly as the brethren, seminarians, and pilgrims greeted His Grace, Vladyka Luke, who was then vested solemnly before the beginning of 9th Hours, followed by Great Vespers, served together with the monastery clergy.

00231
Sunday of Orthodoxy - 03/09/20

On Sunday, March 8, the first Sunday of Great Lent, the Holy Church commemorates the triumph of Orthodoxy when the veneration of the holy icons was confirmed by the 7th Ecumenical Council.  In Russia, it has been traditional in cathedrals to include with the service the so-called Anathema service.  This service consists of reiterating the traditional dogmas of the Orthodox faith concerning the Orthodox belief in the Holy Trinity and the dual nature of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

00232
FEAST OF THREE HIERARCHS - 02/12/20

The feast of the Three Hierarchs traditionally is the feast day of Orthodox theological seminaries, and so it is for our Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary.  For this feast day, our seminary is often visited by other hierarchs of our Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, as it was this year, which made the feast even more solemn.

00233
Theophany - 01/19/20

The feast of Theophany or Baptism of the Lord comes at the end of the so-called “Sviatsi,” or “Holy Days.” Following the typicon the Royal Hours were served on Friday morning with no liturgy, since the feast fell on Sunday.  Saturday morning, on the Eve of Theophany, His Grace Bishop Luke served the divine liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, which was followed immediately by Great Vespers for the feast of Theophany.  This itself was immediately followed by a Great Blessing of Water in the monastery bell tower chapel.  As is the monastery custom, one meal, strictly Lenten, was served after all the monastery and seminary quarters had been blessed with holy water.

00234
Nativity of Christ - 01/07/20

Glory to God, the feast of the Holy Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour was celebrated with the usual solemnity and joy.  For this we must be thankful to God and the efforts of the brethren and seminarians, who with diligence carried out all the usual preparations for the feast, by singing and reading in kleros, the preparation of the meals, the thorough cleaning of all the monastery and seminary buildings, and the reception and care of our many pilgrims.

00235
Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos - 12/22/19

Since today was a feast of the Mother of God, in the midst of the Nativity Fast, when the vestments are read, the church was filled with blue vestments In honor of the Most Holy Virgin. 

 

00236
Feast of Saint Nicholas - 12/19/19


            St. Nicholas is perhaps the most beloved of all saints by Russians.  Every pious home has at least icons of the Savior, the Mother of God, and also of St. Nicholas.   In the monastery we had the usual All-Night Vigil, and His Grace Bishop Luke presided at the Divine Liturgy on the day itself. 
 
            The church was filled with the faithful.  At the end of the service, the monastery cathedral Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow was presented with a Synodal Grammota by Bishop Luke in recognition of his 45 years anniversary of being ordained a deacon on this feast.  The choir sang Many Years for him and all of her many Name’s Day people. 
 
            Fr. Victor besides being a long-time deacon has also taught Russian Literature in the seminary for many years.  He is one of the original “summer boys,” and was the secretary and helper of Metropolitan Laurus for all of his episcopate, that is, for over 40 years.  Many years, dear Fr. Victor.

00237
Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple - Photo Report - 12/04/19

00238
FEAST OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL AND ALL THE BODILESS HOSTS - 11/21/19

Despite it being a work day, many of our  neighbors attended the Divine Liturgy on this blessed feast, officiated by Bishop Luke and concelebrated by the monastery clergy.  As we like to say, it is the feast of all of our guardian angels.

This feast is also the anniversary of the repose of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Philaret, the third First-Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, a prolific sermonizer and known throughout the Orthodox world for his stance against ecumenism. 

00239
Name's Day of Bishop Luke - 11/02/19

On October 18/31 the Holy Church commemorates the memory of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke.  This is the Name’s Day of our abbot, His Grace, Bishop Luke, who is also the rector of our Holy Trinity Seminary.  This year, Vladyka celebrated his first Name’s Day as a bishop.  With great joy, the brotherhood, seminary teachers and students and many neighbors and pilgrims came together to celebrate this feast day together with our dear bishop.

 

00240
Anniversary of repose of Br. Jose Munoz - 10/30/19

As has been their custom since the horrific death of Brother Jose Munoz in, the guardian of the Montreal Iveron Myrrh-Streaming Icon in 1997, the cathedral parish of St. John the Baptist of Washington, D.C. has organized an annual pilgrimage to the Holy Trinity Monastery, in whose cemetery repose the earthly remains of Brother Jose.  Led by Archpriest Victor Potapov and other clergy, a busload of pilgrims arrived on Saturday afternoon, October 26th, whereupon a pannikhida was served at Brother Jose’s gravesite.  Many other pilgrims, neighbors as well as monastery brethren and seminarians joined in remembering Brother Jose.

00241
CLERGY CONFERENCE OF THE EASTERN AMERICAN AND NEW YORK DIOCESE – Fall 2019 - 10/26/19

From time to time the Eastern American and New York Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has held its conferences within the walls of the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York.  So it was on October 22-23, on our hallowed grounds, approximately 100 priests and deacons gathered with Metropolitan Hilarion, our First Hierarch and his two vicar bishops, Bishop Nicholas and Bishop Luke, along with Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada and his clergy, and clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate. 

00242
FEAST OF THE EXALTATION OF THE LIFE-GIVING CROSS - 10/08/19

The feast of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross is very solemnly celebrated in the monastery, which is blessed to have a small piece of the True Cross.  This is contained in a decorated pectoral cross which once belonged to Archbishop Averky, a well-known writer and confessor of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and a previous abbot of our monastery and rector of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, located in the monastery.

00243
Holy Trinity Monastery Roof Appeal - 10/02/19

00244
Jordanville Incense Workshop Renovations - 09/12/19

We are glad to announce that we have completed the renovation of our incense workshop. We are now currently making incense and in the very  near future we will be adding our initial line of aromas of  Jordanville Incense to our Church Supplies Site

The renovation work was extensive and expensive and we please ask for your continued support and prayers that we may work and be succesful in  producing high quality incense. We hope to be able to produce an organic line of incence in the near future with no chemical additives.

If you would like to help us grow our incense making endeavor you may do so in the following ways:

1) We are currently looking for an engineering machinist who would be able to create a custom made machine to cut incense.

2) We would welcome anyone with experience in using organic oil bases and combining them with essential oil aromas.

3) We would be grateful for any material support to help us purchase raw materials of frankincense and high quality aromas. This in turn will help the monastics continue working to support the needs of the Monastery.

4) Finally if you have any suggestions and recommendations on how we can improve our current products please feel free to write to us at incense.jordanville@gmail.com

ONLINE DONATIONS MAY BE MADE HERE

 

 

00245
Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist - 09/11/19

00246
Feast Day of St. Job of Pochaev - 09/10/19

00247
Electrical work at Holy Trinity Monastery Cathedral - 09/09/19

00248
Feast Day of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God - 09/08/19

00249
St. Seraphim Chapel Path - 09/07/19

With God's help the path to  the St. Seraphim chapel was completed. For many years water was collecting on the surface of the old path and entering the chapel. The area under the new path was water proofed, cement poured on top at a slight angle so as to have water escaping safely from the area of the chapel.

00250
BUY A BOX - GIVE A BOX - 09/02/19

00251
Cemetery & Grounds Lawnmower - 09/02/19

Our cemetery has over 3000 graves and both the Monastery and Seminary grounds need a good Lawnmower. The lawnmower is needed to be better able to maintain the grounds for our dearly departed, as well as for the monastic and seminary grounds. This fundraiser will go towards the purchase of a Hustler Riding Lawnmower.

Update: August 14, 2019 by Archim. Nektarios Harding
On behalf of Bishop Luke of Syracuse, I want to thank all our donors! We have exceeded our goal of 4500.00!!
God bless each and every one of you who donated to this campaign!

00252
Fire Detection System for Monastic Dormitory - 08/31/19

00253
Labor Day Weekend Pilgrimage - 08/31/19

Labor Day weekend in the United States, besides being a time to commemorate all those who work hard in the industry of our country, is traditionally considered the last weekend of the summer season, a time when often people have their last vacation time and have barbeques and other festivities.

 

00254
Pannikhida for Metropolitan Laurus - 08/31/19

August 18/31, 2019, the day of the commemoration of the Holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus, is the Saint’s Day of our ever-memorable Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Flor.  For this reason, a pannikhida was served after lunch by His Grace, Bishop Luke, abbot of our monastery, joined by the monastery clergy, neighbors and pilgrims, who were already arriving for the Labor Day weekend festivities. 

 

Also commemorated were Hierodeacon Andrei, a reposed member of our brotherhood and also Subdeacon Basil Anderson, a former seminarian, who tragically died in a home accident many years ago, and also the newly reposed Ludmilla Popow, mother-in-law of our Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow.

 

May the Lord grant them all eternal memory!

00255
Dormition of the Theotokos - Photo Report - 08/28/19

00256
Burial Service of the Theotokos - Photo Report - 08/26/19

00257
Transfiguration - Photo Report - 08/19/19

00258
New Fridge for Monastery Kitchen - 07/31/19

00259
Monastery Tonsures - 07/08/19

On Monday evening, the eve of the feast of the Tikhvin Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, July 8 (N.S.), Bishop Luke, our abbot, performed two more tonsures.  Traditionally, in our monastery, tonsures are done during Great Lent. However, any Lenten period is appropriate for tonsures.  

00260
Holy Spirit Day - 06/17/19

This year, the monastery’s celebration of its altar feast day of the Holy Spirit was especially solemn, in large part due to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the ordination of Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk to the deaconate.  His family organized a reception in his honor after the feast day luncheon. This drew even more than the usual number of pilgrims, especially from Albany and Boston, where Father has many relatives.

00261
Pentecost - 06/16/19

As is usual, the monastery celebrated Pentecost with great solemnity.  In past years, since the repose of the ever-memorable Metropolitan Laurus, we had to request the presence of a visiting bishop to head up our services, but this year, for the first time, our very own Bishop Luke presided at the services on Pentecost.  

00262
Announcing the Holy Trinity Monastery 90th Anniversary Fundraiser - 05/23/19

Dear Supporters & Friends,

Christ is in our Midst!

Since its humble beginnings 90 years ago, Holy Trinity Monastery is the largest monastery of ROCOR, and an important spiritual centre for those seeking fulfillment in the religious life. Throughout those years, it is people like you who share the vision of our forefathers of Blessed memory, that have supported and maintained the Monastery.

00263
Photo Report: Relics of St. Nicholas and Small Blessing of Water - 05/22/19

00264
Repose and Funeral of Lev Ivanovich Pavlinetz - 05/22/19

On May 21 (New Calendar), on the feast of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, in the 103rd year of his life, the eldest inhabitant of the Holy Trinity Monastery, Lev Ivanovich Pawlinets, reposed quietly in hospital after a brief illness.

00265
Photo Report: Bishop Luke Serves Divine Liturgy in Syracuse - 05/21/19

https://eadiocese.org/news_190516_3.html

00266
Bright Monday - 04/29/19

On Pascha day, at 3PM, the joyful Paschal service of Vespers was served.  This is already vespers for Bright Monday. A distinguishing feature of this service is the reading of the Gospel by the bishop, towards the people, while the priests are gathered below the amvon, with deacons supporting the Gospel.

00267
Pascha - 04/28/19

It has been commented that in a certain cathedral of our Russian Church Abroad Pascha is quite glorious, but in the monastery it shines forth with great warmth, if somewhat more humble.  Perhaps this is due to the concentrated prayer and relative ascetic labors of conducting the full typicon of Great Lenten services with the ensuing atmosphere of great spiritual concentration and repentance.  Even so, the monastery services on Pascha and Bright Week are very joyous and for Pascha the singing is quite glorious and joyful.

00268
Burial of Archbishop Alypy - 04/28/19

On April 28, 2019, the first day of Holy Pascha, His Eminence, Archbishop Alypy, reposed in the Lord.  Thus ended the heavy cross born by Vladyka for many years, after a tragic accident, after which he became an invalid. 

00269
Holy Week - 04/25/19

After six weeks of Great Lent, followed by the celebration of Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday, the monastery entered upon Holy Week.  This is perhaps the most solemn period of time in the monastery of the whole year. There are spiritually uplifting services throughout the day as we move forward to the Lord’s Passion.  

00270
Monastic Tonsures into the Small Schema - 04/23/19

On April 18, Thursday of the 6th Week of Great Lent, in the evening after Great Compline, our abbot, Bishop Luke of Syracuse, performed the mystery of the tonsure to the Little Schema.  This was truly a feast of the monastery as three of our rassaphore monks were tonsured into the angelic state.

00271
Holy Unction - 04/23/19

It has become traditional for the monastery to celebrate the mystery of Holy Unction on Tuesday of the 6th Week of Great Lent.  And so, many people gathered at the monastery for this service, many arriving from neighboring parishes besides the members of our community and our neighbors. 

00272
Preservation of Jordanville History Continues - 04/23/19

The first attempt at compiling an annotated database of the departed who are buried in the cemeteries of Holy Trinity Monastery was carried out in 1996 by an enthusiastic amateur historian from Michigan, Andrei Alekseevich Lyubimov. The results of his research were published in the journal Letopis’ Russkogo zarhubezh’ia (no. 2, 1996 and no. 3 for 1997). In 2005, Hieromonk Evtikhii (Dovganiuk) submitted to Holy Trinity Orthodox Theological Seminary his dissertation, A Draft of a Guidebook for the Necropolis of Holy Trinity Monastery (in Russian). The Holy Trinity seminarian, Vladimir Davydov, developed Fr. Evitikhii’s work, presenting his thesis to Holy Trinity Seminary in 2009. In 2012-14, Andrei A. Lyubimov resumed his cataloguing of the cemeteries, having arrived in Jordanville at the invitation of the Foundation of Russian History, headed by the seminary' deaan Archpirest Vladimir von Tsurikov. In 2015, the results of A. Lyubimov’s and Fr. Vladimir von Tsurikovs' collaboration came out of the Moscow press, Staraia Basmannaia, under the title, Dzhordanvil’skii nekropol’. Meanwhile, in 2012, the internet site, Historical Studies of the Russian Church Abroad, began to video-record numerous commentaries made in Russian by Hieromonk Roman (Krassovsky) and Protodeacon Viktor Lochmatow at selected graves of the Jordanville cemeteries. However, the seminary professor and editor of the website, Deacon Andrei Psarev, did not have the resources for posting annotated video materials on the website. The situation changed for the better in October 2018, when the Canadian foundation, Russkaia Dusha (The Russian Soul), allocated a grant for placing video materials on the website, Historical Studies of the Russian Church Abroad. Each video is accompanied by a reference to the book, Dzhordanvil’skii nekropol’ and can be viewed here: http://www.rocorstudies.org/ jordanville/

00273
Photo Report: Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday - 04/20/19

00274
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts According to St. James - 04/05/19

For a number of years, during Great Lent, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of St. James, the Brother of the Lord, has been celebrated.  This was instituted by our abbot, Archimandrite Luke, now Bishop Luke. As he has done every year, he celebrated this liturgy for the spiritual edification of the brethren and the faithful and to strengthen our ties with the early Church.  This is especially interesting for our seminarians, who never had witnessed this type of liturgy.

00275
Veneration of the Life-Giving Cross - 03/30/19

As has become a fixed tradition in the monastery, many Serbian pilgrims, mainly from New York, but also from other parts, joined the brotherhood in celebrating the Veneration of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord on the 3rd Sunday of Great Lent.  For us it is a great joy to share this mid-Lenten commemoration with our brethren in the faith.  

00276
First Week of Great Lent - 03/11/19


In Orthodox understanding, Great Lent is called the “spring of the soul.”  So once again, our All-Merciful Lord has granted us to arrive at this soul-saving time of the Church year.  With the passing of the first week, the monastery-seminary community has whole-heartedly turned its heart over to this special time of repentance and fasting with prayer.

00277
Feast of the Meeting of the Lord - 02/15/19

This year, the feast of the Meeting of the Lord was special in that it was the first festal, pontifical liturgy served by His Grace, the newly consecrated Bishop Luke, abbot of our monastery.  Concelebrating with him were the monastery and seminary clergy.

00278
Photo Report - Bishop Luke First Hierarchical Divine Liturgy - 02/13/19

00279
Consecration of Archimandrite Luke to the Episcopacy - 02/11/19

On February 12, 2019, the seminary feast of the Three Hierarchs, a wondrous and historic event took place in the life of the monastery.  Our beloved abbot, Archimandrite Luke was consecrated to the episcopacy. Having been elected our abbot in May of 2008 to succeed the ever-memorable Metropolitan Laurus, the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, in their December 2018 session, elected Fr. Luke to become Bishop of Syracuse.  He will continue to be the abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery as well as rector of the Holy Trinity Seminary.

00280
Theophany - 01/20/19

The feast of the Theophany of the Lord is in many ways a twin of the feast of the Nativity.  Originally it was all one feast, the Theophany, with the emphasis put on the appearance of the Lord to the world for His ministry.  Only later did the feast split into two as it were, in order to combat the pagan feast of the winter solstice.

00281
Nativity - 01/06/19

With great spiritual joy, the brotherhood, seminarians, and all those who share in the life of the Holy Trinity Monastery and Holy Trinity Seminary, have welcomed once again the great feast of the Lord’s Nativity.  Having completed the 40-day fast, and having participated in the mystery of Confession, we joyfully greet the Christ Child, praising Him with song and prayer.

00282
Entry of the Theotokos - 12/05/18

The great feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos Into the Temple was celebrated at the monastery with the usual solemnity that characterizes our divine services.  We were graced with what has become almost traditional, the presence of His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan for the All-Night Vigil. Vladyka is usually invited to serve in our parish in Syracuse, and so he breaks up his journey there from New York by staying in the monastery for the evening.  

00283
Brother Jose Pilgrimage - 11/03/18


On the weekend of November 3-4, 2018, the parish of St. John the Baptist in Washington, D.C. organized once again their annual pilgrimage to the monastery to honor the memory of Brother Jose Munoz, the ever-memorabel guardian of the Myrrh-Streaming icon of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.   As is known, Brother Jose was murdered on October 31, 1997, and the icon was “lost,” its location being unknown until this day. Through God’s mercy, a copy of the icon from Hawaii streams great quantities of myrrh and for the past number of years has been taken around many Orthodox parishes around this country and others, for the spiritual consolation of the faithful.  And so, this weekend, also the icon was brought here by Fr. Athanasius Kone, our parish priest in Honolulu.

00284
Exaltation of the Cross - 09/26/18

On September 26th the usual vigil for the great feast of the Exaltation of the Lord was served with its highlight being the service of the Exaltation or Elevation of the Cross.  Usually this service is performed by bishops in their cathedrals, but it can also be done by archimandrites.

00285
Epistle of Met. Hilarion on the 100th Anniversary of the Martyrdom of the Righteous Royal Passion-Bearers - 09/24/18

From the Western American Diocese:

To My Eminent Brother Archpastors, Honorable Fathers, Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The 20th century was a difficult time for Orthodox Christians on the territory of the Russian Empire, which became the USSR after the Great War, the October Revolution and Civil War. But the more the Church endured persecution, the brighter the lanterns of faith and piety shone in the Russian land. From the Tsar and the members of the Royal Family close to him in spirit, from archpastors and simple monastics, priests, deacons to laypersons came forth a powerful spiritual army of the Church Militant. 

00286
Synod of Bishops on the Appointment of Exarchs to Kiev - 09/24/18

From the Western American Diocese

Standing before God in prayerful solidarity with our long-suffering brethren of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, who, being revered and respected throughout the whole of the Orthodox world, is primate of the only recognised canonical Orthodox Church of Christ in Ukraine, we, the members of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which carries out its ministry in the lands of North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other nations of the West, ministering to numerous emigres from the lands of historic Russia and their descendants, express our profound indignation at the blatant violation of the Holy Canons by the Orthodox Church of Constantinople.

00287
Statement on the Ecumenical Patriarchate's Plans to Grant Autocephaly to Ukrainian Schismatics - 09/24/18

From OrthoChristian.com:

On September 17, 2018, we published the news piece, “Greek Metropolitan Calls on Constantinople to Repent and Cease Communication with Ukrainian Schismatics,” presenting thoughts from Metropolitan Seraphim of Kythira and Antikythera on the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s ongoing dealings with Ukrainian schismatics, with the intention of granting a tomos of autocephaly and thereby creating a new Ukrainian Orthodox Church. The Ecumenical Patriarchate announced on September 7 that he was sending two exarch bishops to Kiev to oversee and facilitate this process—an uncanonical action, as no blessing was sought from nor given by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In response, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church announced on September 14 that it was ceasing liturgical commemoration of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and episcopal concelebrations, and that the Russian Orthodox Church was withdrawing from any organizations or committees chaired or co-chaired by representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Synod was also clear that this is not a break in Eucharistic communion.

00288
Labor Day Weekend - 09/01/18

From back in the 1950’s, it has been the tradition of Holy Trinity Monastery to use the American civil holiday weekend of “Labor Day Weekend” as a convenient means for the monastery’s pilgrims to come to the monastery and commemorate the memory of the Venerable St. Job, abbot and wonderworker of Pochaev and also the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Pochaev.

00289
Feast of the Dormition - 08/28/18

The great feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos was celebrated in the usual very solemn way in the monastery this year.  Especially noteworthy was that this was the first time the new Shroud of the Dormition, given to the monastery by his Grace, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, was used for the feast.  This greatly intensified the compunction felt by the monastery brotherhood and its numerous pilgrims, who found their way to the monastery for the feast. Many were moved to tears as they contemplated the beautiful depiction of the falling asleep of the Blessed Virgin.  

00290
Ordination of Fr. Sergiy Gusakov - 08/25/18

This weekend the monastery was blessed with the visit of our spiritual benefactor, His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada.  Vladyka is a firm supporter of his Alma Mater and whenever he is able, makes the five-hour trip to the monastery. This time was for the purpose of ordaining his hierodeacon, Fr. Sergiy Gusakov, to be a hieromonk.

00291
Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Royal Martyrs - 07/17/18

On July 4/17, 2018, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of Tsar Nicholas II and his august family and their loyal servants and attendants who were executed in Ekaterinburg early in the morning on this day in 1918.

00292
'Last Days of the Last Tsar' Exhibit Opens in Jordanville's Museum for 100th Anniversary - 07/17/18

On July 17th, 2018, an exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of Tsar Nicholas II and his family opened at the Russian History Museum on the grounds of Holy Trinity Monastery.

00293
2018 Summer Youth Program - 07/15/18

The three-week Summer Youth Program completed its most successful year at Holy Trinity Monastery on July 15. Twenty high school students from 15 to 18 years of age, the largest group in the camp's history, gathered from across the United States and Canada to experience a unique schedule of daily liturgies, lectures, work alongside the monastics, nightly reflections, and recreational activities in beautiful, rural upstate New York.

00294
Renovation to Electrical System in Jordanville's Main Church - 06/27/18

The cathedral of the Holy Trinity Monastery is widely known and loved as the focal point of the prayer life of the monastery. Its unique frescoes, painted by the every-memorable Archimandrite Cyprian, are treasured throughout the Orthodox world, and its many holy icons and relics are greatly venerated by the countless number of pilgrims who stream to the monastery throughout the year for spiritual renewal.  The church is also used by the monks and the seminarians for the rich spiritual life of the monastery.

00295
Pentecost - 05/26/18

Since the monastery is dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, our patronal feast day is Pentecost, or more correctly, the day of the Holy Spirit.  Since Pascha was very early this year, the feast coincided with the civil holiday of Memorial Day, thus facilitating the pilgrimage of hundreds of the faithful.  

00296
Photo Gallery - Jordanville in Spring - 05/19/18

Through the generous voluntary efforts of members of the greater Jordanville community, Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary has been blessed with bountiful springtime beauty.

00297
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman and Feast of St. George - 05/06/18

The feast of the Great-Martyr and Trophy-bearer George is celebrated in the monastery as a full feast day.  This year, it fell on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman. As if this were not enough to make it especially solemn this year, adding to the joy of the feast was the visit of Bishop Nikolaj from Las Vegas, so we were able to have a pontifical service and also to celebrate the Slava of His Grace as well as two of our seminarians, the brothers Milosh and Negosh.

00298
Mid-Pentecost - 05/02/18

On May 2, the Orthodox Church commemorated the feast of Mid-Pentecost, the half-way point between Pascha and Pentecost.  This was a feast in the Old Testament Church.

00299
Holy Week and Pascha - 04/06/18

This year in the monastery Holy Week and Pascha were celebrated with the usual solemnity, beautiful chants and with great efforts in the preparation thereof, both practical and spiritual.  Joined to this was the snowy, wintry weather, experienced as hardly every felt before. Early on Holy Saturday morning, towards the end of the Matins service, or as it is popularly called, “The Burial Service,” one of our father had to actually plow the snow around the church in order for the procession to take place.  A bit of snow fell on almost every day, including Pascha itself.

00300
Palm Sunday - 04/01/18

The Sunday before Pascha, known as Palm Sunday, is always celebrated with great joy in Holy Trinity Monastery.  The day before, Lazarus Saturday, is very joyous with a General Matins service served, and at the noon-day meal, traditionally an inexpensive form of caviar is served on bread, according to the typicon, the caviar, or fish eggs, symbolizing a foreshadowing of the Lord’s Resurrection, as in the event, the resurrection of St. Lazarus did.

00301
General Unction Service Held at Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/27/18

Every since 1988 the monastery has conducted annual General Unction services for its members and also for the faithful and pilgrims.  Before it was felt that this service would interfere with the many-houred and solemn services of Great Lent and especially those of Holy Week.  However, due to the number of seriously ill fathers at the time, the service was held and has been ever since.

 

00302
Archpastoral Visit of Abp. Gabriel to Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/23/18

On March 23, 2018 , His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada arrived in the monastery for a few days of spiritual rest and also to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt, March 25, 2018, and in this way, to be able to partake of the special, Lenten atmosphere of the monastery during Great Lent and also to pray with the brotherhood, which is very close in heart to His Eminence, himself being one of our brethren.

00303
Novice Emilian Tonsured to Rassaphore - 03/16/18

In the evening, this same day as the 10th anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus, Fr. Archimandrite Luke, the Superior of the monastery, tonsured Novice Emilian to be a rassophore monk.  This was done at the end of the Small Compline service.

We congratulate Fr. Emilian, and wish him God’s mercy and strength to fulfill his desire for monasticism.  

00304
The Anniversary of Metr. Laurus' Repose - 03/16/18

On March 16, 2018, the Holy Trinity Monastery piously noted the memory of the 10th anniversary of the holy repose of Metropolitan Laurus, our former abbot for 32 years.  

00305
The First Week of Great Lent - 03/01/18

This year, since Pascha is relatively early, the 8th of April, there was a very short period of time between the festal period of Holy Nativity and Holy Theophany and the beginning of Great Lent.  She just finished singing the festal hymns of the feast days, and then we commenced to sing the preparatory hymns of the time of repentance.

00306
Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary Patronal Feast Day - 02/12/18

With God's grace, the help of our generous benefactors, and the diligence of our faculty and staff, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary was once again blessed to celebrate our patronal feast day of the Three Hierarchs: St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. John Chrysostom. On February 11 and 12, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, the monastic community, the seminarians, faculty, staff, and friends gathered to praise God the Holy Trinity, honor those great saints of the fourth century, and extol the virtues of the Seminary.

00307
Jordanville's Pochaev Icon Visits the Parish of the New Martyrs and Confessors in Brooklyn, NY - 02/04/18

Deacon Michael Pavuk, HTOS Director of Development, brought the Jordanville Pochaev Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, with the blessing of Archimandrite Luke and at the invitation of Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Rector, to the parish of the New Martyrs & Confessors of Russia on 18th Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, for their patronal feast, which occurred this year on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son.

00308
Feast of the Theophany of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2018 - 01/25/18

As in all other years, the Feast of the Theophany was celebrated in the monastery with special solemnity.  Liturgically it is a continuum of the feast of the Nativity and as is known, mimics the Nativity liturgically, as originally it was one feast, the Theophany, or the Appearance of Our Lord to the world.

00309
The January Issue of Pravoslavnaia Rus' is Now Available for Download - 01/24/18

The Nativity issue of Holy Trinity Monastery's Russian-language journal Pravoslavnaia Rus' for 2018 may be downloaded as a PDF directly from the publisher's website.

00310
Celebration of the Holy Nativity at Holy Trinity Monastery - 01/07/18

The last few days in the Holy Trinity Monastery have been one of preparation and the celebration of our Lord’s Holy Nativity. One the seminarians finished with their exams for the fall semester, they began to help the monastery brethren in the thorough cleaning of all of the monastery and seminary buildings, especially the church. This coincided with the Forefeast of the Nativity, which was the liturgical preparation.

00311
Holy Trinity Publications: The Year in Review - 01/03/18

Jordanville, NY - By God’s grace, 2017 was another fruitful year for Holy Trinity Publications, the missionary-publishing arm of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. With the blessing of H.E. Metropolitan Hilarion and under the direction of Archimandrite Luke, the monastery’s abbot, three new titles were released this year.

00312
Funeral and Burial of Schema-Archdeacon Amvrossy (Taratuchin) - 12/01/17

On December 1, 2017, the monastic funeral of the newly-reposed Schema-Archdeacon Amvrossy was served at Holy Trinity Monastery.  Fr. Amvrossy reposed on November 26 in San Francisco where he had served for 34 years in the Cathedral of Our Lady Joy of All Who Sorrow.

 

00313
Appeal for Funds to Renovate Cross and Golgotha Site - 11/28/17

Prior to their graduation, Holy Trinity Seminary’s graduation class of 1971 erected a magnificent 40 foot tall cross on the top of the hill overlooking Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. Since then, this cross has become a part of the local scenery, something that is very strongly associated with the imagery of the monastery.
Although the cross has been already renovated once, time and severe weather conditions have taken their toll on it. This past summer, pilgrims from the Moscow-based Institute of Russian Athos made an initial donation that has been used to paint the cross. This is an impressive beginning, but the monastery still needs $4,000 more to renovate the entire plot. You can also be part of this noble cause, donating via PayPal below here.  Please mark your donation for the Golgotha site renovation.

00314
Blessing of 'Quick to Hear' Women's Monastic Community - 11/28/17

Two years ago Metropolitan Hilarion blessed the founding of a woman’s monastic community, in the Russian tradition, using English as its liturgical language and under the spiritual administration of Holy Trinity Monastery. Finally, at the end of this summer, property with buildings were found near West Winfield, NY. This fall the property was blessed and recently on the patronal feast of the community, “Quick to Hear” Icon of the Mother of God, Vigil and Liturgy were served. We ask for the prayers of the faithful for this newly formed community. Their address i235 Cole Hill Rd, Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

00315
The Funeral of Mitred Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot - 11/11/17

On Saturday, November 11 2017 the funeral and burial of Fr. Wsewolod took place at his beloved Holy Trinity Monastery.  Fr. Wsewolod was the rector of the Holy Nativity of the Mother of God parish in Albany for 50 years, but he also labored within the Holy Trinity Monastery, even earlier, partaking in many aspects of the life of the monastery.  So it was only fitting that the monastery served as the place of his funeral.

00316
Mitered Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot Reposes in the Lord - 11/08/17

On Wednesday, November 08, 2017, at 5:30 EST, Mitered Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot (HTOS 1965) reposed in the Lord. Fr. Wsewolod was the retired rector of the Nativity of the Mother of God parish in Albany, NY, and presided as the new church building was completed.  Fr. Wsewolod was born on April 1, 1930 in Zaporozhiye, Ukraine.  He was a clergyman for 57 years from the time of his ordination to the diaconate.  He was a graduate of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary and lived in a house near the monastery with his family.  Fr. Wsewolod is survived by their seven children and seven grandchildren, his matushka Nadezhda having reposed in 2015. May God grant Fr. Wsewolod the Heavenly Kingdom!

00317
The Liturgy of Saint James - 11/05/17

Today, when the Holy Church commemorates the memory of the Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord in the flesh, as has been customary in the monastery, the Liturgy of the Apostle James was concelebrated by the monastery clergy. This ancient liturgy, which was the basis of the liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great, impresses one with its great prayerfulness and a connection with the Old Testament.

00318
Name’s Day of Archimandrite Luke, Abbot of the Holy Trinity Monastery - 10/31/17

On October 31, the superior of the Holy Trinity Monastery, Archimandrite Luke, celebrated his Name’s Day in the usual way. He celebrated Divine Liturgy at the usual time in the morning, at 6AM. The noon-day meal was festive, at the end of which, Igumen Theophylact congratulated Fr. Luke in the name of the brotherhood, the professors and teachers of the seminary and our many pilgrims. After the monastic “mnogaya letiye,” all were invited to coffee and dessert in the former typographia, which gave a wonderful opportunity for monastics, seminarians, with the professors to engage in brotherly conversation.

00319
20th Anniversary of the Death of Brother Jose - 10/28/17

This past weekend, October 28-29, was held the annual pilgrimage from Washington, D.C. along with pilgrims from Brooklyn, Lakewood, N.J. and many other parts of our country, to commemorate the tragic murder of the guardian of the Iveron Myrrh-streaming icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. This year had special resonance, it being the 20th anniversary of this sorrowful event.

00320
Eastern American Diocese Clergy Conference - Fall 2017 - 10/23/17

The fall 2017 Eastern American Diocesan clergy conference was held in the Holy Trinity Monastery from October 23-26. The Hawaiian Myrrh-streaming icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was present from October 26 through the weekend, when the annual pilgrimage from Washington, D.C. took place.

00321
The Feast of the Elevation of the Cross - 09/26/17

Some of the twelve great feasts of the Church come in two’s. Such was the case of the Transfiguration of Our Lord and the Dormition of the Theotokos, and so now also is the case of the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross. At Holy Trinity Monastery the latter is celebrated with extra solemnity in that with the blessing of the Metropolitan, Archimandrite Luke is granted the right to perform the rite of the Elevation of the Cross, much to the spiritual joy of the monastics, the seminarians and the many faithful who attend this service, conducted toward the end of the All-Night Vigil.

00322
The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos - 09/21/17

On September 21 (8 O.S.), the first of the twelve great feast days of the Orthodox Church year was celebrated in the Holy Trinity Monastery, the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the church new year being September 1/14. The usual All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy were celebrated with the usual monastery solemnity.

00323
The Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist - 09/11/17

On September 11 (August 29 O.S.), the holy Church commemorates the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Even though not numbered among the twelve great feasts of the Orthodox Church, nonetheless it is a very important holiday. As usual, the All-Night Vigil and Divine Liturgy were celebrated as is usual on such feasts in the monastery.

00324
The Feast of St. Job of Pochaev - 09/10/17

On September 10, 2017, the brethren of the Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the feast of the Opening of the Relics of St. Job of Pochaev (August 28 O.S.). As in a previous posting was described the Labor Day Weekend festivities in honor of St. Job, the brethren in a perhaps more intimate way, commemorated their heavenly protector. As is peculiar to this feast, since the basement church of the Holy Trinity Monastery cathedral is dedicated to the memory of St. Job, the services were conducted there.

00325
Labor Day Weekend - 09/02/17

In the 1950’s, thousands of displaced people, or people displaced by the trauma of World War II, especially from Eastern Europe, found a new life in America. Many of them were Russian Orthodox people, who had suffered deprivation of their age-old culture, especially of their faith, under communism, and now found themselves in a very strange culture. It was not long before so many of them found their spiritual home in the Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York.

00326
Pannykhida for Vladyka Laurus - 08/31/17

The monastery zealously keeps the memory of all of the reposed brethren of the brotherhood, those who have ended their lives within the walls of our sacred habitation. On the anniversary of their repose and also on their Name’s Day, the monastics chant “Memory Eternal” after the noon-time meal. Of course, all the monastics are prayed for every day, both living and dead, during the Proskomedia.

00327
Dormition - 08/28/17

In the Holy Trinity Monastery, the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God has always been celebrated with special solemnity. Part of this is due, undoubtedly, to the fact that the Mother of God is especially venerated by monastics as our heavenly abbess, the directress to Heaven. Also, this is due to the fact that the feast is tied in to our Labor Day weekend celebration of the memory of our heavenly protector, the Venerable Job of Pochaev, as will be explained shortly.

00328
Transfiguration - 08/18/17

On August 18, 2017 the Vigil was served for the great feast of the Lord’s Transfiguration. In addition to the brotherhood, neighbors, and some seminarians who have remained part of the summer, we were joined by many pilgrims, as is usual during the summer months. A group from Chicago, led by Fr. Leonardo Naidzions, cleric of the cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God, joined us for the Divine Liturgy the following morning.

00329
The Blessing of Honey - 08/14/17

In the Greek Chasoslov (Orologion) of 1897 is explained thus the derivation of this feast: "By reason of the sicknesses, often everywhere occurring in August, from of old customarily it was done at Constantinople to carry out the Venerable Wood of the Cross along the roads and streets for the sanctifying of places and for the driving away of sicknesses. On the eve (31 July), carrying it out from the imperial treasury, they placed it upon the holy table of the Great Church (in honour of Saint Sophia – the Wisdom of God).

 

00330
The Feast of St. Seraphim of Sarov - 08/01/17

On the feast of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Holy Trinity Monastery was granted a special blessing: during the feast day services, the brotherhood and faithful prayed before an icon of the beloved Russian saint with segments of his hair, a piece of the rock upon which he prayed, and a part of his clothing. The icon was placed for all to venerate in the middle of the church, and the akathist to St. Seraphim was sung before it during Matins.

00331
The Feast of the Royal Martyrs - 07/17/17

This year, the monastery’s commemoration of the Royal Martyrs was especially festive. It must be noted that it was 99 years ago that they suffered for Christ.

00332
Tonsure of Fr. Paul and Fr. Stephen - 07/10/17

On the eve of the Church commemoration of Saints Sergius and Herman of Valaam (June 28 O.S.), the monastery had its own feast, the tonsure of Riassophore Monk John (Weeks) to the Small Schema and Novice Stephen (Manduke) to the Riassa.  This grace-filled event took place just as the Church is finishing the fast of the Apostles.

00333
A Visit from the Nobile Farace Sisters - 06/15/17

On July 18 (N.S.), 1918, the day after the murder of the Russian Imperial family, the sister of the Empress, Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna, and other relatives of theirs, including the brothers, Princes Igor, Konstantin and Ioann Konstantinovich, were likewise killed by communist henchmen in Alpaevsk in the Ural Mountains area.  On June 15, 2017, two sisters, granddaughters of Prince Ioann, visited Holy Trinity Monastery for the first time.  

00334
Pentecost 2017 at Holy Trinity - 06/04/17

With God's grace, Holy Trinity was able to celebrate with solemnity Pentecost weekend (June 3-6). The cathedral was festively decorated with freshly-cut saplings, some tall enough to reach the base of the dome. This very strikingly manifests the church's concept of recapitulation, as the entire universe has been transfigured through Christ and brought within the purview of the Church through the power of the Spirit Who gives life to all.

00335
Liturgy of St. Mark - 05/08/17

On Monday, May 8th the faithful at Holy Trinity Monastery Celebrated the Divine Liturgy of St. Mark the Evangelist in honor of his feast day. In the Orthodox Church there are three orders for the Divine Liturgy that are celebrated in every parish—those of St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great, and the Presanctified Liturgy of St. Gregory the Dialogist. But in addition to these three there are also several other, rarer Liturgies, characteristic of certain places or celebrated on certain days. In recent years the Liturgy of St. James has become increasingly known and celebrated; akin to it is that of St. Mark.

 

The Divine Liturgy of St. Mark is the ancient, traditional main Liturgy of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria. With the discovery of a papyrus from the end of the fourth century in 1928, it also has the most ancient documentation of any Orthodox Liturgy still in use. This is the Liturgy of the great hierarchs of Alexandria, whose names occur constantly in our Church calendar: Ss. Athanasius the Great, St. Cyrill of Alexandria, St. John the Almsgiver, and countless others. St. Anthony the Great and the Desert Fathers prayed at this Liturgy, and knew and loved its prayers.

00336
Христос Bоскресе! Christ is Risen! - 04/16/17

On these last three days of Holy Week, the depth and poignancy of the period descended upon the monastics and seminarians, and a profound spirit of silence and contemplation permeated everyone and everything. Beginning with Great and Holy Thursday and the Liturgy of St. Basil that culminated with the foot-washing service, these days were festive with services, including the Matins with the readings of the 12 gospels, Royal Hours, Vespers with the Holy Winding Sheet, 2:00 am Lamentations, the Reading of the Book of Acts, and the Great and Holy Saturday Midnight Office. After being slowly enveloped in the ethos of Holy Week with a complete cycle of Lenten services, everyone was even more struck by the triumphant and joyous arrival  of Pascha at midnight. Truly, Christ’s Resurrection was worthily glorified! Christ is Risen!

 

To complete the Paschal service, the monastics, seminarians, and all the faithful pilgrims proceeded into the trapeza for the Paschal breakfast. We thank Christ for His saving Resurrection and gathering His faithful for this blessed and Great Feast. We also pray that all our friends have had an equally edifying Lent and Pascha!

 

 

 

00337
Palm Sunday at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary - 04/09/17

With God's grace, another Pascha approaches, and intensifying their preparations for the Great Feast, the monastics and seminarians of Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary began Holy Week with a joyous Palm Sunday. At the end of the All-Night Vigil on Saturday evening, the faithful were anointed with holy oil and received a candle, a palm, and a pussy willow. Starting on Holy Monday, there will be continuous services at the Cathedral in the mornings and evenings.

 

As Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem marks the beginning of His path to Crucifixion and Resurrection, we are invited to follow the journey from the temporal glory of the King’s procession into His capital, to the daily unfolding of His betrayal, and into the Eternal glory of God’s redemption for all of mankind. As is always important to remember, Judas’ betrayal and the Lord’s Crucifixion are striking events that should exhort us to repentance and ascetic struggle while the Resurrection is the embodiment of God’s promise for those who struggle to the end. We pray that all have a very edifying Holy Week and a joyous Pascha!

00338
The Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos - 04/07/17

The Faithful at Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the blessed feast of the Annunciation on the Friday before the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Today the Archangel announces to the Theotokos that She will conceive a son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world.  This is the “fountainhead of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery which was from before the ages.” 
 
So let us Cry out with the archangel to the Theotokos “Rejoice!” for She bears in Her womb He who the heavens cannot contain--the Saviour of the world; and let us set our minds on Christ as we approach His Divine Passion and Resurrection--the saving acts of our Lord for the salvation of the world.

00339
Mystery of Holy Unction - 04/04/17

This Tuesday (4/4/17), the Mystery of Holy Unction was provided to the faithful in the lower church of Holy Trinity Cathedral. Although the service began at 3pm when many people are still at work, the church was filled to capacity and even overflowing by the time the Mystery was administered.

 

Performed by most parishes once a year during the last weeks of Lent, the service of the Holy Unction is unique, as it offers Orthodox Christians in a public service what is usually only available privately at times of extreme illness. At Holy Trinity Monastery, it is performed completely with the seven priests called for by the rubrics. Prayers and supplications to the saints (especially to those who are known for their miraculous healings) culminate in the faithful’s making a circuit around the church to be anointed with holy oil by each of the priests. The priests anoint their foreheads, eyes, cheeks, ears, chest, and the tops and palms of the hands while praying for the healing of physical, emotional, and spiritual sufferings and diseases.

 
We thank the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for their gracious gift to the church that brings healing to both soul and body

00340
The Saturday of the Akathist (Lauds of the Theotokos) - 03/31/17

The Akathist Hymn to the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, is one of the most beloved services of devotion that we have in the Orthodox Church. Tradition tells us that the Akathist was written in Constantinople, "the city of the Virgin," by St. Romanos the Melodist. The structure and format of the Akathist Hymn is so popular that many other Akathists have been written using its format. These include Akathists to Our Lord Jesus Christ, to the Cross, to various saints, etc.

 

The word "akathistos" translates as "not sitting," i.e., standing; normally all the faithful stand while it is being sung. The hymn has 24 stanzas, which alternate between long and short. Each kontakion ends with the singing of "Alleluia." While each longer ikos ends with the refrain: "Rejoice, O Bride Unwedded."

 

Most of the hymn is made up of praises directed to the Theotokos,  beginning with the salutation of the Archangel Gabriel: "Rejoice." In each of the verses, the events related to our Lord's incarnation are remembered for our contemplation. In Ikos 1, the Archangel Gabriel  marvels at the Divine self-emptying and the renewal of creation which occurs when Christ comes to dwell in the Virgin's womb. In Ikos 3 the unborn Forerunner and Baptist John prophetically rejoices. Then in Ikos 4 shepherds recognize Christ as a blameless Lamb, and rejoice that in the Virgin "the things of earth join chorus with the heavens." In the 5th Kontakion, the pagan Magi,  following the light of the star, praise the Theotokos for revealing the light of the world.

 

Throughout the hymns progression, various people or groups encounter Christ and the Theotokos. Each bringing their own need; their own desire or expectation, and each finds his or her own  spiritual need satisfied and fulfilled in Our Lord and in the Theotokos. Just as each generation of Orthodox, and each particular person who has prayed the Akathist, has also found in this hymn the inspired means of expressing gratitude and praise to the Theotokos for what she has accomplished for their salvation.

00341
The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete, 5th Thursday of Great Lent - 03/29/17

One can safely say that the wonderful poetic creation of St. Andrew of Crete, “The Great Canon,” contains the very essence of the meaning of Great Lent, the period of time appointed by the Holy Church for repentance, which is the very core of the Orthodox way of life.  For this reason the Church gives it a great prominence in its services during the Fast.  If during the First Week of Lent, or Clean Week, the Great Canon is divided up during the Great Compline service the first four nights, the whole composition is read in its entirety during Matins of the fifth Thursday, divided up and dispersed during the service along with the reading of the Life of St. Mary of Egypt, perhaps one of the most spectacular examples extant in Church hagiography of repentance.  This happens just before the last week of Great Lent, when the Church is already preparing us for Lazarus Saturday and the feast of the Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem.

 

As is traditional, the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Luke, along with the monastery clergy, read the Great Canon in its entirety in the middle of the church, as mentioned previously, dispersed throughout the Matins service, while the choir chanted.  As directed by the rubrics of this service, Fr. Luke read the first half of the life of St. Mary just before the Canon was started, and the second half was read after the first part of the Canon.  The Life reflects  the meaning of the Canon, which gives wonderful examples of repentance, foreshadowed in the Old Testament.

 

This service inspires us in our struggles during Great Lent, preparing us for the journey of the Lord’s Passion, leading up to His joyful Resurrection.

00342
Fr. Peter Heers Delivers Speech at Lenten Retreat in New Jersey - 03/20/17

Archpriest Peter Heers recently delivered a presentation at the Lenten Clerical Retreat that took place at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, New Jersey.  The retreat began on March 20th and ended on March 22nd--the feast of the 40 Martyrs of Sebaste. The retreat took place under the aegis of two wonderworking icons--The Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God and the Myrrh Streaming Icon of the Mother of God “Softener of Evil Hearts.” The event was presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion who was also accompanied by Metropolitan Jonah, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, and Bishop Irenei of Sacramento. More on the retreat can be found here:

http://eadiocese.org/news_170322_2.html        

http://eadiocese.org/news_170323_1.html

 

Fr. Peter Heers is currently the instructor of Old and New Testament at our seminary and his the translator/publisher of many books, some of which include his most recent book The Ecclesiological Renovation of Vatican II and other well known titles such as The Life of Elder Paisios, The Epistles of Elder Paisios, and The Truth of Our Faith.


Fr. Peter Heers, in his presentation, discussed the recent Council of Crete that took place in 2016.  In his Lecture, Fr. Peter Heers addresses the problems that preceded the council and the secrecy surrounding the pre-conciliar text that were released just a few months before the council itself; he also addresses the implications of the decisions and actions of the Council of Crete.

 

To download a copy of Fr. Peter Heers' speech click here.

00343
The Veneration of the Cross, 3rd Sunday of Great Lent - 03/19/17

In the middle of Great Lent, the Holy Church provides the faithful with inspiration to continue with our Lenten struggle and reminds us of what lays ahead, the Holy Passion of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

On the eve of Sunday, March 19 (March 6 O.S.), Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross, during the All-Night Vigil, a cross containing a relic of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, richly decorated with flowers, was brought out of the altar by the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Luke, attended by monastery clergy, for veneration by the faithful, this Sunday greatly increased in number by numerous pilgrims from Serbian Orthodox parishes.  The procession was attended by the peeling of the church bells and accompanied by hymns.

00344
Presanctified Liturgy of St. James - 03/17/17

Once a year during Great Lent, Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary celebrate the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of St. James, the Brother of the Lord. This is a very unique service, not only because the Liturgy of St. James is the oldest of the eastern liturgies extant but also because this presanctified version of the liturgy was translated by ROCOR’s Bishop Jerome (Shaw).

 

Harkening to the Holy Sepulcher and to pilgrimages to Jerusalem, the liturgy creates an atmosphere that is distinctly its own while being clearly within the eastern ethos. It reminds those present of the ancient origins of the Church, creating a bond to the sacred spaces that may be forgotten about in America.

 

Also, this gives the seminarians the experience of the richness and variety of Orthodox tradition, whose differences are held together by the firm bond of Faith. Lord willing, they will transfer this spirit to their parishes when they graduate.

00345
Pannykhida for Metropolitan Laurus - 03/16/17

On the 9th anniversary of the blessed repose of Metropolitan Laurus, former primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad as well as Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery and Rector of  Holy Trinity Seminary, March 3/16 a pannykhida was served in the monastery cathedral by the monastery clergy.  The monastery brotherhood, as well as the seminary and our many neighbors and pilgrims, preserve zealously the memory of Vladyka Laurus, who was our abbot for 32 years and also headed the Church Abroad during one of its most crucial moments, the reconciliation of the Church Abroad with the church in Russia.

00346
The Repose of Monk Lazarus - 03/06/17

Fr. Lazarus was born in Russia in 1940 during the Soviet Union. He and his parents were part of the underground catacomb church during the Soviet Union. In the early 1990’s Fr. Lazarus came to the U.S. He came to Jordanville and spent 1 year of seminary there. For various reasons he had to stop seminary and find a secular job near the monastery, but he continued to attend services on Sundays and Feast days throughout the year. 

 

Then Fr. Lazarus became very sick and soon after was accepted as a Novice. No one knew what his illness was; he went to doctors and his medical records only showed was that he had some sort of “weakness.” Fr. Lazarus’ answer to this was that he didn’t want to know what it was, he only knew that it was a gift from God and the cure for his soul

 

 

In the following years he bore his illness with much patience and endurance, and without complaining. He knew the services very well and when he was no longer able to attend services because of his illness, he listened to the recordings of the services from his room, following them in the service books as well.

 

Fr. Lazarus was also very forgiving. He would often quote the words of our Saviour to forgive “up to seventy times seven” (Matt 18:22). If there was ever a quarrel between him and another he would frequently stop in the middle of the quarrel and ask forgiveness of the person and the quarrel would end immediately.

 

The last few months of his life were very peaceful. On the Saturday before the Sunday of Forgiveness Fr. Lazarus started to become very sick. During the first week of lent, he would go between being very sick and being normal. He received communion on Wednesday during Clean week and reposed on the following Friday evening.

 

+May the Lord grant rest to his soul.

00347
Sunday of Orthodoxy - 03/05/17

First Week, marked by 10-hours daily of church services and one meal a day, culminated with the Triumph of Orthodoxy, reinforcing the purpose of our Lenten struggle as the means by which we fully incorporate ourselves into “the Faith that has established the universe.” To amplify the solemnity of this celebration, seminarians and monastics participated in hierarchical vespers and liturgy with Bishop Jerome (Shaw), a former seminarian at Holy Trinity Seminary and one of the major translators of Russian Orthodox liturgical texts into English and Slavonic.


Before the service of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, including the anathemas that can be recited only in the presence of a bishop, Bishop Jerome reminded the congregation that the anathemas are not curses but are outlines that define the boundaries of the Church. They act as a guide that functions not negatively, by creating opposition to outsiders, but positively, preserving and protecting those inside the Body of Christ, deepening our understanding of the uniqueness of our divinely transmitted tradition.


With the first week of Lent completed, we pray that the Lord will preserve us and all the faithful for the remainder of this season so that we can successfully participate in His Resurrection on Pascha.

00348
Clean Week at Holy Trinity Monastery & Seminary - 02/27/17

To begin Lent’s solemnity, the monastics and seminarians of Holy Trinity began the season with a week of intensive prayer and fasting.

 

The community awoke together at 4:30 in the morning to start its labor of participating in 10 hours of services. Midnight office, matins, hours, vespers, and compline, punctuated throughout with spiritual readings and advice, ensured that the day was dedicated to the glory of God and to promoting the rigorous self-examination that develops into true repentance. To reinforce this prayer schedule, the trapeza served one meal daily, the first two days offering only potatoes and pickled cabbage.

 

Asceticism is essential to develop spiritual strength in the future leaders of our church, and all Orthodox Christians. Training his body according to reason, the seminarian clears and focuses his mind, growing in spiritual discernment and intellectual acuity. These young men also loosen themselves from the bonds of the world, reorient their passions, and experience the fullness of Orthodox prayer. Not only does this help them cultivate habits that will remain with them throughout their lives, but it also nurtures the characteristics of a successful priest. This is why we believe that integrating a seminary education with a monastic environment is crucial to the students.

 

 

We invite everyone to celebrate this season of repentance with us. Click here for a calendar of services. For more information call us at 315-858-0945 or e-mail us at info@hts.edu.

00349
Icon Studio Roof Project Successful! - 02/13/17

Dear supporters and friends of our monastery,

We are happy to announce that our Icon Studio's roof has been successfully replaced! With your prayers and financial assistance, we were able to complete the project before the roof collapsed under the weight of the winter's snow. Therefore, we offer a sincere thank you for your generosity during this campaign.

Having completed this work, we are not only going to continue the iconographic ministry started by Fr. Kyprian Pyzhov but have plans to expand production. As part of this, we are currently updating our website to make it more user-friendly, facilitating access to the over 1000 icons we have available. With this change, we hope to make it easy for the faithful to purchase high-quality, low-cost icons or to simply browse the index for their own edification.

May God bless your generosity!

In Christ yours,

Archimandrite Luke, 

Abbot

 

00350
Theophany - 01/19/17

On the Theophany of our Lord, Archimandrite Luke and the clergy of Holy Trinity Monastery served the Great Blessing of Water.

00351
Nativity 2017 - 01/07/17

Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary wishes you and your loved ones a blessed Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord!

"Your Nativity, O Christ our God,  Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!  For by it, those who worshipped the stars, Were taught by a Star to adore You,  The Sun of Righteousness, And to know You, the Orient from on High.  O Lord, glory to You!"

00352
Archbishop Gabriel Visit and the Tonsure of Two Monastics - 01/01/17

The Monastery experienced a spiritual blessing on the eve of the Nativity Forefeast. On Saturday evening and Sunday morning his Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel presided over the divine services, greeting everyone on the future feasts of our Lord’s Nativity and Theophany. On Sunday evening a general matins was served in honor of the Forefeast and St. John of Kronstadt. Immediately following the service the abbot, Archimandrite Luke, tonsured Novice Lev (from Russia) and Novice Angelos (from Scotland)  as rassophore monks.  

 

00353
Restoration to St Seraphim Shrine Complete Thanks to Generous Donations - 11/22/16

The St. Seraphim Shrine has been refurbished through kind donations of pilgrims, many from our parish in Toronto.

Our Abbot, Fr Luke plans to add a few more embellishments and then proceed to repairs inside the shrine. 

God bless all of our pilgrims through the prayers of St. Seraphim!

 

In Christ,

Brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery

 

00354
Save the Jordanville Icon Studio - 11/01/16

Dear Supporters of Holy Trinity Monastery, The original roof of the Icon Studio building has finally lost its structural integrity, its wooden frame damaged by the heavy rains and snow of upstate New York. Water is leaking directly into the workshop, and we worry that the roof will not be able to survive the harsh winter conditions that are rapidly approaching. Therefore, we need to raise $36,000 by November 1 for this rebuilding project, and we need your support to achieve this!

00355
Update on the Icon Studio Roof Appeal - 10/31/16

Dear supporters and friends of our monastery,

Less than a month has passed since we first appealed to your generosity for the sake of rebuilding our Icon Studio's collapsing roof, and yet again, you have exceeded our expectations. In this short period, we have raised $13,500 of the $36,000 required to complete the project. With these funds, we have purchased the materials needed to begin the reconstruction. This is truly a blessing!

With your assistance, we will be able to continue our ministry that brings the beauty of the Lord into homes and churches throughout the world!

May God bless you for your generosity!

00356
A Visit from the Hawaiian Iveron Icon - 10/30/16

This past weekend, Holy Trinity hosted the myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon from Hawaii. It was a true blessing to our community. Together with a pilgrimage of over 100 faithful from Washington D.C., we celebrated Saturday Night Vigil and Sunday Liturgy with the icon. All present were anointed with its miraculous myrrh, which is composed not only of myrrh but of other substances unknown to modern science. After liturgy, each monastic cell and seminarian dorm room was blessed with the icon.

A panikhida was also held at the grave of the Blessed Martyr Brother Jose Muñoz-Cortez, the guardian of the Montreal myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon. His murder and the subsequent disappearance of the icon occurred on October 31, 1997. The current myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon from Hawaii is a copy of this Montreal icon.

00357
The Protection of the Mother of God - 10/14/16

On Friday, October 14/1, the Jordanville community prayerfully celebrated the Protection of the Mother of God.

00358
Holy Trinity Monastery Open House - Oct. 22nd, 2016 - 10/09/16

Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery invites you to an Open House on Saturday October 22nd, 2016 from 1:00 to 4:00pm.
 
Nestled in the hills above the beautiful Mohawk Valley, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery cordially invites you to come and experience our open house — a day in the life of an Orthodox monastery.

00359
Help Repair the Icon Studio's Roof - 10/04/16

Dear Supporters of Holy Trinity Monastery,
 
The original roof of the Icon Studio building has finally lost its structural integrity, its wooden frame damaged by the heavy rains and snow of upstate New York. Water is leaking directly into the workshop, and we worry that the roof will not be able to survive the harsh winter conditions that are rapidly approaching. Therefore, we need to raise $36,000 by November 1 for this rebuilding project, and we need your support to achieve this!
 
The current building was built in the 1990s as a new home for the Icon Studio founded by the renowned iconographer, Fr. Kyprian Pyzhov, who was instrumental in returning Russian iconography back to its traditional roots. In this way, he founded the Jordanville style, known for its simplicity and dynamism. With faithfulness to tradition and a distinctive style, Fr. Kyprian's work was highly prized, and he was commissioned to paint murals for cathedrals and churches from Luxembourg to San Francisco. 
 
The popularity of Fr. Kyprian's icons as well as his reputation for living a holy life drew disciples to him who would continue his work. To this day, the Icon Studio is very active with an inventory of approximately 1000 images on file. It acts as both a workshop that produces icons for purchase (both hand painted and mounted prints) and a training center for anyone who wants to learn the craft from master iconographers. 
 
Please help us continue our work and preserve the memory of Fr. Kyprian! May God bless your generosity!

Please donate by using the PayPal button below. Please write “Icon Studio" in the "Add special instructions to the seller" section of the donation review page.

You can also write a check to Holy Trinity Monastery with "Icon Studio" in the memo. Please mail checks to Holy Trinity Monastery, P.O. Box 36, Jordanville, NY 13361.

May God bless you for your generosity!

With love in Christ,
Archimandrite Luke
Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery

00360
Thank Your for Your Generosity! Apiary Update - 10/03/16

To our generous donors and supporters,

       It is with joy and gratitude that Holy Trinity Monastery can announce the success of our campaign to raise funds for the rebuilding of the apiary that was destroyed by fire. Through your generosity and prayers, we have exceeded the necessary $4,000 for building materials and have raised $4,380! Glory to God!

       The new apiary will help to increase the monastery’s production of honey by giving novice-monk Lev a place near his 15 bee colonies to extract honey and store resources. We have already started buying the essential materials for this project and have been using our in-house staff to raise the structure. The building is in its skeleton phase with a concrete foundation, lumber frame, and insulation in the walls. As we complete it, we will add plywood for the finishing, insulation to the roof, and silicon to patch leaks in the roof. We will update you when the building is finished!  In fact, the finished building will be better than the old building which burned down.  This is more than a replacement; it is an improvement.  

       Through your generous support, one of the oldest operations at Holy Trinity Monastery can continue. It was started by Fr. Innokenti 50 years ago under the abbacy of Archbishop Averky. Archimandrite Panteleimon, the monastery’s founder, took a great interest in it. Honey production benefits the monastery by providing one of God’s best foods for health as well as additional income for the monastery by selling it.

       Monastery honey is blessed by special prayers from the Book of Needs said over each batch. This reminds us, as the Fathers of the Church also remind us, that we are to imitate the diligent bees. As the bee collects pollen from various flowers to produce its honey, so we are to collect all that is good in the world and deliver it back to Christ, who is the author of those goods.

       It is with your diligence that we have been able to continue this important work, and we thank you for all your efforts in helping us with it!

00361
An interview with Abbot Fr. Luke (Murianka) about his attendance of a recent symposium in Moscow, Russia - 09/29/16

From September 21 - 25, 2016, Abbot Fr. Luke (Murianka) attended a symposium called “Rus and Holy Mount Athos: a Thousand Years of Spiritual and Cultural Unity” in Moscow, Russia. On September 29, Deacon Andrei Psarev, a member of the Holy Trinity Seminary faculty,  interviewed Fr. Luke in his office in Jordanville, and asked him to share his impressions from this event.

00362
Labor Day Weekend - 09/14/16

At 3:00pm on Saturday of the Labor Day weekend, His Grace, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, along with the clergy, monks and faithful that had come to Jordanville for the festivities, gathered in the main cathedral of Holy Trinity Monastery. On Saturday, September 3rd, the All-Night Vigil was served by His Grace, Bishop Nicholas, accompanied by the monastery and visiting clergy. The monastery choir was fortified by male members of the Young Singer’s Conference. On Sunday morning, September 4th, the combined clergy processed to the entrance to the Trapeza, and greeted Bishop Nicholas with glory, and processed back to the church. Labor Day Monday was even more festive than
the day before. His Grace, Archbishop Gabriel was joined by Bishop Nicholas, Archimandrite
Luke and the gathered clergy for Divine Liturgy.

00363
An Appeal from Holy Trinity Monastery - 09/14/16

Dear Supporters of our Monastery!

As you may know, part of our apiary burnt down in 2014, causing $20,000 worth of damage. Brother Lev, our beekeeper, has been trying to rebuild it as well as he can. He needs to repair an existing building in order to process this year's harvest. So far he has been extracting honey by hand in the kitchen!

We have already invested in digging a well and extending power lines to the apiary to provide water and electricity to the site.

Now we need $4,000 to make essential repairs to the apiary building in order to process honey normally this year.

The apiary has been an important part of the monastery for decades. We need your support for the apiary to continue to operate.

You can support this project by donating using PayPal on the monastery website - http://jordanville.org/donate.html. Please write "Apiary" in the "Add special instructions to the seller" section of the donation review page.

You can also write a check to Holy Trinity Monastery with "Apiary" in the memo. Please mail checks to Holy Trinity Monastery, P.O. Box 36, Jordanville, NY 13361.

May God bless you for your generosity!

With love in Christ,
Archimandrite Luke
Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery

00364
Panikhida for Met. Laurus - 08/31/16

August 31, 2016 was the namesday of the late Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Florus and the anniversary of Archimandrite Sergius’ (Romberg) repose. After the noon meal, his grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, accompanied by clergy from the monastery, Canada, and Luxembourg, served a pannykhida at the grave of Metropolitan Laurus.

00365
Tonsure of Rassaphore Novice Theodora - 08/30/16

With the blessing of Metropolitan Ilarion and the Spiritual Council Holy Trinity Monastery, Archimandrite Luke traveled to Richmond Maine to tonsure into the Rassaphore Novice Theodora, a former novice of St. Elizabeth's Skete in Jordanville. Sister Theodora will be living in the annex immediately adjacent to the church in the kelia of St. Theophan the Recluse. The kelia is directly under the spiritual, direction of the Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery. Sister Theodora as part of her monastic obediences opens the church before dawn with the reading of the Midnight Office and in the evening with Compline.
The rector of the parish Archpriest Chad, the parish council and parishioners have expressed their support for Sister Theodora.

00366
Dormition - 08/28/16

On August 28, 2016 Archimandrite Luke and the brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Dormition of the Most Pure Theotokos. They were joined by pilgrims from around the United States and Canada.

00367
Transfiguration - 08/19/16

On August 19, 2016, Metropolitan Jonah celebrated the Transfiguration of the Lord at Holy Trinity Monastery. Archimandrite Luke and the monastic clergy served with the Metropolitan. They were joined by pilgrims from around the United States and Canada.

 

00368
Sacred Images: Icons from Holy Trinity Monastery - 08/09/16

Over 50 Russian Orthodox icons and religious objects from the collection of the Foundation of Russian History and Holy Trinity Monastery will be on display at Herkimer County Community College’s Cogar Gallery. The exhibition Sacred Images: Icons from Holy Trinity Monastery, running from August 12 to September 23, introduces viewers to the art and history of icon painting, the symbolism of icons and their role in Orthodox worship, and various styles and methods of producing icons.

00369
Feastday of Apostles Peter and Paul - 07/12/16

On July 12th, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the feast of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The Abbot, Archimandrite Luke presided, assisted by the clergy of Holy Trinity Monastery. This year, the brethren and clergy marked Archimandrite Luke’s 35th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. Hegumen Theophylact and Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow presented Archimandrite Luke with an icon of the Most Holy Trinity to mark this occasion.

00370
Day of the Holy Spirit 2016 - 06/20/16

On June 20, 2016, Metropolitan Hilarion came to Holy Trinity Monastery and joined Bishop Nicholas to celebrate the monastery’s patronal feastday. Sixteen priests and nine deacons from Holy Trinity Monastery, the Diocese of Eastern America and New York, and neighboring dioceses concelebrated with the bishops. After the Liturgy, there was a moleben with a cross procession. A festive trapeza followed, and then the clergy, brotherhood, and pilgrims moved over to the old print shop for a festal reception.

00371
Pentecost 2016 - 06/19/16

On June 18-19, 2016, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated the Vigil and Liturgy for Pentecost, followed by the Vespers with kneeling prayers. Archimandrite Luke, hieromonks, and local priests concelebrated at these services. There was a cross procession during the Litia around the cathedral. After the Liturgy and Vespers on Sunday, there was a festive trapeza for the clergy, monastic brotherhood, and many pilgrims that travelled here to celebrate with us.

00372
Holy Trinity Seminary - 68th Commencement - 05/31/16

Sunday, May 29, 2016 marked the 68th Commencement for Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary. Metropolitan Hilarion led the services and commencement. During the liturgy seminarian Sergei Kosov was ordained to the diaconate, Priest Ephraim Willmarth was awarded the Nabedrnik, and the deacons Peter Markevic, Andrei Psarev and Andrei Doubleday were awarded the right to wear  the double orarion.

A full report on the graduation will appear soon on the Seminary website www.hts.edu

00373
Radonitsa - Metropolitan Hilarion's Paschal Visit and Ordination of Seminarian to Diaconate - 05/10/16

On May 10, 2016, Metropolitan Hilaron made his Paschal Visit to Holy Trinity Monastery. During the Hierarchical Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion tonsured first-year seminarian Michael Storozhev a reader, ordained him to the Subdiaconate, and then ordained him to the Diaconate after the Anaphora. We wish Fr. Michael and his wife many years!

00374
Bright Tuesday - 05/03/16

On May 3, 2016, Archbishop Gabriel served the Bright Tuesday Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery. After the service, Archbishop Gabriel led the Cross Procession to all four sides of the church with the reading of the Gospel. 

00375
PASCHA! - 05/01/16

Christ is Risen! Xристос Воскресе! Holy Trinity Monastery wishes you and your family a blessed Feast of Our Lord's Resurrection! 

00376
Holy Saturday "Lamentations" Matins - 04/30/16

On April 30, 2016, at 2 am, Holy Trinity Monastery served the Holy Saturday Matins service.

Joseph begged Thy holy body from Pilate and, anointing it with sweet-smelling spices, he wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in a new tomb; and early in the morning the women bearing myrrh cried out:  "As Thou hast foretold, O Christ, show us the Resurrection."

00377
Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy - 04/30/16

On April 30, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery served the Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy. Following the Liturgy, bread and wine were blessed in remembrance of the early Christians in Jeruseleum who sustained themselves on just bread and wine until the Paschal Liturgy at midnight.

00378
Good Friday Vespers at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/29/16

On April 29, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery served the Good Friday Vespers with the bringing of the plashchanitsa to the middle of the church.

Noble Joseph, taking down Thy most pure Body from the Tree, and having wrapped It in clean linen and covered It with spices, laid It in a new tomb.

 

00379
Abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) serves the The Order of Washing of the Feet - 04/28/16

On Holy Thursday, Abbot Archimandrite Luke served the The Order of Washing of the Feet after the Holy Thursday Liturgy.

"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." - The Gospel according to St. John.

00380
Holy Thursday 12 Passion Gospels - 04/28/16

On April 28, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery led by Abbot Fr. Luke served the Good Friday Matins with the reading of the 12 Passion Gospels.

"Come, and let us all sing the praises of Him Who was crucified for us. For Mary said when she beheld Him on the Tree: 'Though Thou dost endure the Cross, yet Thou art my Son and God.'" - Kontakion of Holy and Great Friday

00381
Palm Sunday 2016 - 04/24/16

On April 24, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Entry of Our Lord into Jeruseleum. Following Liturgy, Abbot Fr. Luke wished all a blessed feast day and start to Holy Week and Our Lord's Pascha! 

"Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together. Let us all take up Thy cross and say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! "

00382
General Unction at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/19/16

On April, 19, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery held its annual General Unction service in Holy Trinity Cathedral.

"Thou who alone art a speedy succor, O Christ, manifest Thy speedy visitation from on high upon Thy sick servants; deliver them from their infirmities, and cruel pain; and raise them up again to sing praises unto Thee, and without ceasing, to glorify Thee; through the prayers of the Birth-Giver of God, O Thou who alone lovest mankind."

00383
Annunciation Photo Report - 04/07/16

On April 7, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Feast of the Annunciation. His Grace, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada served the All-Night Vigil and celebrated the Vesperal-Liturgy on Thursday at Holy Trinity Cathedral. 

00384
Triumph of Orthodoxy at Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/20/16

On Saturday, March 19, His Grace, Metropolitan Jonah arrived at Holy Trinity Monastery to lead the Divine Services for the Triumph of Orthodoxy. Following Sunday's Liturgy, Metropolitan Jonah delivered a sermon about how all of the faithful are called to Christ in the same way that Nathanael was called by Christ as described in the Gospels. Following the sermon, all the clergy gathered in the middle of the cathedral to serve the "Rite of Orthodoxy." Holy Trinity Seminary Alumnus Fr. Peter Markevich led the proclaiming of the anathemas.

00385
First Three Days of Lent - Photo Report / 8th Anniversary of Repose of Metropolitan Laurus - 03/16/16

Wednesday March 17, 2016, marked the 8th anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus. Metropolitan Laurus was commemorated at the Litya for the Dead and he was remembered with the singing of "Memory Eternal" after the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

00386
Clean Monday - Kontakion from Great Canon of Saint Andrew - 03/15/16

"My soul, my soul, arise! Why are you sleeping? The end is drawing near, and you will be confounded. Awake, then, and be watchful, that Christ our God may spare you, Who is everywhere present and fills all things."

 

00387
Video Selections from Forgiveness Sunday Vigil - 03/12/16

Here are a few selections from the Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary choir from the Forgiveness Sunday All-Night Vigil service in Holy Trinity Monastery Cathedral.

00388
Feast of the Three Hierarchs and HTS Alumni Gathering - 02/12/16

From February 10 - 12, Holy Trinity Seminary celebrated the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, the school's patronal feast day. In conjunction with the feast, the seminary also held its 2nd annual alumni gathering. Many alumni from around the country visted their alma mater. On February 12, the celebrations culminated with the hierarchical liturgy concelebrated by Archbishop Gabriel, Bishop George, and Bishop Nicholas. Following the liturgy, a reception was held in the seminary hall for all of the seminarians, faculty, brothers of the monastery, and community members.

00389
Theophany - Photo Report - 01/19/16

Sermon on Theophany by Metropolitan Philaret

00390
Eve of Theophany - Photo Report - 01/18/16

00391
Fr Luke Invitation to Munich, Germany - 01/12/16

In late December 2015, Abbot Archimandrite Luke attended and presented a talk in Germany on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Monastery of St. Job of Pochaev in Munich,  Germany. The seminar began on December 24 and ended on December 26. Various talks were given about the history of the monastery, its historic connection to Pochaev, and the monasteries in Vladimirova, Slovakia and Jordanville, New York. Father Luke’s talk in Russian was titled, “Two Branches: One Root," where he traced the history of those monks that had lived in Germany and then settled in America at Holy Trinity Monastery.

00392
Nativity of Our Lord at Holy Trinity Monastery - 01/07/16

On January 7, 2016, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. Following Liturgy, a festive meal was served in the monastery trapeza. Immediately after the meal, all of the brothers of monastery, seminarians, and members of the community enjoyed a reception in Abbot Fr Luke's office. Holy Trinity Monastery wishes you and your loved ones a blessed feast! Christ is born! 

00393
Funeral of Vasiliy P. Nistratov - Photo Report - 12/24/15

On December 24, 2015 the funeral and burial of  Vasiliy P. Nistratov was held  at Holy Trinity Monastery. May God grant rest to his soul.

00394
St Herman Youth Conference Visits Jordanville - 12/24/15

On December 24, 2015, the St Herman Youth Conference spent the day in Jordanville. In the morning, about 100 youth listened to a lecture about addiction. Following the lecture, everyone enjoyed a casual meal in the Seminary Hall while listening to a visiting priest from St. Petersburg speak about youth conferences in Russia. After lunch, the youth spent time viewing the museum, visiting the St Elizabeth Skete, seeing the cemetery, hearing about the monastery publishing office, viewing the bell tower, and enjoying a bonfire by the St. John of Kronstadt Chapel. 

00395
New Electrical Power Lines Installed - 12/19/15

New electrical power was installed for the new cemetery, old cemetery and beehives December 2015. 

00396
Seminary Giving Tuesday Campaign - 11/22/15

For the first time, Holy Trinity Seminary is participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day dedicated to giving back. Thanks to a generous donor, every dollar you give to Holy Trinity Seminary starting today until December 1 will be doubled! All donations will be matched up to $50,000. Donate today and help the Seminary raise $100,000 by December 1. 

00397
New Tombstone Blessed for Bishop Constantine (Essensky) - 11/21/15

On November 21, 2015 Archimandrite Luke of Holy Trinity Monastery blessed the new tombstore for Bishop Constantine (Essensky) at the brotherhoood cemetery located behind Holy Trinity Cathedral. Bishop Constantine was reburied at Holy Trinity Monastery on Decemember 1, 2014. 

00398
Open House 2015 - 10/24/15

On Saturday, October 24, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery held an open house for the neighboring community. During the open house, Abbot Fr. Luke (Murianka) spoke to the neighboring community about the history of the Orthodox Church, and Fr. Theophylact spoke about the history of the monastery. Following the talks, guests were led over to the Cathedral with the ringing of bells from the monastery bell tower. A short choir concert was conducted in Holy Trinity Cathedral, and Fr. Theophylact explained the particulars of an Orthodox church. Guests were also able to view the Foundation of Russian History Museum. We thank all those who visited, and we hope to see them again soon!

00399
October 9-10, 2015: HTOS holds an academic symposium "Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow (1865-1925): His Life and Times" - 10/16/15

From October 9 to 10, 2015, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary held its second annual academic symposium, entitled “Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow (1865-1925): His Life and Times.” The Symposium was dedicated to the Saint’s “double” anniversary this year: 150 years since his birth, and 90 years since his blessed repose.

00400
Metropolitan Philip of Poltava and Mirgorod Visits Jordanville - 10/11/15

From October 10 - 11, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery had the great blessing to be visited by Metropolitan Philip of Poltava and Mirgorod. On Saturday, Metropolitan Philip delivered a few remarks about the life of Patriarch Tikhon during the St. Tikhon Symposium at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary. After Sunday's Hierarchical Liturgy, Metropolitan Philip thanked Abbot Fr. Luke (Murianka) for the opportunity to visit Jordanville. He referred to Jordanville as a legendary place, and he was delighted to finally visit. We thank him for his participation in the St Tikhon Conference and his continued support of Jordanville.

00401
Fall Pictures at Holy Trinity Monastery - 10/08/15

Holy Trinity Monastery is located near New York's historic Mohawk Valley, one mile north of the village of Jordanville, within a triangle formed by Cooperstown, Utica, and Albany. It is also known for its beautiful fall scenery. 

00402
Saturday 10 am October 10: Free Lecture about Patriarch Tikhon - 10/06/15

You are invited to a free lecture at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville) by Dr. Scott Kenworthy at 10 am on Saturday, October 10, 2015. The address is entitled "Before the Patriarchate: The Life and Times of St. Tikhon until 1917" and will be delivered in English. Following the lecture, you will be able to view the new Foundation of Russian History Museum and Holy Trinity Monastery Cathedral.

00403
Exaltation of the Cross (Photos and Video) - 09/27/15

On Sunday, September 27, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. At the end of Saturday night's Vigil, Abbot Archimandrite Luke performed the Rite of the Exaltation of the Cross in Holy Trinity Cathedral.

00404
Fr. Luke's invitation and visit to Slovakia - 09/23/15

An appeal was made to Holy Trinity Monastery to assist with refurbishing the roof on the church in Ladomirova, Slovakia, where many of the monastics of our monastery resided before the advance of the Soviet Army. A donation was sent, and the reply was an invitation from His Beatitude Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, to Archimandrite Luke to take part in their celebration of the feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. A large portion of the Holy Head is enshrined at the church. Father Luke arrived on the eve of the feast day itself and attended the services there, the celebration being transferred to the nearest Sunday. Immediately after the Liturgy, Father Luke began his extensive tour of all the local parish communities.

00405
Nativity of the Theotokos 2015 - 09/21/15

On September 21, 2015, Abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) led the Liturgy for the Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos in the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Holy Trinity Monastery wishes you a happy feast day! С праздником!

00406
The Labor Day Commemoration of St. Job of Pochaev - 09/11/15

Every year in September, on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY triumphally celebrates the memory of its heavenly intercessor, Venerable Job of Pochaev.

00407
October 10: Free Lecture in English on Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow (1865 - 1925) at Holy Trinity Seminary - 09/09/15

00408
New Welcome Sign at Jordanville - 09/08/15

Recently, Holy Trinity Monastery installed a new welcome sign for visitors, guests, clergy, and seminarians.

00409
Pannikhida for Metropolitan Laurus - 08/31/15

On Monday, August 31, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery led by Archbishop Gabriel served a Pannikyda for Metropolitan Laurus behind the cathedral at the Metropolitan's grave. Memory Eternal!

00410
Dormition - 08/28/15

On Friday, August 28, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Dormition of the Theotokos.  Two Liturgies were served for the feast. An English Liturgy was served in the cemetery chapel which is dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos and a Slavonic Liturgy was served in the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Following both Liturgies, a moleben was held at the cemetery chapel.

00411
Transfiguration - 08/19/15

On August 19, 2015, led by Abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated Transfiguration. Following the service, Abbot Luke blessed fruit for the feast.

00412
Beginning of Dormition Fast - Blessing of Water and Honey - 08/14/15

On August 14, 2015, to begin the Dormition Fast, a blessing of water and honey was served at Holy Trinity Monastery. The Dormition Fast is two weeks and one of the strictest fasts in the Orthodox Church.

00413
Blessing of a new cemetery - 08/01/15

On Friday, July 31, 2015, after lunch, a new cemetery area was consecrated.  Due to the fact that almost all of the available plots in the older monastery cemeteries have been purchased, a new section has been prepared along side the oldest cemetery.  For the Orthodox faithful, this need for more plots has been emphasized especially of late, as recently there have been more and more requests for cemetery plots.  This is due no doubt to the fact that the souls of those buried in the Holy Trinity Monastery cemetery are prayed for during the Divine Liturgy and also during the several special commemorative days during the church year.

00414
Feast of St. Sergius, the Hawaiian Iveron Myrrh-streaming Icon and the visit of Metr. Onuphry. - 07/18/15

Holy Trinity Monastery is blessed with many joyful feasts throughout the liturgical year and also the occasional special event.  Such an occasion was recently on Friday evening and Saturday morning, when according to the Church calendar, the feast of St. Sergius of Radonezh was celebrated. It is doubtful that this feast was ever celebrated with such solemnity and joy as this year.  During the afternoon services the Hawaiian Iveron Myrrh-streaming icon arrived, brought by its guardian, Brother Nectarios.  Later in the afternoon, his Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, arrived to greet a very important guest, his Beatitude, Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, who finds himself in the United States on a private visit.

00415
Feast of the Royal Martyrs of Russia - 07/17/15

On July 17, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Feast of the Royal Martyrs of Russia.

Troparion: Meekly didst thou endure bonds and diverse sufferings, and the loss of an earthly kingdom, and didst bear witness for Christ even unto death at the hands of those that fight against God, O great passion-bearer, divinely-crowned Tsar Nicholas; therefore, Christ God hath crowned thee in the heavens with a martyr’s crown, together with thy queen, thy children, and thy servants. Him do thou entreat to have mercy on the Russian land and save our souls.

00416
New York: ROCOR Statement on Same-Sex "Marriage" - 07/13/15

When our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ instructed His Apostles to render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s (Matthew 22:21), He foretold of the future what was already true in the days in the Roman Empire: that a Christian would never be one who sat dismissively apart from the world and its governance, but neither would a Christian be one for whom the ever-changing whims of social governance would be the chief voice ruling his life...

00417
Abbot Archmandrite Luke (Murianka) Sermon for the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul (Russian And English) - 07/13/15

“Their sound has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” 

Our Church is Apostolic because it follows the life and teaching established by the Apostles. They in their turn continue the mission of our Teacher and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. The rule of faith given to us by our Saviour and his Disciples must be kept without change as He says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35).”

00418
2015 Summer Youth Program at Holy Trinity Monastery - 07/13/15

On July 11,  the 2015 Summer Youth Program came to a close at Holy Trinity Monastery. The program incorporates both monastery life and features of a summer camp. Young men have the opportunity to attend monastic services, work beside members of the brotherhood, and participate in candid religious discussions. The program also features sports and recreational activities, including special events such as day trips to local points of interest.

00419
Statement by the Chancery of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America on the Issue of Homosexual Marriage to the Clergy and Flock of the Diocese - 06/27/15

June 26, 2015

Today the United States Supreme Court ruled that homosexual marriage is a constitutional right in the United States of America. Given the ubiquitous coverage the news media is providing on this issue it is important that our clergymen and parishioners fully understand the position of the Church in this regard.

00420
The Repose of Matushka Nadezhda Drobot - 06/09/15

From the EA Diocese website:

"On Monday, June 8, Matushka Nadezhda Drobot, wife of Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot (former rector of Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, NY) and mother of Protodeacon Nicholas Drobot (cleric of Holy New Martyrs of Russia Church in Norwich, CT), reposed in the Lord.

Matushka Nadezhda is survived by her husband, seven children, and eight grandchildren.

All funeral services will be held at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY.

Tuesday, June 9: 6:30 PM Panihida

Wednesday, June 10:
 6:30 PM Panihida

Also: 
6:30 PM Panihida at Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany

Thursday, June 11:
 1:30 PM Funeral, followed by burial at Jordanville cemetery

Memory eternal to the handmaiden of God Nadezhda!"

http://eadiocese.org/News/2015/june/drobot.en.htm

00421
The Repose of Matushka Nadezhda Drobot - 06/09/15

From the EA Diocese website:

"On Monday, June 8, Matushka Nadezhda Drobot, wife of Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot (former rector of Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, NY) and mother of Protodeacon Nicholas Drobot (cleric of Holy New Martyrs of Russia Church in Norwich, CT), reposed in the Lord.

00422
Third Day of Pentecost - 06/02/15

For the Third Day of Pentecost, Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan celebrated the Hierarchical Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery. Today is the last day of celebrations for the monastery’s patronal feast day.

00423
Holy Spirit Day 2015 - 06/01/15

On June 1, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated Holy Spirit Day its patronal feast day. Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and Metropolitan Jonah concelebrated the Liturgy for the feast day. Co-serving along with the two hierarchs were 16 priests and 9 deacons.     

00424
Pentecost 2015 at Holy Trinity Monastery - 05/31/15

On May 31, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Feast of Pentecost. His Eminence, Metropolitan Jonah (OCA) celebrated the Hierarchical Vigil and Liturgy. Following Liturgy, the Metropolitan served the Vespers service with the three prayers on bended knees. After the Vespers service, Abbot Archimandrite Luke congratulated everyone with the feast and invited them to a festive meal followed by a reception. We wish everyone a blessed Pentecost!

00425
67th Commencement Ceremonies at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary - 05/24/15

On May 24, 2015 Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary had its 67th Commencement and marked the end of the 2014-15 academic year and the conclusion to the years of seminary studies for the Graduating Class of 2015. Metropolitan Jonah (OCA) presided at the hierarchical vigil and liturgy. 

00426
Translation of St. Nicholas's Relics and the 50th anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Anastasy - 05/22/15

On May 22, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Feast of the Translation of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker's relics to Bari, Italy. Following the Divine Liturgy, Abbot Fr. Luke served a Panikhida at Metropolitan Anastasy’s grave located in the back of the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Metropolitan Anastasy was the second First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. He reposed 50 years ago on May 22, 1965.

00427
Ascension 2015 - 05/21/15

"Thou hast ascended in glory, O Christ our God, and gladdened Thy disciples with the promise of the Holy Spirit; and they were assured by the blessing that Thou art the Son of God and Redeemer of the world."

00428
Mid Pentecost and St. George Day - 05/06/15

On May 6, 2015, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated Mid-Pentecost and St. George Day. Following Divine Liturgy, Abbot Fr. Luke led the service of the Small Blessing of the Water at the Holy Trinity Monastery well. Holy Great Martyr George pray to God for us!

00429
Radonitsa - 04/21/15

On Radonitsa, led by Abbot Fr. Luke Murianka the monastic brethern, seminarians and members of the community prayed for the departed including those buried in the Holy Trinity Monastery Cemetery.

00430
Pascha at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/12/15

"When Thou hadst fallen asleep in the flesh as one mortal, O King and Lord, Thou didst rise again on the third day, raising up Adam from corruption, and abolishing death: O Pascha of incorruption!  O Salvation of the world!"

00431
2 am Holy Saturday Matins (Lamentations) service - 04/11/15

Joseph begged Thy holy body from Pilate and, anointing it with sweet-smelling spices, he wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in a new tomb; and early in the morning the women bearing myrrh cried out:  'As Thou hast foretold, O Christ, show us the Resurrection.'"

00432
Holy Saturday Vesperal Liturgy - 04/11/15

"He who closed the abyss lies before us dead; and as a corpse the Immortal is wrapped in linen with sweet spices and laid in a tomb.  The women came to anoint Him with myrrh, weeping bitterly and crying: 'This is the most blessed Sabbath on which Christ sleeps, but on the third day He shall rise again.'"

00433
Good Friday Vespers 2015 - 04/10/15

"Noble Joseph, taking down Thy most pure Body from the Tree, and having wrapped It in clean linen and covered It with spices, laid It in a new tomb."

00434
Twelve Passion Gospels - 04/09/15

"The whole creation was changed by fear, when it saw Thee, O Christ , hanging on the Cross. The sun was darkened and the foundations of the earth were shaken; all things suffered with the Creator of all. Of Thine own will Thou hast endured this for our sake: O Lord, glory to Thee."

00435
Annunciation 2015 - 04/07/15

"Today is the fountainhead of our salvation and the manifestation of the mystery which was from eternity: the Son of God becometh the Virgin's Son, and Gabriel announceth the good tidings of grace; for this cause, let us cry to the Mother of God with him:  "Rejoice, thou who art full of grace; the Lord is with thee." 

00436
Palm Sunday at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/05/15

"By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion, You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God! Like the children with the palms of victory,We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death;Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!"

00437
Presantified Liturgy in English at Dormition Church (Video and Photos) - 04/01/15

On April 1, Abbot Archimandrite Luke served a Presanctified Liturgy in English in the Dormition Church in the cemetery. The English translation of the Liturgy is from Colonel Philip Ludwell III (1716-1767).

00438
Pannikida for Metropolitan Laurus - 03/16/15

On March 16, the Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery and the brotherhood served a Pannikida for Metropolitan Laurus who was the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia and Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery.

00439
Veneration of the Precious Cross - 03/14/15

On March 15, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Third Sunday of Great Lent: The Veneration of the Precious Cross.

00440
Presanctified Liturgy of St. James - 03/11/15

On Wednesday, March 11, the community of the Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of St James, the Brother of the Lord.   The liturgy was served at 11am in the church of St Job of Pochaev in the basement of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and was presided by Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), the Abbot of the monastery. 

00441
Triumph of Orthodoxy - 03/01/15

For The Triumph of Orthodoxy, Bishop Jerome served the Hierarchical Vigil and Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery. The Rite of Orthodoxy service followed Sunday's Liturgy.

00442
First Week of Lent - 02/23/15

"Where shall I begin to weep for the actions of my wretched life? What first-fruit shall I offer, O Christ, in this my lamentation? But in Thy compassion grant me forgiveness of sins." --The Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete

00443
Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/12/15

Archbishop Gabriel, a graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary, served the Hierarchical Vigil and Liturgy for the Feast of the Three Hierarchs. This is the patronal feast day for the seminary. After Liturgy, students, faculty, and alumni celebrated the feast with a reception in the Seminary Hall.

00444
Theophany 2015 - Photo Report - 01/19/15

"When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, worship of the Trinity wast made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ our God, Who hath appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee."

00445
Nativity at Holy Trinity Monastery - 01/07/15

Nativity Troparion

"Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of reason upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, glory be to Thee."

00446
Fr. Luke Speaks at St Hermans Youth Conference - 12/28/14

Rector Archimandrite Luke delivered the keynote speech at this year’s St. Herman’s Youth Conference in Toronto. Fr. Luke spoke about the sanctification of the material world and about the recent reburial of Bishop Constantine (Essensky). Fr. Luke also participated in the question and answer panel discussion. 

00447
Fr. Luke Speaks at St Hermans Youth Conference - 12/28/14

Archimandrite Luke delivered the keynote speech at this year’s St. Herman’s Youth Conference in Toronto. Fr. Luke spoke about the sanctification of the material world, the incorruptibility of relics, the glorification of saints and the recent reburial of Bishop Constantine (Essensky). Fr. Luke also participated in the question and answer panel discussion. 

00448
Feast of St. Nicholas and 40th anniversary of Fr Victor to diaconate - 12/19/14

On December 19, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated St. Nicholas Day. This was also the 40th anniversary of Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow’s ordination to the diaconate. At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Deacon Andrei Psarev read a congratulatory  letter from Metropolitan Hilarion to Fr. Victor. Archimandrite Luke then presented a copy of the Vladimir icon of the Mother of God to Fr. Victor on behalf of Holy Trinity Monastery, Holy Trinity Seminary and St. Elizabeth Skete.

00449
Visit from Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada and Ordination of Fr Andrei Myer - 12/14/14

On December 14, 2014, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada celebrated the Hierarchical Vigil and Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery. Fr. Andrei Myer was ordained to the Priesthood during the Hierarchical Liturgy by Archbishop Gabriel.

00450
Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple - 12/04/14

On December 4, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple. Abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) led the Vigil and Liturgy services.

00451
Reburial of Bishop Constantine (Essensky) at Holy Trinity Monastery - 12/01/14

On December 1 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion and many clergy came to Holy Trinity Monastery today to rebury Bishop Constantine (Essensky; +1996) behind the Cathedral. Metropolitan Hilarion served a panikhída before the reburial service. Bishop Constantine reposed 18 years ago and was originally buried in Blanco, Texas.

00452
St James Liturgy Served At Holy Trinity Monastery - 11/26/14

On Wednesday, November 5, Holy Trinity Monastery marked the  feast of St James the Brother of the Lord and the first bishop of Jerusalem with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy attributed to the apostle at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. On Friday, November 14, on the feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, the abbot of the Monastery, Archimandrite Luke, celebrated the Liturgy of St James in English at the Dormition cemetery church.

00453
Feast Day of St. Averky and Kazan Icon of the Mother of God - 11/04/14

On November 4, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and St. Averky of Hierapolis, Equal-to-the-Apostles. Following the Liturgy, Archimandrite Luke served a Litia at the grave of Archbishop Averky who was the Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery from 1960 until his repose in 1976. Archbishop Averky was also the Rector of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary.

00454
Monk John Campbell Funeral - 11/04/14

Fr John Campbell (known previously as Fr Lawrence Cambell ) reposed peacefully in the Lord just before midnight on Monday November 3, 2014.  He  spent much of his life preparing English-language texts of the Divine Services and private prayers, most notably the 4th edition of our Jordanville Prayer Book and the Unabbreviated Horologion. Fr. John's funeral was held on November 6, 2014.

00455
Fr. John Campbell Reposed in the Lord - 11/03/14

Fr John Campbell (known previously as Fr Lawrence Cambell ) reposed peacefully in the Lord just before midnight on November 3, 2014.  He  spent much of his life preparing English-language texts of the Divine Services and private prayers, most notably the 4th edition of our Jordanville Prayer Book and the Unabbreviated Horologion. May the Lord grant rest to his soul.

00456
Washington DC Cathedral Annual Pilgrimage to Holy Trinity Monastery - 10/26/14

From October 25 - 26, 2014, Archpriest Victor Potapov and about 100 parisioners from St. John the Baptist Cathedral made their annual pilgrimage to Holy Trinity Monastery to visit the grave of Jose Muñoz-Cortes who is buried in the Holy Trinity Monastery cemetery. Joining the pilgrims for their annual pilgrimage were Metropolitan Hilarion, Metropolitan Jonah (OCA),  and the myrrh-streaming "Hawaiian" Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

00457
Open House at Holy Trinity Monastery - 10/25/14

On October 25, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery opened its doors to host an open house event for the general public. Beginning at 1 pm, Fr. Luke spoke to the visitors about the the history of the Orthodox Church. At 2 pm, Heirodeacon Seraphim spoke about the history of Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary. Following the talks, visitors were encouraged to visit the new museum, enjoy refreshments and visit the bookstore. Heiromonk Theophylact conducted tours of Holy Trinity Cathedral.

00458
Protection of the Mother of God - 10/14/14

On Tuesday October 14, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Protection of the Mother of God. Archimandrite Luke Murianka served the Vigil and Liturgy for the Feast.

00459
St Sergius of Radonezh Conference at Holy Trinity Seminary - 10/10/14

At the St. Sergius Conference hosted at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, students and professors delivered papers on St Sergius. Most Reverend Bishop Jerome (Shaw) presented his reminiscences (in both Russian and English) regarding the chapel dedicated to St Sergius in Churaevka village near Southbury, CT. The  keynote address was by the Very Reverend Archpriest Pavel Velikanov (Moscow Theological Academy) entitled “The Experience of Entering the Life of the Church for a Modern Orthodox Christian.” 

00460
Feast Day of St. Sergius of Radonezh - 10/08/14

On October 8, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the feast day of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The Feast Day is the official beginning of the St. Sergius Conference hosted at Holy Trinity Seminary. 

00461
Exaltation of the Cross - Photo and Video Report - 09/27/14

Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada served the Hierarchical Vigil for the the Exaltation of the Cross. After the Great Doxology, the Cross was brought out and Archbishop Gabriel led the service of the Exaltation of the Cross. On Saturday morning, Archbishop Gabriel led the Hierarchichal Liturgy for the Feast Day.

 

00462
Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos - 09/21/14

For the Nativity of the Theotokos, Archimandrite Luke served the Vigil and Liturgy services at Holy Trinity Monastery. Fr. Ephraim Wilmarth who is a graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary and also the current administrative assistant gave the sermon.

00463
Three Liturgies served to celebrate The Beheading of John the Baptist - 09/11/14

Three Liturgies were served at Holy Trinity Monastery to celebrate The Beheading of John the Baptist. Archimandrite Luke served an English Liturgy in the Dormition church in the cemetery, Hieromonk Theophylact served the Slavonic Liturgy in Holy Trinity Cathedral, and Archpriest Vladimir Von Tsurikov served a Liturgy at St. Elizabeth Skete.

00464
Feast Day of St. Job of Pochaev - 09/10/14

On September 10, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the feast day of St. Job of Pochaev. St. Job is the patron saint of Holy Trinity Bookstore, Holy Trinity Publications, and the monastic brotherhood. The monastery held a liturgy in the lower church dedicated to St. Job of Pochaev. Following the liturgy, a cross procession and moleben were held to St. Job.

00465
Labor Day at Holy Trinity Monastery - 08/31/14

His Grace, Bishop Nicholas led the Hierarchical Vigil and Liturgy during Labor Day Weekend at Holy Trinity Monastery. Following the Hierarchical Liturgy, a moleben was served to the Mother of God and a small litia for the names day of Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Flor. 

Following the service, trapeza was served for all of the visiting pilgrims.

00466
Meeting of the "Pochaev" Icon of the Mother of God with moleben and akathist hymn to St. Job of Pochaev. - 08/30/14

At 3 p.m. a cross procession was conducted to the cemetery chapel to bring the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God to the Holy Trinity Cathedral. His Grace Bishop Nicholas met the cross procession at the cathedral and led a moleben and akathist to St. Job of Pochaev.

00467
Holy Trinity Publications released a new translation of spiritual talks delivered by the ever-memorable Archbishop Averky - 08/29/14

On September 1st, 2014 Holy Trinity Publications released a new translation of spiritual talks delivered by the ever-memorable Archbishop Averky of Syracuse and Holy Trinity Monastery. The Struggle for Virtue: Asceticism in a Modern Secular Society goes straight to the roots of our modern alienation from God and each other. We are shown that through the renewal of Gospel love the conscience is reawakened. We can then begin to experience true freedom, founded on the acquisition of virtue and overcoming of vice. All of this is seen to demand effort: A Struggle for Virtue.

00468
Dormition of the Theotokos - 08/28/14

For the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, two Divine Liturgies were held at Holy Trinity Monastery. Bishop Nicholas led the Hierarchical Liturgy in the Holy Trinity Cathedral with the Kursk Root Icon and Hieromonk Cyprian celebrated an English Liturgy in the cemetery chapel which is dedicated to the Feast. Following the Hierarchical Liturgy, a moleben was served at the cemetery chapel to the Mother of God.

00469
Tonsures into the Small Schema at Holy Trinity Monastery - 08/25/14

On Monday August 25, 2014 the tonsures into the small schema was perfomed by Archimandrite Luke at Holy Trinity Monastery after the service of Compline. Novice Vitaly Ahmolin was given the name of Righteous Lazarus and Br.  Andrei Kozhin was given the name of Hieromartyr Sylvester, Archbishop of Omsk.

00470
Transfiguration at Holy Trinity Monastery - 08/19/14

On August 19, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration. Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) served the Vigil and Liturgy for the Feast.

 

00471
New Fibreglass Cemetery Crosses - 08/16/14

Holy Trinity Monastery is now offering new fibreglass cemetery crosses. They do not require replacement, painting or repair like wood crosses, which typically last 8 to 10 years.

00472
Feast of St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles - 07/28/14

On Monday July 28, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the feast of St. Vladimir. Archimandrite Luke lead the Vigil with Archpriest Vladimir (Tsurikov) and celebrated the Liturgy with newly ordained Fr. Ephraim Willmarth and Hieromonk Moses.

00473
Fr. Ephraim Willmarth Ordained to the Priesthood - 07/17/14

On July  17, 2014, Fr. Ephraim Willmarth was ordained to the Priesthood by His Eminence Gabriel, Archbishop of Montreal & Canada. Fr. Ephraim is a graduate of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary and currently is the Administrative Assistant at the Seminary. 

00474
Holy Trinity Publications Releases New Memoir - 07/13/14

Jordanville, NY - On July 1st, 2014 the publishing house of Holy Trinity Monastery released its latest title. Recollections of Jerusalem (ISBN: 9780884653592) offers the personal memoirs of Anya Berezina Derrick, parishioner and former head sister of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Seattle, WA.

00475
Feast of St. John of Shanghai and an Francisco - 07/04/14

Metropolitan Hilarion served at Holy Trinity Monastery on the feast day of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco on July 4-5 2014.

00476
Summer Youth Program at Holy Trinity Monastery - 07/03/14

The Summer Youth Program is in its second week at Holy Trinity Monastery. This year fifteen young men  enrolled in the program. Many clergy  of the Russian Church drew closer to God with their experience as Summer Boys in Jordanville. Many others have formed pious families with the good influence they received at the Summer Youth Program.

00477
Exterior Repairs of Church and Seminary Building - 06/21/14

Work has begun to replace many of the bricks around the Church and Seminary building that have fallen or broken over the years due to weather damage.

00478
Second Phase of Replacement of Oil Tanks - 06/21/14

Work has begun on the second phase of replacing the remainder of the Monastery and Seminary oil tanks under the requirement by the Department of Enviromental Services. This project is very costly. The total cost to complete the work is $212, 000.00. We ask for your continued support to help us cover this expense.

00479
Holy Spirit Day at Holy Trinity Monastery - 06/09/14

On Holy Spirit Day, Metropolitan Hilarion, Metropolitan Jonah, 13 Priests and 8 Deacons celebrated the Hierarchical Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery. Both Hiermonk Gabriel and Anatoli received awards for their service to the Church. A molebon and procession to the Holy Trinity followed the Liturgy. 

00480
Pentecost at Holy Trinity Monastery - 06/08/14

June 8 was Pentecost and Holy Trinity Monastery's patronal Feast Day. Metropolitan Jonah served the Hierarchichal Vigil and Liturgy to celebrate the Feast. Immediately after Liturgy, Metropolitan Jonah led the Vespers with the Three Prayers on Bended Knees. Following Vespers, everyone joined the brethern for a meal and reception on the Monastery lawns.

00481
Ascension at Holy Trinity Monastery (Photo Report) - 05/29/14

"Having accomplished for us Thy mission and united things on earth with things in heaven, Thou didst ascend into glory, O Christ our God, being nowhere separated from those who love Thee, but remaining ever present with us and calling: I am with you and no one is against you."

00482
Graduation at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary - 05/26/14

On May 25, 2014, the Sixty-Sixth Annual Commencement was celebrated at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary. His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield served a Hierarchal Vigil and Liturgy and offered opening remarks at the Seminary's Commencement. The Commencement Speaker was Archpriest Serge Kotar. On the Commencement Day, the Foundation of Russian History Museum also officially opened to the public. At the end of the Liturgy, Archpriest Vladimir Tsurikov was given a gramota from Metropolitan Hilarion for his labors in establishing a new museum at the Holy Trinity Monastery.

00483
Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas - 05/22/14

On May 22, 2014, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Translation of the Relics of St. Nicholas. An All-Night Vigil and Liturgy was served by Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) for the Feast. Following the Liturgy, the faithful held a procession to Metropolitan Anastasy's crypt to offer prayers on his death day.

00484
Foundation of Russian History Museum Preview Event - 05/19/14

On May 18, 2014, the Foundation of Russian History hosted a rededication of the Foundation, and a preview of a new exhibit entitled "The Russian Word and Image: Four centuries of books and art." At the event, the Foundation also unveiled the new Russian Nobility Association Reading Room. The museum and reading room are located at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary in Jordanville, New York.

00485
Metropolitan Jonah Visit for Museum Preview - 05/19/14

From May 17-18, Metropolitan Jonah lead a Hierarchal Vigil and Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery. Metropolitan Jonah visited the Monastery to take part in a preview of The Foundation for Russian History Museum. The museum official opens to the public on May 25 on Holy Trinity Seminary's graduation day.

00486
Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, Delivers Lecture on St. Alexis (Toth) - 05/06/14

"On May 6, 2014 Archimandrite Luke delivered a lecture at St. Mary's Cathedral (OCA) in Minneapolis, MN. The talk was part of an annual Saint Alexis (Toth) lecture series sponsored by the St. Mary's Boriss-Hansen Committee. St. Alexis is one of the great missionary confessors of the Orthodox Church and was lauded as such in Father Luke's talk."

00487
Radonitsa at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/29/14

On Radonitsa, led by Abbot Fr. Luke Murianka the monastic brethern, seminarians and members of the community prayed for the departed including those buried in the Holy Trinity Monastery Cemetery.

00488
Paschal Greetings from the Brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/22/14

Paschal Greetings from the Brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery.

Christ is Risen!

00489
Bright Monday 2014 - Photo Report - 04/21/14

Having slept in the flesh as a mortal, O King and Lord, Thou didst rise on the third day. Thou didst raise up Adam from corruption and abolish death, O Passover of incorruption, Salvation of the world!

00490
Pascha 2014 (Photo and Video Report) - 04/20/14

It is the day of Resurrection; let us be radiant, o ye peoples; Pascha, the Lord's Pascha; for Christ God hath brought us from death to life, and from earth to Heaven, as we sing the triumphal hymn.

00491
Holy Saturday 2 am Lamentations Matins and Vesperal Liturgy - 04/19/14

He who closed the abyss lies before us dead; and as a corpse the Immortal is wrapped in linen with sweet spices and laid in a tomb. The women came to anoint Him with myrrh, weeping bitterly and crying: "This is the most blessed Sabbath on which Christ sleeps, but on the third day He shall rise again."

00492
Good Friday Royal Hours and Vespers (Photo and Video Report) - 04/18/14

​"Noble Joseph, taking down Thy most pure Body from the Tree, and having wrapped It in clean linen and covered It with spices, laid It in a new tomb."

00493
Holy Thursday - 12 Passion Gospels (Photo and Video Report) - 04/17/14

"O Lord, Thou hast vouchsafed the wise thief Paradise in one moment. Enlighten me also by the Tree of the Cross, and save me."

00494
Icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts" at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/16/14

The Icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts" will be visiting Holy Trinity Monastery from Wednesday, April 16 to Sunday, April 20.

00495
Unction Service at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/15/14

On April 15, 2014, an Unction Service was served at Holy Trinity Monastery. Abbot Fr. Luke (Murianka) led the service with six other priests to administer the Sacrament to the faithful.

00496
Palm Sunday 2014 - Photo Report - 04/13/14

"O Christ God, enthroned in Heaven and on earth riding a donkey's colt, You have accepted the praise of the angels and the hymns of the children who were crying out to You: "Blessed are You who come to restore Adam."

00497
Presanctified Liturgy of St. James - 04/11/14

On Friday, April 11, on the last day of Great Lent, the community of the Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary celebrated the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts of St James, the Brother of the Lord.   The liturgy was served at 11am in the church of St Job of Pochaev in the basement of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, and was presided by Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), the Abbot of the monastery.  

00498
New Medical Room / First Aid Room Project - 04/08/14

A medical room / first aid room has been set up on the second floor of the monastery dormitory next to our two infirmaries. 

 

00499
Annunciation - Photo Report - 04/07/14

Today is the beginning of our salvation, The revelation of the eternal mystery! The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace. Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos: Rejoice, O Full of Grace, The Lord is with You!

00500
Priest Nicholas Olhovsky Tonsured a Monk - 04/05/14

On Friday, April 4, 2014, following a matins service and akathist to the Mother of God, Priest Nicholas Olhovsky was tonsured a Monk by Abbot Fr. Luke (Murianka). Fr. Nicholas has been elected to be the next Bishop of Manhattan. Fr. Luke also tonsured Novice John to Rassophore Monk.

00501
Great Canon of St. Andrew and Life of St Mary of Egypt - 04/02/14

On Wednesday April 2, 2014, during matins Holy Trinity Monastery read the entire Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete as well as the life of St. Mary of Egypt.

00502
Canadian Diocese Lenten Retreat at Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/26/14

From March 24 -26, 2014, the clergy of the Canadian Diocese held their Lenten retreat at Holy Trinity Monastery. On Wednesday, clergy met in the Holy Trinity Seminary Hall with discussions lead by His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada. Following supper, clergy and seminarians attended Great Compline together.

On Thursday morning, clergy attended all the Lenten services including a Hierarchal Presanctified Liturgy.

00503
Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross - Photo Report - 03/23/14

Kontakion - "Now the flaming sword no longer guards the gates of Eden; / it has mysteriously been quenched by the wood of the Cross! / The sting of death and the victory of hell have been vanquished; / for You, O my Savior, have come and cried to those in hell: / "'Enter again into paradise.'"

00504
New Holy Trinity Monastery Bookstore Website - 03/22/14

We are very pleased to announce the launch of the new Holy Trinity Monastery Bookstore website, which can be found here. This website marks a big jump forward in terms of ease of use for customers, improved cover images, and the ability to have Russian text. Like anything in life, this website is a work in progress, and we will be improving and adding more titles all the time. Thank you for supporting Holy Trinity Monastery through its bookstore!

00505
A Photographic Memorial of Metropolitan Laurus on the Anniversary of his Blessed Repose (March 16, 2008) - 03/15/14

00506
Northern Lenten Retreat at Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/14/14

From March 12 -14, the Northern Lenten Retreat for the Eastern American Diocese was hosted at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary. On March 13, Metropolitan Hilarion opened the retreat by speaking about the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Eastern American Diocese. In the afternoon, a round-table discussion was held for clergy and seminarians. On March 14, a Hierarchal Presanctified Liturgy was celebrated by Metropolitan Hilarion and Bishop George.

00507
Sunday of Orthodoxy 2014 - 03/09/14

On Sunday March 9 2014 His Grace Bishop Jerome served at Holy Trinity Monastery for the feast of the Sunday of Orthodoxy. At the end of the liturgy the service of the Triumph of Orthodoxy was solemnly served.

00508
First Week of Great Lent - Photo and Video Report - 03/05/14

My soul, my soul, arise! Why are you sleeping? The end is drawing near, and you will be confounded. Awake, then, and be watchful, that Christ our God may spare you, Who is everywhere present and fills all things.

00509
Holy Trinity Monastery Hosts PaTRAM Master Class - 02/27/14

From Monday, February 24 to Thursday, February 28, a group of church singers and directors gathered in Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary to rehearse and study with Maestro Vladimir Gorbik, choirmaster of the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra Dependency in Moscow.  

00510
Holy Trinity Monastery Celebrates The Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/12/14

On Wednesday, February 12, 2014, Three hierarchs of the Orthodox Church concelebrated on this feast at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Jordanville, NY:  His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of East America and New York, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah, the retired Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, and His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada. 

00511
Roof Insulation of Monastic Dormitory Complete - 02/09/14

The insulation of the roof of the monastic dormitory is now comple.

00512
Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee and Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia - 02/09/14

Today we commemorate the uncounted millions of faithful who suffered and died at the hands of the Soviet atheists. These include the Tsar-martyr Nicholas II and the rest of the Russian Royal Family (July 4); Patriarch Tikhon (March 24); Grand Duchess Elizabeth (July 5); thousands of martyrs, both clergy and laity, whose names are known; but also millions upon millions of simple believers whose names have been lost to history.

00513
Theophany 2014 - Photo Report - 01/19/14

When in the Jordan Thou wast baptised, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bare witness unto Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a Dove, confirmed the steadfastness of that word. O Christ our God, who didst manifest Thyself and dost enlighten the world: glory to Thee.

00514
New Internet Fiber Optic Cable Delivered for Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary - 01/13/14

On December 30 2013 Verizon delivered into the monastery Fiber Optic cable which will serve for the expanding needs of the Publications Office and Bookstore,  Seminary and new Phone System...

00515
Delivery of Insulation for Roof of Monastic Dormitory - 01/13/14

On December 23 2013 we received a delivery of insulation for the roof of the monastic dormitory. Unfortunately the whole building is not insulated and much heat is being lost due to this. We are now in the beginning stages of insulating parts of  the building to bring sown the cost of heating.

00516
New Boiler and Pumps for West Side of Monastic Dormitory - 01/13/14

The old boiler for heating  was replaced in the west side of the monastic dormitory along with all the pumps in December of 2013.  This project cost $12,000.

00517
West side of Monastic Dorm Building Plumbing Work - 01/10/14

 A lot of the plumbing work for the new building on the west side of the monastic dormitory has been completed. Initially water softeners were installed a few months ago and now many of the pipes that were partially clogged with various deposits were replaced.

00518
Fire at the Apiary of Holy Trinity Monastery - 01/09/14

On Thursday, January 9, 2014 around 2:00 PM the building in the apiary used for extracting honey burnt down along with some adjoining sheds. The equipment used in extracting honey was damaged beyond repair....

00519
Nativity at Holy Trinity Monastery 2014 - 01/07/14

His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield celebrated Christ's Nativity at Holy Trinity Monastery this year. On Monday January 6 2014 the Royal Hours begun at 8am and at 9:45am the liturgy of Saint Basil the Great was served with Vespers. On January 7 the liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom was served at 9am followed by a festal meal in the Monastery refectory and a reception for all pilgrims at Archimandrite Luke's office.

00520
Kursk Root Icon Visit to Holy Trinity Monastery December 28 - January 3 2013 - 01/02/14

Holy Trinity Monastery had the great blessing to have the Kursk Root Icon present from December 28 to January 3, 2013. On Monday December 30 2013 a moleben and Akathist was served in Slavonic after compline and on the following day a moleben and Akathist was served before the icon in English...

00521
Feast of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker 2013 - 12/19/13

This glorious saint, celebrated even today throughout the entire world, was the only son of his eminent and wealthy parents, Theophanes and Nona, citizens of the city of Patara in Lycia. Since he was the only son bestowed on them by God, the parents returned the gift to God by dedicating their son to Him...

00522
Feast of the Kursk Root Icon and 400th Anniversary of the Romanov House - 12/10/13

On Tuesday, December 10, the Holy Trinity Monastery and the Seminary celebrated the Feast of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God, the “Hodegetria” of the Russian diaspora and the protectress of the Russian Church Abroad.  But for the monastic and seminary community this year, this feast was also chosen as an occasion to mark the conclusion to the year-long commemoration of the 400th anniversary since the accession of the Russian Imperial dynasty of Romanov to the throne (1613)...

00523
Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple - 12/04/13

Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple

If a tree is known by its fruit, and a good tree bears good fruit (cf. Mt. 7:17; Lk. 6:44), then is not the Mother of Goodness Itself, She who bore the Eternal Beauty, incomparably more excellent than every good, whether in this world or the world above? Therefore, the coeternal and identical Image of goodness, Preeternal, transcending all being, He Who is the preexisting and good Word of the Father, moved by His unutterable love for mankind and compassion for us, put on our image, that He might reclaim for Himself our nature which had been dragged down to uttermost Hades, so as to renew this corrupted nature and raise it to the heights of Heaven. For this purpose, He had to assume a flesh that was both new and ours, that He might refashion us from out of ourselves. Now He finds a Handmaiden perfectly suited to these needs, the supplier of Her own unsullied nature, the Ever-Virgin now hymned by us, and Whose miraculous Entrance into the Temple, into the Holy of Holies, we now celebrate. God predestined Her before the ages for the salvation and reclaiming of our kind. She was chosen, not just from the crowd, but from the ranks of the chosen of all ages, renowned for piety and understanding, and for their God-pleasing words and deeds.

In the beginning, there was one who rose up against us: the author of evil, the serpent, who dragged us into the abyss. Many reasons impelled him to rise up against us, and there are many ways by which he enslaved our nature: envy, rivalry, hatred, injustice, treachery, slyness, etc. In addition to all this,he also has within him the power of bringing death, which he himself engendered, being the first to fall away from true life.
The author of evil was jealous of Adam, when he saw him being led from earth to Heaven, from which he was justly cast down. Filled with envy, he pounced upon Adam with a terrible ferocity, and even wished to clothe him with the garb of death.Envy is not only the begetter of hatred, but also of murder, which this truly man-hating serpent brought about in us. For he wanted to be master over the earth-born for the ruin of that which was created in the image and likeness of God. Since he was not bold enough to make a face to face attack, he resorted to cunning and deceit. This truly terrible and malicious plotter pretended to be a friend and useful adviser by assuming the physical form of a serpent, and stealthily took their position. By his God-opposing advice, he instills in man his own death-bearing power, like a venomous poison.
If Adam had been sufficiently strong to keep the divine commandment, then he would have shown himself the vanquisher of his enemy, and withstood his deathly attack. But since he voluntarily gave in to sin, he was defeated and was made a sinner. Since he is the root of our race, he has produced us as death-bearing shoots. So, it was necessary for us, if he were to fight back against his defeat and to claim victory, to rid himself of the death-bearing venomous poison in his soul and body, and to absorb life, eternal and indestructible life.
It was necessary for us to have a new root for our race, a new Adam, not just one Who would be sinless and invincible, but one Who also would be able to forgive sins and set free from punishment those subject to it. And not only would He have life in Himself, but also the capacity to restore to life, so that He could grant to those who cleave to Him and are related to Him by race both life and the forgiveness of their sins, restoring to life not only those who came after Him, but also those who already had died before Him. Therefore, St. Paul, that great trumpet of the Holy Spirit, exclaims, The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam was made a quickening spirit (1 Cor. 15:45).
Except for God, there is no one who is without sin, or life-creating, or able to remit sin. Therefore, the new Adam must be not only Man, but also God. He is at the same time life, wisdom, truth, love, and mercy, and every other good thing, so that He might renew the old Adam and restore him to life through mercy, wisdom and righteousness. These are the opposites of the things which the author of evil used to bring about our aging and death.
As the slayer of mankind raised himself against us with envy and hatred, so the Source of life was lifted up [on the Cross] because of His immeasurable goodness and love for mankind. He intensely desired the salvation of His creature, i.e., that His creature would be restored by Himself. In contrast to this, the author of evil wanted to bring God's creature to ruin, and thereby put mankind under his own power, and tyrannically to afflict us. And just as he achieved the conquest and the fall of mankind by means of injustice and cunning, by deceit and his trickery, so has the Liberator brought about the defeat of the author of evil, and the restoration of His own creature with truth, justice and wisdom.
It was a deed of perfect justice that our nature, which was voluntarily enslaved and struck down, should again enter the struggle for victory and cast off its voluntary enslavement. Therefore, God deigned to receive our nature from us, hypostatically uniting with it in a marvellous way. But it was impossible to unite that Most High Nature,Whose purity is incomprehensible for human reason, to a sinful nature before it had been purified. Therefore, for the conception and birth of the Bestower of purity, a perfectly spotless and Most Pure Virgin was required.
Today we celebrate the memory of those things that contributed, if only once, to the Incarnation. He Who is God by nature, the Co-unoriginate and Coeternal Word and Son of the Transcendent Father, becomes the Son of Man, the Son of the Ever-Virgin. Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today, and forever (Heb. 13:8), immutable in His divinity and blameless in His humanity, He alone, as the Prophet Isaiah prophesied, Practiced no iniquity, nor deceit with His lips (Is. 53: 9). He alone was not brought forth in iniquity, nor was He conceived in sin, in contrast to what the Prophet David says concerning himself and every other man (Ps. 50/51: 5). Even in what He assumes, He is perfectly pure and has no need to be cleansed Himself. But for our sake, He accepted purification, suffering, death and resurrection, that He might transmit them to us.
God is born of the spotless and Holy Virgin, or better to say, of the Most Pure and All-Holy Virgin. She is above every fleshly defilement, and even above every impure thought. Her conceiving resulted not from fleshly lust, but by the overshadowing of the Most Holy Spirit. Such desire being utterly alien to Her, it is through prayer and spiritual readiness that She declared to the angel: Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; be it unto Me according to thy word (Lk. 1:38), and that She conceived and gave birth. So, in order to render the Virgin worthy of this sublime purpose, God marked this ever-virgin Daughter now praised by us, from before the ages, and from eternity, choosing Her from out of His elect.
Turn your attention then, to where this choice began. From the sons of Adam God chose the wondrous Seth, who showed himself a living heaven through his becoming behavior, and through the beauty of his virtues. That is why he was chosen, and from whom the Virgin would blossom as the divinely fitting chariot of God. She was needed to give birth and to summon the earth-born to heavenly sonship. For this reason also all the lineage of Seth were called sons of God, because from this lineage a son of man would be born the Son of God. The name Seth signifies a rising or resurrection, or more specifically, it signifies the Lord, Who promises and gives immortal life to all who believe in Him.
And how precisely exact is this parallel! Seth was born of Eve, as she herself said, in place of Abel, whom Cain killed through jealousy (cf. Gen. 4:25); and Christ, the Son of the Virgin, was born for us in place of Adam, whom the author of evil also killed through jealousy. But Seth did not resurrect Abel, since he was only a foretype of the resurrection. But our Lord Jesus Christ resurrected Adam, since He is the very Life and the Resurrection of the earth-born, for whose sake the descendants of Seth are granted divine adoption through hope, and are called the children of God. It was because of this hope that they were called sons of God, as is evident from the one who was first called so, the successor in the choice.This was Enos, the son of Seth, who as Moses wrote, first hoped to call on the Name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26).
In this manner, the choice of the future Mother of God, beginning with the very sons of Adam and proceeding through all the generations of time, through the Providence of God, passes to the Prophet-king David and the successors of his kingdom and lineage. When the chosen time had come, then from the house and posterity of David, Joachim and Anna are chosen by God. Though they were childless, they were by their virtuous life and good disposition the finest of all those descended from the line of David.And when in prayer they besought God to deliver them from their childlessness, and promised to dedicate their child to God from its infancy. By God Himself, the Mother of God was proclaimed and given to them as a child, so that from such virtuous parents the all-virtuous child would be raised.So in this manner, chastity joined with prayer came to fruition by producing the Mother of virginity, giving birth in the flesh to Him Who was born of God the Father before the ages.
Now, when Righteous Joachim and Anna saw that they had been granted their wish, and that the divine promise to them was realized in fact, then they on their part, as true lovers of God, hastened to fulfill their vow given to God as soon as the child had been weaned from milk. They have now led this truly sanctified child of God, now the Mother of God, this Virgin into the Temple of God. And She, being filled with Divine gifts even at such a tender age, ... She, rather than others, determined what was being done over Her. In Her manner She showed that She was not so much presented into the Temple, but that She Herself entered into the service of God of her own accord, as if she had wings, striving towards this sacred and divine love. She considered it desirable and fitting that she should enter into the Temple and dwell in the Holy of Holies.
Therefore, the High Priest, seeing that this child, more than anyone else, had divine grace within Her, wished to set Her within the Holy of Holies. He convinced everyone present to welcome this, since God had advanced it and approved it. Through His angel, God assisted the Virgin and sent Her mystical food, with which She was strengthened in nature, while in body She was brought to maturity and was made purer and more exalted than the angels, having the Heavenly spirits as servants. She was led into the Holy of Holies not just once, but was accepted by God to dwell there with Him during Her youth, so that through Her, the Heavenly Abodes might be opened and given for an eternal habitation to those who believe in Her miraculous birthgiving.
So it is, and this is why She, from the beginning of time, was chosen from among the chosen. She Who is manifest as the Holy of Holies, Who has a body even purer than the spirits purified by virtue, is capable of receiving ... the Hypostatic Word of the Unoriginate Father.Today the Ever-Virgin Mary, like a Treasure of God, is stored in the Holy of Holies, so that in due time, (as it later came to pass) She would serve for the enrichment of, and an ornament for, all the world. Therefore, Christ God also glorifies His Mother, both before birth, and also after birth.
We who understand the salvation begun for our sake through the Most Holy Virgin, give Her thanks and praise according to our ability. And truly, if the grateful woman (of whom the Gospel tells us), after hearing the saving words of the Lord, blessed and thanked His Mother, raising her voice above the din of the crowd and saying to Christ, Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the paps Thou hast sucked (Lk. 11:27), then we who have the words of eternal life written out for us, and not only the words, but also the miracles and the Passion, and the raising of our nature from death, and its ascent from earth to Heaven, and the promise of immortal life and unfailing salvation, then how shall we not unceasingly hymn and bless the Mother of the Author of our Salvation and the Giver of Life, celebrating Her conception and birth, and now Her Entry into the Holy of Holies?
Now, brethren, let us remove ourselves from earthly to celestial things. Let us change our path from the flesh to the spirit. Let us change our desire from temporal things to those that endure. Let us scorn fleshly delights, which serve as allurements for the soul and soon pass away. Let us desire spiritual gifts, which remain undiminished. Let us turn our reason and our attention from earthly concerns and raise them to the inaccessible places of Heaven, to the Holy of Holies, where the Mother of God now resides.
Therefore, in such manner our songs and prayers to Her will gain entry, and thus through her mediation, we shall be heirs of the everlasting blessings to come, through the grace and love for mankind of Him Who was born of Her for our sake, our Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory, honor and worship, together with His Unoriginate Father and His Coeternal and Life-Creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

St. Gregory Palamas

00524
Litia for Metropolitan Philaret and Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky - 11/21/13

00525
16th Anniversary of the repose of Brother Jose Munos-Cortes at Holy Trinity Monastery - 11/02/13

Thursday, October 31 2013  marked the 16th Anniversary  memorial of the repose of Brother Jose Munos-Cortes, the guardian of  the myrrhstreaming  "Montreal" Iveron Icon of the Mother of God who was killed in Athens, Greece in 1997. The monastery brotherhood  commemorated and prayed for his repose on his anniversary and on Saturday November 2,  a large group of pilgrims headed by Protopriest Victor Potapov came to Holy Trinity Monastery for the weekend to pray at the grave of Brother Jose, attend the services at the monastery and visit the grounds and various places of obediences. May God bless all the pilgrims and grant rest with the righteous to the soul of Brother Jose Munos-Cortes.

00526
Monastery Office Renovations and New Holy Trinity Publications Office Area Created - 11/01/13

Holy Trinity Publications offices will  soon be all under one  area which is currently renovated next to the Monastery office.

00527
Monastery Summer Kitchen and Garage Renovation - October 2013 - 11/01/13

00528
Autumn Scenes by the Lake at Holy Trinity Monastery - 11/01/13

00529
Daily Life Section Added to Website - 11/01/13

A new secton has been added to the website showing some of the daily obediences at Holy Trinity Monastery.

00530
Exaltation of the Precious Cross 2013 - Photo Report - 09/27/13

00531
Bishop Mstislav of Tikhvin and Ladeinoye Polye visit to Holy Trinity Monastery - 09/24/13

On Monday September 24, His Grace Bishop Mstislav of Tikhvin and Ladeinoye Polye celebrated the Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery together with  Monastery and visiting  clergy. At the end of the liturgy His Grace Bishop Mstislav greeted the Abbot, Archimandrite Luke and brotherhood, the students and faithful,  and presented to the Monastery  relics and  an  icon of Saint Alexander of Svir.  Following this His Grace Bishop Mstislav and  all the clergy processed to the burial crypts behind the Church  to serve a litia for Metropolitan Laurus.

00532
Nativity of the Theotokos 2013 - Photo Report - 09/21/13

00533
Funeral of Protodeacon John Onopko at Holy Trinity Monastery - 09/20/13

On Friday September 20,  2013,  the funeral for Protodeacon John Onopko was held at Holy Trinity Monastey. The funeral was served by Archimandrite Luke, monastery clergy and clergy friends, friends of the newly reposed Fr. John. Friends and relatives came from Canada, Cleveland and many other places. Among those mourning were fellow members of the Displaced Persons Camp of Fishbeck, Germany where Father John lived with hunderds of other Russian refugees after World War II before arriving in America in 1950.  Father Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow perhaps the one person in the monastery community who knew Father John the longest gave a very moving eulogy. He pointed out Father John's great love of the Church's services and his zeal in serving them. He was known for his love and service to Metropolitan Laurus and the Monastery in general. Over the years Father John personally purchased new vestments for the monastery services in all the different liturgical colors. Father John accepted the news of his incurable illness not only without complaint but with a certain joy and submission to God's will. People will remember him for his kindness and love he showed everybody. May God grant rest to his soul!

00534
Protodeacon John Onopko Reposed in the Lord at Holy Trinity Monastery - 09/18/13

On Wednesday, September 18, Protodeacon John Onopko, longtime cleric of the Eastern American Diocese, reposed in the Lord. He was 87 years old. Fr. John was born on August 17, 1926 in Zmiev, Ukraine, near Kharkov.  On Thursday, June 4, 1981, on the great feast of the Ascension of the Lord, he was ordained a deacon. On Saturday, July 2, 1994, on the very day of the Glorification of the Holy Hierarch John of Shanghai & San Francisco, he was elevated to the rank of protodeacon. Fr. John’s diaconal service lasted over 30 years; during this time, Fr. John became one of the senior-most deacons in the Diocese.  He taught Liturgics at Holy Trinity Theological Seminary, and fulfilled his service at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, where he reposed in the Lord.

His funeral will be held at Holy Trinity Monastery on Friday September 20 at 1PM. There will be a memorial meal for Fr John at 12noon at the monastery. All are welcome.

Memory eternal to the newly reposed Protodeacon John!

00535
Beginning of Classes at Holy Trinity Seminary - 09/11/13

Monday, September 9,  2013 was the first day for the Seminarians of Holy Trinity Seminary. After the liturgy a moleben was served by Archimandrite Luke asking God to bless the undertaking of studies for the seminarians and that their life in the Monastery would be one of spiritual benefit. There are a total of thirty students.

00536
Beheading of Saint John the Baptist 2013 - Photo Report - 09/11/13

00537
Feast Day of Saint Job of Pochaev 2013 - Photo Report - 09/10/13

00538
Restoration Work at Holy Trinity Monastery - September 2013 Update - 09/03/13

By God's grace work is continuing to complete as much as possible outside work before winter sets in. Stucco work is continuing in the Cemetery Chapel which will be followed by the placing of a new floor as it is raising due to water absorption, fixing the interior to prevent leaks  and upgrading the electrical work. The summer kitchen that is used as an extra trapeza for pilgrims and the music school was found to be in a very bad condition with much of the framing having decayed right through. Also roof repairs are being made where needed before winter sets in. God willing plumbing work will begin during the winter. 

00539
Labor Day Weekend Pilgrimage - 08/31/13

Every year during Labor Day weekend the monastery  hosts a pilgrimage where many come to pray to the Mother of God and Saint Job of Pochaev. So also this year between August 31 - September 2 the monastery kept this tradition and had His Grace Bishop Jerome lead the services accompanied by monastic clergy and visiting clergy. Archpriest Vladimir Malchenko came with  many pilgrims from Toronto to take part in the celebrations and to support the monastery. Also a group of youth came for the weekend where they participated in monastery work, listened to a talk on spiritual struggle and took part in the monastery services. The Kursk Root Icon was present during all the services and the icon was taken to all the monastery and seminary quarters to be blessed. On Saturday after lunch a pannykhida was served by Archimandrite Luke for the repose of Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Flor who saints day this was.   At 3 pm  the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God was brought to the Holy Trinity Monastery Cathedral from the Dormition Chapel which due to rain this year  the procession was canceled. An Akathist was served followed by the Communion Rule and at 7PM vigil.  Around three hundred pilgrims came on Sunday. As has been the tradition in the monastery,  two liturgies were served on this day. One at 6am in the Saint Job of Pochaev Church and one at 9am in the main cathedral. Bishop Jerome gave two short sermons, one in Russian on the Epistle theme, "Бог ны посланники последния яви", where "poslanniki" can mean both "apostles" and "exiles" (from our true Home), and in English on the Gospel words about "Faith as a grain of mustard seed".  After the liturgy a moleben was served with procession around the Church. A meal was served for all the pilgrims after the service. 

00540
Transfiguration of our Lord 2013 - 08/23/13

00541
Restoration Work at Holy Trinity Monastery - August 2013 Update - 08/22/13

Since our last update with phase one of the electrical work at Holy Trinity Monastery we are now continuing with phase two of rewiring each floor by disabling old electrical panels and connecting everything to the new panels  and then beginning the difficult task of running new wires to each room. We have also begun doing exterior stucco work repairs for the Holy Trinity Monastery Cathedral as well as the Dormition Chapel in the Cemetery as over the years the old stucco was crumbling. Exterior repair work is already in progress for the main monastery garages which over the years have begun to decay in many areas forcing us to close the outdoor rest rooms due to water coming in through the roof. The Kitchen project is currently in its last stage of planning which we hope to complete  by the end of the year and also replace the septic system. We will  be posting more pictures as work progresses.


Repairs are very costly and we appreciate your continued prayeful and finacial support!

00542
Sts Peter & Paul Feast 2013 - 07/12/13

00543
Holy Spirit Monday 2013 - 06/24/13

00544
Pentecost Sunday 2013 - 06/23/13

00545
Restoration Work at Holy Trinity Monastery - Phase One of Electrical Upgrade - 06/15/13

We have begun the first phase of the electrical upgrade to the main monastic dormitory and the Cathedral. This involves adding 4, 100 amp fused disconnects in main electrical room in the basement of the monastery, installing conduits , cabling and 42 main lug panels on all floors and the church as well as running new undeground cable from the dormitory to the Church. This phase is nearly complete. The next stage is the most difficult and time consuming stage of the project which will require the rewiring of the buildings, disabling and removing old wiring and connecting new wires to the new panels. We ask for your support to help us continue this work.

00546
Mid Pentecost 2013 - Photo Report - 05/29/13

00547
65th Annual Commencement of Holy Trinity Seminary - 05/26/13

Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary held its Sixty-Fifth Annual Commencement on Sunday, May 26, 2013.

00548
Radonitsa - 05/14/13

On Tuesday May 14 2013 the first pannykhida after Pascha was served at Holy Trinity Monastery.

00549
Bright Tuesday 2013- Photo Report - 05/07/13

On Tuesday, May 7 2013  of Bright Week Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada served at Holy Trinity Monastery.

00550
Bright Monday 2013 - 05/06/13

00551
Pascha 2013 - 05/05/13

00552
Holy Saturday 2013 - 05/04/13

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Holy Friday 2013 - 05/03/13

00554
Holy and Great Thursday 2013 - 05/02/13

00555
Holy and Great Wednesday - Presanctified Liturgy 2013 - Photo Report - 05/01/13

00556
Holy Unction Service - Great Tuesday 2013 - Photo Report - 04/30/13

The Mystery of Healing and Forgiveness
Holy Unction
 
So they (the Apostles) went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them (Mark 6: 12–13).
 
Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven (James 5: 14–15).
 
Christ as Saviour and Healer
Christ came into the world for the salvation of all. One of the signs of His divine ministry was the healing of the sick. He healed those who were blind, paralysed, possessed, crippled, deaf and dumb, and, in general, all types of physical infirmities. The power of healing remains in the Church since Christ Himself remains in the Church through the Holy Spirit. The power of healing was given to the Holy Apostles and through them to the bishops and priests. One of the ways that healing was done was through the anointing of the sick with blessed oil.
 
The Purpose of Holy Unction
The Mystery of Holy Unction is a service of the anointing of the sick with blessed oil. It is the Church’s specific prayer for the spiritual, physical, and mental healing of a sick person, whatever the nature or seriousness of the illness may be–and there is not one of us who does not need healing for some physical, mental or spiritual illness. However, not only is Holy Unction for healing, but, as Saint James says in his Epistle, it is also for the forgiveness of our sins.
 
Holy Unction and Confession
Orthodox Christians who confess on a regular basis and are struggling for their salvation are able to participate in the Mystery of Holy Unction. The proper order is:
 
1.    Repentance and Confession
2.    Holy Communion
3.    Holy Unction - anointing with Holy Oil
 
Holy Unction and Fasting
In general, one does not need to fast when receiving Holy Unction.
 
Homily On the Mystery of Holy Unction
 

 
By Saint Nikolai Velimirovich
 
‘... and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them’ (Mark 6:13)
 
 
The Holy Apostles did this, and we are commanded to do likewise. The Apostle James wrote for us: ‘Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the presbyters of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven’ (James 5: 14–15).  One must call no-one but the priest, the elders of the Church, and they must anoint him in no-one’s name (so that it be not diabolical) but that of the Lord. No-one but the Lord will raise him, neither can anyone but the Lord forgive him his sins. But why with oil, and not by some other means? Because it is so commanded; and it is for us simply to show our obedience and faith. Why is it commanded that we be baptised with water, chrismated with myrrh and communicated with bread and wine? These things are God’s choice and God’s business, and it is for us to be obedient and to believe. The elements used in the various Mysteries differ, but the grace is one even as the Lord is one, and everything is from the Lord. Why does the Lord use material means to pour His grace upon us? The Lord does not need these material things, but rather we, as long as we are material, need them. In condescension to our weakness, the Lord makes use of matter. To the immaterial angels, He gives grace by immaterial means.
 
Of itself, the oil is powerless, as is every material thing on its own, but God’s grace is all-powerful. God gives His grace through the oil, and it heals the sick, raises the weak and restores the insane to sanity.
 
Oh, my brethren, how ineffable is God’s goodness! What has the Lord not done for us? What more could we desire? He has foreseen all our needs and provided medicine for them in advance. He only seeks from us that we believe in Him and fulfil His commandments. Is it not blind of us, and shameful, that we often carry out the directions of doctors, mortal men like ourselves, more carefully and conscientiously than we do those of God immortal?
 
O all-gracious Lord, shatter the stone of our hearts with the power of Thy grace; that we may, before our last hour, show Thee the gratitude we owe Thee, O our gracious and most wise God. To Thee be glory and praise for ever. Amen.
 
The Prologue from Ochrid by Saint Nikolai Velimirovich

 

00557
Lazarus Saturday - Tonsure into Riassophor Monk - 04/28/13

On Friday April 26 2013 after the Matins service for Lazarus Saturday, Archimnadrite Luke tonsured Novice Alexander to a Riassophor Monk. Father Alexander makes church candles as his obedience. Archimandrite Luke said that the candle is a symbol of Christ and a symbol of prayer and wished the newly tonsured monastic that his life be with Christ always doing the Jesus Prayer.

00558
Palm Sunday 2013 - 04/28/13

Homily on the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) by Saint Nikolai Velimirovich

One of the most miraculous details of our Savior’s life was foreseen by the Prophet Zacharias through the dark glass of time, and described thus: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; proclaim it aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, the King is coming to thee, just, and a Saviour; he is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem. And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither. And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.(Zach. 9:9). The Apostle Luke, an eyewitness, describes this event:


And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? And they said, The Lord hath need of him. And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, and he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, and could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him (Lk. 19:28–48).


This is the description of an historical event that took place twenty centuries ago, as related by an eyewitness. But this event has more than historical significance; it also has a spiritual meaning, and therefore also a moral meaning for every modern-day Christian. According to the spiritual meaning, Jerusalem signifies the human soul, and the entry of the Lord into Jerusalem signifies the entrance of God into the soul.
The multitudes of people, crowded and pushing one against another, joyfully awaiting and greeting Christ, symbolize the noble sentiments and exalted thoughts of a person who joyfully greets God, his Savior and Deliverer. The leaders of the crowd of people, who hate Christ and want to kill Him, personify the lower desires and earthbound thoughts, which take the upper hand over man’s noble nature and oppress it. Now this lower human nature rebels against God’s entry into the soul, for when God is enthroned there, the lower nature will inevitably be destroyed.


The Temple in Jerusalem symbolizes the holy of holies of the human soul—that sacred place where the Holy Spirit has if only a miniscule haven even in the greatest sinner. But earthly passions penetrate there also, and lower human nature has used even it to achieve its base aims.


Christ heals the soul of those sick ones who fall down before Him with faith, and this means that certain impulses of the soul, although sick, thirst for unity with God and seek for Him, the only true Doctor in the world. Christ’s prophecy of Jerusalem’s destruction symbolizes the destruction of any soul that God rejects, lays low, and spews forth from Himself.


No one in this world is happy unless he has opened wide the gates of his spiritual Jerusalem—his soul—and received God into himself. A godless man feels lonely to despair. The society of others does not make his loneliness go away, but only increases it. However he who has taken God into his soul will never feel lonely even in a desert. No one dies an eternal death other than one in whom God has died.


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Moleben and Akathist served to the Myrrh Bearing Icon "Softener of Evil Hearts" - 04/22/13

On Monday April 22  2013 a moleben and Akathist was served to the myrrh bearing icon "Softener of Evil Hearts". The icon will be in Jordanville until Bright Tuesday. Usually during Lent the icon does not give much myrrh according to its keeper Sergei but for the first time it has been giving a lot of myrrh during its stay in Jordanville for the past two weeks. Archimandrite Luke had to change the myrrh soaked cotton from the icon as the container which hold the cotton was soaked with myrrh. Myrrh forms as drops which then run down the glass and icon and collect onto the cotton.

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Great Canon of Saint Andrew 2013 - Photo Report - 04/19/13

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Saturday of the Akathist 2013 - 04/19/13

On Friday April19, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada led the service of the Akathist to the Mother of God during the matins service. Following the Matins service Novice Victor Gregory was tonsured a riassophore monk. Archimandrite Luke wished the newly tonsured monk patience and perseverance in his monastic struggles.

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Presanctified Liturgy of the Apostle James - 04/12/13

On Friday Aril 12, 2013 the Presanctified Liturgy of the Apostle James was served for the first time at Holy Trinity Monastery.

 

A short History of the Presanctified Liturgy of the Apostle James by Bishop Jerome of Manhattan

The Presanctified Liturgy of St. James was the traditional form of the Presanctified, as celebrated by the Church of Jerusalem in the Holy Sepulchre. The oldest Greek text was published in 1896 and subsequent editions of Brightman's "Liturgies Eastern and Western", Vol. I: Eastern Liturgies, on pp. 494-501. This edition contains only the litanies, exclamations and some rubrics, but not the inaudible prayers of the celebrant. It is found complete, in the "Liturgicon of Jerusalem" (also entirely in Greek), published some years ago by the Jerusalem Patriarchate. 

Judging by the text in Brightman, this Liturgy was at first celebrated, not in conjunction with Vespers, but together with the Typica. Therefore the Litanies said "Let us complete our prayer unto the Lord", and not "...our *evening* prayer unto the Lord". This also explains several other peculiarities of the text. The earlier form of the Liturgy began with a procession from one chapel to another in the church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is why it substitutes the "Tropar of the day" for "O Gladsome Light" at the Entrance.

The Presanctified Liturgy of St. James includes the Creed, the prayer "Vouchsafe O Lord", and other material not normally found in the Presanctified. A translation into modern Serbian was published by Bishop Chrysostom of the Banat diocese, where it is celebrated on specific days in Lent. However, the Jerusalem edition says this Liturgy can be celebrated on any Lenten weekday.

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Sunday of the Holy Cross and Annunciation - Photo and Video Report - 04/07/13

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The Northern Clergy Retreat concluded with the Hierarchal Presanctified Liturgy - 04/03/13

Wednesday, April 3, marked the final day of the Northern Lenten Retreat for clergy of the Eastern American Diocese and the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. The retreat concluded with the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts, led by the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion. The First Hierarch was concelebrated by His Grace, Bishop George, and retreat participants. During the Little Entrance, Priest Job Watts (rector of St. Nektarios Church in Lenoir City, TN) was awarded the kamilavka.


The Liturgy was an expression of the spiritual unity that has dwelt among the clergy, and is characteristic of past lenten retreats in the Diocese. "Our unity as the Body of Christ is manifested when we partake of the one Holy Bread," said Fr. Job. "That unity is the basis from which everything else flows. Roundtable discussions and lectures will bring us no benefit if we are not mystically tied together through the Holy Bread."

Archpriest Mark Shinn (rector of St. Andrew’s Patriarchal Cathedral in Philadelphia, PA) echoed his sentiments: "Love reigns at the altar table. Prior to communing, we embrace one another with the words, ‘Christ is in our midst – He is and ever shall be.’ One cannot imagine the Church without this understanding of love and unity, centered on the Holy Eucharist. It is the living incarnation of what it means to be the Church."


After the Liturgy, a farewell luncheon was held in the monastery refectory, followed by an akathist in the main cathedral to St. Luke, the Surgeon of Simferopol, before a piece of his holy relics. The Northern Clergy Retreat thus concluded, and participants departed to their home parishes, spiritually energized for the remainder of the Fast.

 

Source : http://www.eadiocese.org

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Northern Lenten Retreat at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/02/13

On Tuesday, April 2, the Northern Lenten Retreat for clergy of the Eastern American Diocese and the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA officially commenced at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. On the eve of the retreat, many clerics began to arrive in Jordanville, traveling great distances to be with one another in these sacred days of Great Lent. Over 85 clerics and matushkas are participating in the Northern Retreat, in addition to all of the seminarians of Holy Trinity Seminary.


Before the beginning of the Great Compline, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, together with His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop George of Mayfield, and gathered clergy, greeted the holy relics of the Holy Hierarch St. Luke of Simferopol in Holy Trinity Cathedral. The relics have been traveling across the East Coast with the blessing of the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, His Eminence Justinian, Archbishop of Naro-Fominsk, and will remain in Holy Trinity Monastery for the duration of the conference.

On Tuesday morning, upon completion of the appointed lenten services, retreat participants assembled in the seminary hall for a moleben before the beginning of any good work. Metropolitan Hilarion then welcomed the participants, wishing them God’s aid for a fruitful retreat. Monastery abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) also welcomed the clergy and noted the pleasant effect that the unexpected snowstorm had on the penitential spirit of the retreat. "The holy fathers of our monastery have always maintained that snow and wintery weather during Great Lent, help us to focus more intently on prayer," said Fr. Luke.

On Tuesday, April 2, marked the first full day of the Northern Lenten Retreat for clergy of the Eastern American Diocese and the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. The day included a full schedule of lectures on the lives of the saints, the history of the Diocese, and exciting missionary activity abroad.


The first lecture was "One who came to love suffering," by Archpriest Victor Potapov (dean of the South and rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC), who spoke on the life of St. Luke, Surgeon of Simferopol. This was followed by two video lectures by Protopresbyter Valery Lukianov (dean of New Jersey and rector of St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Howell, NJ) on the lives Archbishops Averky (Taushev) and Nikon (Rklitsky), touching on personal recollections and remarks by the senior-most cleric of the Eastern American Diocese (who unfortunately could not attend due to illness, and recorded the lectures in conjunction with the diocesan Media Office).


After a luncheon, the retreat broke for free time, resuming with a talk by Priest Peter Jackson (rector of Sts. Theodore Church in Buffalo, NY) on his visit to Guatemala and the 50,000 recent Maya Orthodox converts. Archpriest Gregory Naumenko (rector of the Protection of the Mother of God Church in Rochester, NY) then led a group discussion with the assembled priests and hierarchs. During Compline and Matins, retreat participants’ confessions were heard by Metropolitan Hilarion and Bishop George.

Source: http://www.eadiocese.org/

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First Week of Great Lent 2013 - 03/24/13

The first week of Great Lent was observed at Holy Trinity Monastery with customary solemnity. There were no classes at the seminary that week, so the seminarians, the monks, and the local Orthodox community all joined in prayer at the divine services.

Every day the services began early in the morning, before dawn. The semantron woke the monastery and seminary communities and called them to prayer. The full liturgical cycle was followed each day, with Midnight Office, Matins, the Hours, Typika, and Vespers. On Wednesday and Friday, the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts was served at Vespers. The services took over seven hours with readings from the Holy Fathers, and ended after noon, when the only meal of the day was served without oil. After a rest, at six o’clock in the evening all gathered again in the monastery church for Great Compline. Archimandrite Luke read the Great Canon of St. Andrew from Monday to Thursday. On Friday we read the canons for Holy Communion. Everyone in the community prepared to receive Communion on Saturday morning, which this year commemorated both St. Theodore the Tyro and the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

On Sunday, which celebrates the Triumph of Orthodoxy, His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan came to celebrate the Divine Liturgy with the monastery clergy. At the end of the Liturgy, the Anathema Service began. Protodeacon Joseph Jarostchuk intoned the anathemas. This year, another anathema was added to the service taken from from the Pan-Orthodox Council of 1583 anathematizing all who, “[do] not confess with heart and mouth that the Holy Spirit proceeds out of only the Father, essentially and hypostatically, as Christ says in the Gospel.”

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Sunday of Orthodoxy 2013 - Photo Report - 03/24/13

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Fifth Anniversary since the Repose of Metropolitan Laurus - 03/16/13

Saturday March 16, 2013 marked the fifth anniversary since the repose of Metropolitan Laurus. A hierarchical liturgy was served at 6 am presided by Metropolitan Hilarion and accompanied by many clergy. At the end of the service a pannykhida was served for the reposed of Metropolitan Hilarion. May God grant rest to his soul and his example serve for us a reminder of our calling to strive to fulfill Christ's commandments in all aspects of our life as did Vladyka Laurus throughout his life. 

 

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Talk by Metropolitan Hilarion to the Brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/15/13

On Friday March 15 2013 his Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion gave a talk to the fathers of Holy Trinity Monastery about his recollections of the various holy monastics that lived in Jordanville. He talked about the virtues of the founders of the monastery, Fr Panetelimon and Fr. Joseph, about Fr Germogen the gardener, Fr Vladimir, Fr Prokopy the cook, Archbishop Averky,  Archbishop Vitaly and about the life of Metropolitan Laurus, his monastic beginnings in Vladimirona and the virtues that characterised him namely his love, purity and simplicity.  The Metropolitan then gave practical advice to the monastic about cultivating prayers, good thoughts, not relying on our own judgement and discernment which often lead one astray and on cultivating humility and obedience in our monastics duties. He also shared from his own experience that there are no perfect monastic situations. He concluded by saying that he believes that many of the fathers who struggled in our monastery and are now in the cemetery attained sanctity.

 

 

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Thank you for your Support of Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/01/13

We are grateful!

We pray that God will mercifully bless and reward all the kind donors, the laborers of the Fund for Assistance, and the Eastern American Diocesan Council who generously support Holy Trinity Monastery. Your continued assistance will help us maintain the many buildings of Holy Trinity Monastery which is the home for our Monastic Brotherhood, our seminarians, the alumni among all ranks of our clergy, and the thousands of pilgrims who visit us throughout the year. We are deeply grateful for the love and attention you have shown us.

Love in Christ,

Archimandrite Luke
and the Brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery

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An Exhibition of Russian Icons From 18th and 19th Centuries and a Celebration of Orthodox Christian Liturgical Music - 03/01/13

St. Jonah Orthodox Church, a parish of the Russian Church Outside of Russia, Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, sponsored an exhibit of historic Russian icons and a Liturgical Choral Concert in the English language, March 1-3, 2013 in Spring, Texas.  Guest speakers were the Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), Dean of Holy Trinity Seminary and Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, along with Dr. Kurt Sander, composer of Orthodox Liturgical Music and Associate Professor of Music Theory and Composition and Music Department Chair at Northern Kentucky University.  

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More talks by Archimandrite Luke at Parishes in Texas - 03/01/13

On Monday March 1 2013,  Archimandrite Luke was invited to conduct a conference with the women of the parish of St. Jonah. A moleben was served, followed by two hours of questions and answers concerning spiritual life, social issues, Scripture and iconography.

 On Tuesday he was asked to speak to the adult Scripture class at St. Joseph's Antiochian Church in Houston. Questions and answers concerning the role of monasteries in Church life, apocalyptic times and Scripture were presented.

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Feast of the Three Hierarchs - Video - 02/23/13

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Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/12/13

On Tuesday February 13, 2013 Holy Trinity Seminary celebrated the Feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs. His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion led the services. We had the special blessing to have also the Kursk Root Icon for Vigil and the Divine Liturgy which brought by the Rev. Priest Nikolai Olhovski. S

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Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven - 02/04/13

Holy Trinity Publications is proud to announce its newest release, a new edition of Indication Of the Way Into the Kingdom of Heaven.  

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Documentary about Restoration Work at Holy Trinity Monastery - 02/02/13

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Theophany 2013 - Photo Report - 01/19/13

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Nativity - Photo Report - 01/07/13

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Sermon on the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by Archimandrite Luke - 01/07/13

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Appeal of Metropolitan Hilarion - 01/05/13

Dear in the Lord reverend Fathers, brothers, and sisters, Whenever we are in need or in sorrow, we turn our prayers to our Lord, His Mother, and the holy saints. At the same time, our Orthodox monastics are in constant prayer for us and for the entire world every day of their lives. It is in our best interests, as well as being our solemn duty as Orthodox Christians, to support the life of our monks and nuns.

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New Page for Donations and Posting Updates on Holy Trinity Monastery Restoration Project - 01/05/13

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Holy Trinity Monastery has published new book on the life of St. Herman of Alaska - 12/21/12

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Urgent Meeting at Jordanville - 12/18/12

The First Hierarch of ROCOR, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, expressed his deep concern over the critical condition in which Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY – the oldest monastery in the Russian Church Abroad – finds itself. Holy Trinity Monastery is facing serious financial difficulties as a result of necessary renovations to the property, which will cost the monastery an estimated three million dollars.

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Metropolitan Hilarion led a Panihida at the Grave of Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) - 12/14/12

On Friday, December 14, on the feast day of the Righteous St. Philaret the Merciful, the ever-memorable Metropolitan Philaret (Voznesensky) was prayerfully commemorated in Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. The First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, led a panihida at the grave of Metropolitan Philaret, located in a crypt below the altar of Holy Trinity Cathedral.

His Eminence was co-served by monastery abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Priest Alexandre Antchoutine (rector of Holy Virgin Intercession Church in Glen Cove, NY), and monastic clergy.

metphilaret.lg_small.jpg

Metropolitan Philaret was the third First Hierarch of ROCOR (1964 to 1985). He was a holy man who lived a life of piety and was known by many as a spiritual giant and one of the pillars of the Church Abroad. When his remains were relocated from the cemetery church to the main cathedral of Holy Trinity Monastery in 1997, the coffin was opened and his relics were discovered to be incorrupt. Since then, many in ROCOR have been calling for his glorification and submitting account of miracles that happened through his prayers. During the last session of the Diocesan Council on November 14, with the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, a local diocesan glorification committee was organized to gather information and raise awareness of the righteous life of Metropolitan Philaret, as well as Brother Jose Muñoz-Cortes. Archpriest Victor Potapov was assigned chairman of the committee. More information will be published in the near future.

Source:  "Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."

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Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple - 12/04/12

On Tuesday December 3 - 4 Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada served at Holy Trinity Monastery for the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. During the Divine Liturgy Fr Philosoph Uhlman was ordained to the priesthood. As a deacon Fr Philosoph served at the Church of Saint Sophia in Victoria British Columbia. He has been now assigned to start a mission Church of Saint John of Shanghai and San  Francisco in Nanamo British Columbia on Vancouver Island. Fr Philosoph will serve for forty days at Holy Trinity Monastery.  Archbishop Gabriel wished Fr Philosoph God's blessing in his new service to the Church to cater to the spiritual needs of the Orthodox Christians in the area and do missionary work. 

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Saint Job of Pochaev - 12/01/12

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Feast of St. Paisius Velichkovsky - 11/29/12

Every year on the feast of Saint Paisius Velichkovsky  services  are held at the chapel of the Optina Elders located on the third floor of the monastic dormitory.  This is due to the influence of  Saint Paisius in  the revival of Russian monasticism including Optina monastery. Below is an article by Fr. Seraphim Rose of blessed memory on Saint Paisius.

Introduction to Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky: The Man Behind the Philokalia
by Fr. Seraphim Rose of Platina

DECEMBER 21, 1972, marked the 250th anniversary of the birth of Schema-Archimandrite Paisius Velichkovsky. This remarkable anniversary went almost totally unnoticed in the Orthodox world, which is so occupied with its worldly problems and its very struggle for survival. And yet, for Orthodox Christians of the 20th century there is no more important Holy Father of recent times than Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky. This is so not merely because of his holy life; not merely because, like another Saint Gregory Palamas, he defended the hesychast practice of the mental Prayer of Jesus; not only because he, through his many disciples, inspired the great monastic revival of the 19th century which flowered most notably in the holy Elders of Optina Monastery; but most of all because he redirected the attention of Orthodox Christians to the sources of Holy Orthodoxy, which are the only foundation of true Orthodox life and thought whether of the past or of the present, whether of monks or of laymen.

It is these very same sources—the Divine Scriptures and the writings of the Holy Fathers—which are the foundation of all genuine Orthodoxy in our own times. The observer of the Orthodox world today can see easily enough what "Orthodoxy" becomes when these sources are not made the foundation of life and thought.

The followers of unenlightened custom are themselves innocent; they merely accept what has been "handed down" to them. But not seeing the meaning and not knowing the sources of what has been handed down, they are easily led into error, accepting customs which the Church has allowed only out of her condescension or economy as if they were the best of Orthodoxy, and also improper customs of recent heterodox origin and inspiration, together with the pure and meaningful Orthodox customs handed down from the Holy Fathers. Under strict yet prudent pastors, such people can be guided in the true path of Orthodoxy; but in our own time of such widespread irresponsible Church leadership, these people are more often guided gradually into a path of ever greater and more senseless innovation and reform, the clearest example of which is perhaps the Greek Archdiocese of America, where pews, organs, and Uniat spirituality and theology have become the new "customs" of an unfortunate people whose Orthodoxy has been stolen from it.

Far worse, however, is the state of those who, being unrooted in the true sources of Holy Orthodoxy, occupy the positions of pastors and theologians and in their "learned ignorance" seek to guide their flocks according to some fashionable intellectual current of the day. Such are the leaders of the "charismatic movement," swept off their feet by an experience which, while compatible with Protestantism and Papism, is easily discerned as a satanic deception by those who are rooted in and live in the Holy Fathers. Such also are the "theologians" of the "Paris" and other modernist schools who, being at home in heterodox modes of thought and life, dare to present the Holy Fathers themselves according to the disfigured modern understanding of them, transmitting neither their true message nor (much less) their Orthodox savor, giving rather an academic two-dimensional caricature of them, suitable only for presentation in decadent ecumenical salons and in lifeless academic journals.

Both of these types of "Orthodox" people are precisely those who are cut off from the sources of Orthodoxy, and who in turn help to cut others off from these sources. The movement of true Orthodoxy in our own times has seen with increasing clarity the need to separate itself from this pseudo- or semi-Orthodoxy and refind its roots in the true and unadulterated sources of Orthodoxy, the Holy Fathers. And this is precisely what the Blessed Paisius saw and did, making him a key figure for us today.

Having come to love the Holy Fathers and true Orthodox piety in his childhood, Blessed Paisius at the age of 17 saw that even in the best Orthodox school of Russia he was not being given the pure teaching of Holy Orthodoxy from the patristic sources, but rather something second-hand and accompanied by useless pagan learning; and, further, that an over-emphasis on the formal side of the Church's existence, greatly furthered by the Government in its attempt to make the Church a "department" of the State, promoted chiefly the idea that church-minded people, the clergy and even the monks, occupied a definite place in the apparatus of the Church organization. This overemphasis of a real but decidedly secondary aspect of church life tended to obscure the primary aspect: the love and zeal for true Orthodoxy and true piety, which are what inspire every genuine Orthodox Christian, whether clergy, monk, or layman. Seeing the difficulty of exercising his love and zeal in the Russia of his time, Paisius left his homeland in search of a place where his tender Orthodox conscience could mature in blessed freedom and in the opportunity to draw instruction and inspiration from the unadulterated sources of Orthodoxy.

Having come to spiritual maturity, Blessed Paisius then himself became a source and seedbed for the great monastic and patristic revival of Holy Russia in the 19th century. True patristic spirituality and its hesychast tradition, to be sure, never died out in Russia, not even in the 18th century, that age of pseudo-enlightenment when the Empress Catherine closed most of the Orthodox monasteries and strictly regulated the rest of them; no, it remained and provided the fertile ground on which the disciples and the example of Blessed Paisius were to bear such great spiritual fruits. But it required the patristic bees of the great Elder Paisius, bringing back the pollen of the true and free tradition of Orthodoxy under the much more favorable climate of the 19th century, to cause the native Russian trees to give forth such a marvelous abundance of spiritual fruit.

Today the situation of Orthodoxy is rather different, and much worse, than it was in the time of the Elder Paisius. In place of the veneer of paganism and Latinism which never actually touched the heart of Orthodoxy, we have today a prevailing atmosphere of modernist heterodoxy and senseless "keeping up with the times" which has pierced the very heart of some Orthodox Churches so deeply that they will doubtless never recover, and their children are deprived of Orthodoxy without even knowing what they have lost. In place of the heavy hand of governmental bureaucracy, we see the far heavier hand of pseudo-Christian and pagan ways of life which are depriving Orthodox Christians of something which was almost untouched in the time of Blessed Paisius: Orthodox piety, the whole Christian way of life. And, to make this whole difficult situation virtually impossible, we are beset with self-styled reformers and revivers who neither know nor feel nor love what Orthodoxy is and would "restore" the faithful to the latest fashion of Protestant scholarship or piety. The 17-year-old Orthodox youth of today has usually not been raised properly and consciously in Orthodox teaching and piety, or, if he has, the ever-increasing tempo of paganized modern life acts powerfully to negate his upbringing; he has usually not come to love the Holy Fathers and the Divine services from childhood, and to hunger for more; and there is scarcely anywhere he can turn in order to correct the deficiencies of his upbringing and environment: of all the Orthodox seminaries in the free world, it is doubtful that any save the Russian-language seminary at Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York) will even attempt to give him an education in genuine Orthodoxy. For such a youth not deeply grounded in Orthodoxy, the human side of the Church all too often becomes the center of attention, and the all too prevalent petty quarrels and injustices among church people are often sufficient to turn his attention away from the Church altogether, or if some religious interest remains—to turn him toward one of the flourishing religious or social-cults of the day, or even to the widely-advertised life of drugs and immorality.

Truly, we are far more in need today of a return to the sources of genuine Orthodoxy than Blessed Paisius was! Our situation is hopeless! And yet God's mercy does not leave us, and even today one may say that there is a movement of genuine Orthodoxy which consciously rejects the indifference, renovationism, and outright apostasy which are preached by the world-famous Orthodox "theologians" and "hierarchs," and also hungers for more than the "customary" Orthodoxy which is powerless before the onslaughts of a world refined in destroying souls. It is of course true that the world, saturated in Holy Orthodoxy, which produced Blessed Paisius no longer exists; and it is likewise true that the numbers of God-bearing elders whom Paisius met and produced on his path, even in an age of spiritual decline, are simply unheard of in our own days, which are surely the days of the last Christians. And yet it cannot be that the flame of truly Orthodox zeal will die out before the Second Coming of Christ; nor that if this flame exists, Christ our God will not show His zealots, even now, how to lead a true and inspired Orthodox life. In fact, the message of Blessed Paisius is addressed precisely and directly to the last Christians: in "The Scroll" he tells us that the Holy Fathers wrote their books "by the special Providence of God, so that in the Last times this Divine work would not fall into oblivion."

Do you hear, O Orthodox Christians of these last times? These writings of the Holy Fathers, even those dealing with the highest form of spiritual life, have been preserved for us, so that even when it might seem that there are no God-bearing elders left at all, we may still have the unerring words of the Holy Fathers to guide us in leading a God-pleasing and zealous life. Therefore, they are wrong who teach that, because the end of the world is at hand, we must sit still, make no great efforts, simply preserve the doctrine that has been handed down to us, and hand it back, like the buried talent of the worthless servant (Matt. 25:24-30), to our Lord at His Coming! Blessed Paisius teaches that "solely by Orthodoxy of faith, without the diligent keeping of all Christ's commandments [i.e., putting Orthodoxy into practice, with great effort], it is not at all possible to be saved." The time of the end, though it seems to be near, we do not know; however close, it is still future, and in the present we have only the same age-old fight against the unseen powers, against the world, and against our own passions, upon the outcome of which our eternal fate will be decided. Let us then struggle while it is still day, with the time and the weapons which our All-merciful God has given us!

The Life of Blessed Paisius is of special value to us because it is the Life of a Holy Father of modern times, one who lived like the ancients almost in our own day. All those deadly anti-spiritual currents which threaten now to enslave man completely godless humanism, soulless ecumenism, and the fierce Revolution that has brought them to power upon the ruins of civilization in a sea of blood—either existed already or were born in his lifetime. The spiritual climate of his times was very similar to our own; many of our own temptations were his also; a number of our most pressing questions he answered for us. This virtual contemporary of ours struggled and was gloriously crowned, and God, seeing his labors, gave to him a hundredfold of spiritual fruits which are nourishing Orthodox Christians even to this day, and revealed in him the fount in modern times of the pure tradition of Russian Orthodoxy.

The reader of this Life must be cautioned, however, against reading it too "enthusiastically". Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov, the great 19th-century Holy Father who perhaps better than anyone else expressed the meaning of Blessed Paisius' life's work, warns us that "novices can never adapt books to their own condition, but are invariably drawn by the tendency of the book ... If a book speaks of unconditional obedience under the direction of a Spirit bearing Father, the beginner will inevitably develop a desire for the strictest life in complete submission to an Elder. God has not given to our times this way of life. But the books of the Holy Fathers describing it can influence a beginner so strongly that out of inexperience and ignorance he can easily decide to leave the place where he is living and where he has every convenience to work out his salvation and make spiritual progress ... for an impossible dream of a perfect life pictured vividly and alluringly in his imagination" (The Arena, Ch. 10).

The Life of Blessed Paisius is not meant to exalt the beginner (and we all, in our spiritually feeble 20th century, are "beginners") and make him think that he is capable of such a life; not at all. Elder Macarius of Optina, another 19th-century continuer of the work of Blessed Paisius, teaches that "the holy God-bearing Fathers wrote about great spiritual gifts not so that anyone might strive indiscriminately to receive them, but so that those who do not have them, hearing about such exalted gifts and revelations which were received by those who were worthy, might acknowledge their own profound infirmity and great insufficiency, and might involuntarily be inclined to humility, which is more necessary for those seeking salvation than all other works and virtues" (Letters to Monks, Moscow, 1862, p. 370). Four centuries earlier St. Nilus of Sora wrote, concerning the lives of holy men: "We who are burdened with many sins and preyed upon by passions are unworthy even of hearing such words. Nevertheless, placing our hope in the grace of God, we are encouraged to keep the words of the holy writings in our minds, so that we may at least grow in awareness of the degradation in which we wallow" (Monastic Rule, ch. 2). And even in the 6th century, St. John of the Ladder wrote: "Just as a pauper, seeing the royal treasures, all the more acknowledges his own poverty, so also the spirit, reading the accounts of the great deeds of the Holy Fathers, involuntarily is all the more humbled in its way of thought" (The Ladder, Step 26:25).

These are the words of the Holy Fathers of past centuries, when Orthodoxy was firmly rooted in the human soul and had transformed whole societies. How much more necessary is the humility they speak about in our spiritually uprooted and superficial 20th century!

We must, of course, continue to read Orthodox spiritual texts, such as the Life of Blessed Paisius, or we will spiritually wither and die. But we must at the same time humble ourselves and use the very height of the life described in these texts as our opportunity to "grow in awareness of our degradation," as St. Nilus so well says. We must properly apply the Life of Elder Paisius to our own spiritual condition.

Therefore, let all readers be aware:

1. There are no more elders like Paisius today. If we imagine there are, we can do irreparable harm to our souls—"imagination" being precisely one of the forms of prelest or spiritual deception. We must learn to read of his life and deeds without being able to apply them entirely to our corrupt and degraded life. At the same time, we must have respect for our spiritual fathers and elders, who at least know more than we and try their best to guide their spiritual children under almost impossible conditions. Many young people today are seeking gurus and are ready to enslave themselves to any likely candidate; but woe to those who take advantage of this climate of the times to proclaim themselves "God-bearing Elders" in the ancient tradition—they only deceive themselves and others. Any Orthodox spiritual father will frankly tell his children that the minimum of eldership that remains today is very different from what Blessed Paisius or the Optina Elders represent.

2. The type of community which Paisius guided is beyond the capabilities of our times. Bishop Ignatius said that such a way of life was not given even to his times—when Optina was at its height; and how much more has Orthodox life fallen since then! Such a "heaven on earth'' could not exist today, not just because there are no God-bearing Elders to guide it, but because even if there were, the spiritual level of those who would follow is too impossibly low. Ours is the age of spiritual fakery par excellence, not of the ancient Spirit-bearing life. The Abbot of any Orthodox monastery today will tell you the same.

But let us therefore learn to make maximum use of the limited opportunities we do have (which still, after all, are "heaven on earth" if compared to the worldly life of today!), not demolishing our few remaining Orthodox communities with self-centered and idle criticism, nor unsettling ourselves and others by dreams of impossibly perfect communities.

3. Our times, above all, call for humble and quiet labors, with love and sympathy for other strugglers on the path of the Orthodox spiritual life and a deep resolve that does not become discouraged because the atmosphere is unfavorable. We Christians of the latter times are still called to work persistently on ourselves, to be obedient to spiritual fathers and authorities, to lead an orderly life with at least a minimum of spiritual discipline and with regular reading of the Orthodox spiritual literature which Blessed Paisius was chiefly responsible for handing down to our times, to watch over our own sins and failings and not judge others. If we do this, even in our terrible times, we may have hope—in God's mercy—of the salvation of our souls. Perhaps the chief function of the Life of Blessed Paisius for us today is to give us the courage to endure the frightful anti-spiritual climate of our times; for as our Saviour has warned us, even in the last times when "the love of the many shall grow cold," he that endureth to the end shall be saved (Matt. 24:13).

The Life of Elder Paisius which we here present was written by his own disciples, chiefly by Schema-monk Metrophanes of Niamets Monastery, and was published in its present form exactly 125 years ago (1847) by the God-bearing Elders of Optina Monastery as the first of the texts of the veritable patristic revival which they inspired in 19th-century Russia. It is much to be preferred to the 20th-century biography* in that it gives not only the facts of the Elder's life, but more importantly, the very savor of his struggles. It is itself a patristic text capable of guiding and inspiring the Orthodox believer today.

*Archpriest Sergy Chetverikov, The Moldavian Elder, Schema-Archimandrite Paisius Velichkovsky, two volumes, Petseri, Estonia, 1938. In the text below some passages (indicated in the footnotes) have been added to the original Life from this source, particularly where the words of Elder Paisius himself have been quoted. The author did research at Niamets Monastery and was thus able to use manuscripts written by Paisius himself; his whole tone and approach, however, are those of the worldly 20th century, and he does not do justice to the spiritual message of Blessed Paisius.

Taken from the Introduction to Blessed Paisius Velichkovsky, by Schema-monk Metrophanes, trans. by Fr. Seraphim Rose (St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1994 [1976]). Also mentioned in the book are the writings of Elder Basil—St. Paisius’ spiritual father. At the time of printing these were not available in English. Fortunately, Elder Basil’s writings were recently published by St. John of Kronstadt Press, making available for the first time in English some very important introductory works on the spiritual life.

+ + +

This paragraph from The Arena, by St. Ignaty (Brianchaninov) is also apropos of this Introduction:

"Monastic obedience in the form and character in which it was practised by the monks of old is a lofty spiritual mystery. Its attainment and full imitation has become impossible for us. We can only examine it reverently and intelligently and appropriate its spirit. We show right judgment and evince salutary intelligence when, in reading about the rules and experiences of the ancient Fathers and of their obedience—equally amazing both in the directors and in those who were being directed—we see at the present time a general decline of Christianity and recognize that we are unfit to inherit the legacy of the Fathers in its fullness and in all its abundance. And it is a great mystery of God, a great blessing for us, that it is left to us to feed on the crumbs that fall from the spiritual table of the Fathers. These crumbs are not the most satisfying food, but they can prevent spiritual death, though not without a feeling of need and hunger and nostalgia." (p. 47)

source: www.orthodoxinfo.com

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Chapel of the Optina Elders - 11/28/12

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Dormition of the Theotokos Chapel at Holy Trinity Monastery - 11/28/12

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Saint John of Kronstadt and Saint John of Rila Chapel in the Woods - 11/26/12

Under the section About the Monastery we have included pictures of the Saint John of Kronstadt Chapel in the woods

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Holy Trinity Monastery - Night Views - 11/25/12

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Pannykhida for veterans of Gallipoli and members of the white movement - Photo Report November 24 2012 - 11/24/12

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Anniversary of the Repose of Metropolitan Philaret - 11/21/12

On Wednesday  November 21st on the feast of Archangel Michael  a litia was served at the end of the divine liturgy at the grave of the ever memorable Metropolitan Philaret, it being the anniversary of his blessed repose. Also Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky was commemorated at the litia

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Liturgy of St. James 2012 - Photo Report - 11/05/12

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Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and Hieromartyr Averky Equal to the Apostles - 11/04/12

On  Sunday November 4 on the Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God a litia was served at the grave of Archbishop Averky of Jordanville.

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Metropolitan Hilarion Celebrates Patronal Feastday at Holy Trinity Monastery - 11/03/12

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York celebrated his patronal feastday at Holy Trinity Monastery on Saturday November 3. It was an honor for the brothehood of Holy Trinity Monastery to have His Eminence Hilarion serve at the Monastery which he dearly loves. It was at  Holy Trinity Monastery that His Eminence  begun his monastic life spending a total of 17 years in monastic struggles before being called to the archpastoral service to the Church. After the Divine Liturgy a reception was help at the office of the Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, Archimandrite Luke where monastics, seminarians and neighbors greeted His Eminence on his names day.

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Feast of Saint John of Kronstadt 2012 - 11/01/12

On Thursday November 1 on the feast day of St. John of Kronstadt Archimandrite Luke served Liturgy at the chapel of St John of Kronstadt and St. John of Rila which is situated in a remote wooded area of the monastery next to a lake.

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Feast of the Holy Apostle Luke - 10/28/12

On Wednesday October 28 the Church commemorated the memory of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, the patron saint of the abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery. A small reception was held to congragulate Archimandrite Luke on his names day. Also on this occasion the brotherhood and seminarians said goodbye to Hieromonk Roman who is leaving.

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Commemoration of 15th Anniversary of death of Brother Joseph, 30th Anniversary of Appearance of Iveron Icon and 5th Anniversary of the Hawaian Myrrh Streaming Icon - 10/27/12

On Saturday October 27 and Sunday 28th 2012 the 15th Anniversary of the martyric death of Brother Joseph Munoz-Cortes (+October 31,1997), the 30th Anniversary of Appearance of Iveron Icon (Nov. 24, 1982) and the 5th Anniversary of the Hawaian Myrrh Streaming Icon (Oct. 6,2007) were commemorated at Holy Trinity Monastery. His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion along with many pilgrims  from the St John of Baptist Parish in Washington and other places marked these anniversaries by serving pannykhidas at the grave site of Brother Joseph, praying infront of the Hawaian myrrh streaming icon and taking part in the services of the monastery.

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Talks with Seminarians - 10/22/12

In an effort to help the seminarians of Holy Trinity Seminary  in matters of practical theology a number of talks were scheduled tha past two weeks with His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, Protopresbyter Valerie Lukianov and Archpriest Yaroslav Belikow. A fuller report about the talks will appaer on the site of Holy Trinity Seminary.

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Exaltation of the Precious Cross - Phot Report 2012 - 09/27/12

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Feast Day of St. Job of Pochaev - 09/09/12

On Sunday, September 9 at the end of the vigil to  St. Job of Pochaev Novice Victor Nosov was tonsured a Riassophore Monk by the Monastery Abbott Archimandrite Luke. Fr. Luke wished Fr. Victor patience in his monastic struggles and to love the services. At the end of the Liturgy a moleben with a procession of the Cross and the Kursk icon  was served to St. Job of Pochaev.

Sermon by Archimandrite Luke

On the feast of St. Job

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ

Today we celebrate the memory of the great struggler and confessor of the Russian land, St. Job  of Pochaev. St Job acquired the grace of the Holy Spirit and was sanctified. But as is understood by all Orthodox Christians  there is no sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit outside the church. St.  Job lived during the dangerous time of an assault by Roman Catholics on Orthodox Christians  in the region of Galicia and Volynia.  St. Job with his whole soul began by preaching, printing books, and participating in church councils to save Orthodox  Christians from the terrible sin of apostasy. The temptation was hidden but insidious. It was easy for Orthodox Christians to be deceived. Initially the Roman  Catholics only demanded that the Orthodox  commemorate  the Pope  of Rome at their church services, but the struggler understood  that this was enough for the damnation of the soul.

St. Job heroically resisted this temptation. The Russian Church Abroad  from its inception considered St.  Job the patron of its missionary activities. Especially here in our monastery St.  Job is glorified were we strive to worthily venerated him and follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately much of the Orthodox  world now does not reacted to temptation like St.  Job.

Now Orthodox  leaders seek a false reconciliation with heresy. Scandalous documents allure Orthodox   Christians where they write that the Orthodox and heretics have the same faith, the same baptism and the same Lord. If this is true then St.  Job was mistaken. But this cannot be so. For him, true love for one's neighbor meant union with the Church and to save Orthodox Christians from apostasy, but never to reconcile them with heresy.

We cannot act contrary to the legacy of St.  Job,  if we truly seek salvation. Let St. Job be forever an example for us of true love for one's neighbor and a firm stance in the Orthodox faith!

Amen


00603
Funeral of Archimandrite Flor - 09/05/12

On Wednesday, September 5, the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, led the funeral of the newly departed Archimandrite Flor (Vanko), a longtime cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery. His Eminence was co-served by the Administrator of the Chicago & Mid-American Diocese, His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop George of Mayfield, and a multitude of diocesan clergy.

In his eulogy, Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow spoke of Fr. Flor’s life and legacy, as the last of the monks to have emigrated to the United States from Ladomirová, the original home of Holy Trinity’s monastic brotherhood.

After the funeral, the priests carried the coffin around the cathedral, and then to the monastic cemetery behind the cathedral, where the burial was held.

The editors of the official website of the Eastern American Diocese express their sincerest condolences to the brethren of Holy Trinity Monastery, asking that everyone please keep the newly reposed in their prayers, especially in the first 40 days after his passing.

Memory eternal to Archimandrite Flor!

source:http://eadiocese.org/

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Archimandrite Flor Reposed in the Lord on September 4 - 09/04/12

The Very Rev. Archimandrite Flor was born Vassily Vanko on December 9, 1926 in the village of Shemetkovtsi in Czechoslovakia. He joined the monastery at Ladomirova at a young age. With the coming of the communists in 1944, he was evacuated together with the brotherhood through Bratislava, Berlin and Geneva. He arrived as a novice to Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville New York in 1946. He was tonsured a rassaphore monk together with his close friend the novice Vassily Skurla (the future First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad) on March 28, 1947. They received the names Flor and Laurus, in honor of the martyr brothers. The next day, on the feast of the Laudation of the Most Holy Theotokos, they were tonsured readers and subdeacons. On the first week of Great Lent in 1948, they both were tonsured stavrophore monks together with Rassaphore Monk Alypy Gamanovich (now Archbishop of Chicago). Fr. Flor was ordained a hierodeacon on September 11, 1950 on the feast of St. John the Baptist. He was ordained a hieromonk on June 28, 1954. All his tonsures and ordinations were performed by the abbot of the monastery Archbishop Vitaly (Maximenko) of blessed memory. He was raised to the rank of abbot/igumen in 1967 and archimandrite in 1996. In 2007 for his many years of service to the Church, he was given the high honor of wearing 2 pectoral crosses, but, in keeping with his humility, he never wore them. Fr. Flor selflessly kept his difficult monastic obediences as the monastery electrician and handyman. He could always be found in the fields or the cemetery driving the heavy farm equipment. He would also always be found at the church services which he zealously attended. Summer boys and seminarians loved working with him. He was a man of great humility and always shunned the spotlight. Although he was very modest his presence was great. Archimandrite Flor fell asleep in the Lord on September 4, around 5am, 2012. May God grant him eternal life in his kingdom.

The funeral will be held at Holy Trinity Monastery on September 5, 1PM. His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion will be presiding at the service with His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield. Please bring blue vestments.


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Annual Labor Day Celebrations in Honor of St. Job of Pochaev were held in Holy Trinity Monastery - 09/02/12

Every year in September, on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Holy Trinity Monastery triumphantly celebrates the memory of its heavenly intercessor, Venerable St. Job of Pochaev. This year, the celebration of St. Job took place on September 1st and 2nd.

On Saturday, on the eve of the feast, a gathering of diocesan youth undertook to establish a new tradition: beginning with a short moleben in Holy Trinity Cathedral, about 25 young people, led by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak (cleric of Three Hierarchs Chapel OCA in Crestwood, NY), and Fr. Ephraim Willmarth (monastery cleric), set off in procession around the monastery property. The famous Jordanville Cross marked the midway point of the five-mile procession, where the Akathist in Praise of God’s Creation was served, in honor of the Church New Year (September 1 on the new calendar). Upon their return to the monastery, the pilgrims were greeted by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop George of Mayfield, who thanked the youth for the spiritual labor they had undertaken, and expressed his hope that this tradition might continue in the future.

Later that day, the clergy and worshipers who had gathered at the main cathedral set off for the monastery cemetery to the Dormition Church to greet the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. Upon returning to the main cathedral, Bishop George led the faithful in singing the akathist to the great God-pleaser St. Job before the icons of the Pochaev Mother of God, the Kursk Root Mother of God, and St. Job. That evening, the All-Night Vigil was served.

On Sunday morning, the early Liturgy was celebrated in Holy Trinity Cathedral’s lower Church of St. Job of Pochaev. The festal Divine Liturgy in the upper church was celebrated by His Grace, Bishop George, co-served by monastery and visiting clergy. After the Eucharistic Canon, Subdeacon Monk Seraphim (Nikoloski) was ordained to the diaconate. The newly ordained Hierodeacon Seraphim will fulfill his service at Holy Trinity Monastery.
Upon completion of the Liturgy, a moleben with procession around the cathedral was served. After the service, Bishop George greeted Fr. Luke and his co-brothers and all of the faithful on the occasion of the feast and thanked everyone for their prayerful participation in the feast of St. Job of Pochaev.

After Liturgy, a festal luncheon was held for all of the monastery guests. On behalf of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, Fr. Serge Lukianov greeted the abbot, Fr. Luke, and the monastery brethren, and presented Fr. Luke a framed group photograph from the Autumnal Diocesan Clergy Conference, held last October in Holy Trinity Monastery.

For pictures click here

Source: http://eadiocese.org

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Dormition of the Theotokos - Photo Report 2012 - 08/28/12


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Feast of Transfiguration - photo report - 08/19/12


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25th Anniversary at St. Elizabeth Skete in Jordanville, NY - 07/18/12

It was a long awaited event that the sisters at St Elizabeth Skete have been planning for several months.  On July 18th, 2012 on the feast of the New Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Nun Barbara the sisters not only celebrated 25 years of the existence of the small community of nuns, but also the elevation of Mother Elizabeth to the rank of Abbess.

The event started at 5:00 pm on the evening of Tuesday July 17th with the All-Night Vigil.  As the remodeling of the small house chapel was not complete, several tents were set up in the garden amidst the flowers for outdoor services.   Bishop Gabriel presided together with Archimandrite Luke, the sisters   spiritual father and also Father Vladimir Tsurikov the Sketes  serving priest. They were joined by Father Chad Williams from Richmond Maine and Father Gabriel from Holy Trinity Monastery.  Proto Deacon Nicholai Olhovsky, Deacon Andrew Doubleday and Deacon Ephraim Willmarth lead the service, which was in both Slavonic and English.

 The next morning services started with the Blessing of the Waters at 8:00 am, followed by Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am.   Bishop Gabriel arrived and the Hours were read while the Bishop was vested.  The dark grey menacing clouds dispersed after dropping a few sprinkles of rain, and the sun began to shine brilliantly.  The choir consisted of Mother Elisabeth, Mother Theodora, Matushka Cindy Williams from Maine, all under the superb direction of Matushka Anna Tsurikov.    

During the Small Entrance, Protodeacon Nicholai led Mother Elisabeth from the choir to the middle of the church to Bishop Gabriel.  He read the prayers, which elevated Mother Elisabeth to the rank of Abbess. It was a solemn moment, and followed by a very joyful Axios!  Mother Elisabeth returned to the choir and the liturgy continued.

Divine Liturgy was followed by a procession and Molieben to the Saint.  One of the litanies was intoned in the unfinished chapel.  Amidst the construction material there were flowers and an analoy with the icon of St Elizabeth the New Martyr.  The procession returned and just before the venerating of the cross, Mother Elisabeth was once more led to Bishop Gabriel who handed her the Abbess Staff and read the instructions from the Book of Needs which is to guide both Mother Elisabeth in her new responsibilities and the sisters in their responsibilities to their new Spiritual Mother.   

All guests were invited to share in the festal trapeza following the liturgy.  Everyone helped in dismantling the church and setting up the tables for the meal.  Lunch was a happy and leisurely meal, enjoyed by everyone.

Abbess Elisabeth and the sisters are grateful to God that the weather was perfect, and the gardens were so beautiful.  They are also grateful to all the clergy and friends who came to share in their joy and ask for their prayers that God may continue to help the new Abbess Elisabeth and the Skete to prosper and grow to the Glory of God.

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Feast of St. Peter and Paul - 07/12/12

On Thursday, July 12 (June 29 o.s.), Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the Feast of Ss. Peter and Paul. Archimandrite Luke and the brotherhood clergy celebrated the vigil and liturgy. Participants in the Summer Youth Program helped serve in the altar as well as prepare food for the trapeza meal for the visiting Russian Scouts (ORUR) who attended the Divine Liturgy.

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Holy Spirit Day at Holy Trinity Monastery - June 4 2012 - 06/04/12

On Monday, June 4, on the Feast of the Holy Spirit, annual festivities were held in Jordanville, New York for the feast day of Holy Trinity Monastery. Although the monastery’s feast day is actually held the day before, on Trinity Sunday, many clergy and faithful have begun coming to Jordanville the following day, having marked the Pentecost in their home parishes.
This year, five years after the Reunification of the two parts of the Russian Church, for the first time, divine services were led by the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk. His Eminence was co-served by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop George of Mayfield, monastery abbot Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), as well as clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Church Abroad.
After the Great Entrance, Bishop George ordained Subdeacon Ephraim Willmarth to the diaconate. The newly ordained Deacon Ephraim will temporarily fulfill his service at Holy Trinity Monastery.
Also serving at the Divine Liturgy was Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev, renowned Russian theologian and professor at the Moscow Theological Academy. During the communion of the clergy, Fr. Andrei addressed those gathered with a sermon on the significance of the feast.
Upon completion of the Liturgy, Archbishop Justinian addressed Bishop George, Fr. Luke, and the gathered faithful with the following words:

"This day I prayed with particular joy. For me, this day was not only liturgically triumphant, but, I admit, particularly touched my heart; at times I even withdrew my attention from all that was going on around me, and delighted in the warmth in my heart. I felt that I was truly in the midst of loved ones, heartfelt people with whom I shared one faith. My prayer was in no way impeded, in no way fractured, and I am grateful to God, grateful to His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, that I was able to accept the hospitable invitation of Archimandrite Luke and come here with my fellow travelers, in order to share in the triumphal patronal feast of this holy habitation, to speak works of gratitude and acknowledgement to Fr. Luke, the abbot of this monastery, the brethren, and all those faithful helpers at the monastery who labor even unto this hour to keep her adorned, to lift up their prayers to God, and to preserve the best traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church. You and I understand that our country, our homeland, suffered much in her time precisely because traditions were lost. The Revolution of 1917 brought much suffered to our homeland. It is important that, going forward, we take away from this lessons, that our hearts are never inclined toward a path of abrupt changes in our lives, be they our social lives or our lives in the Church – for this is of the Evil One.
"It is proper to offer up words of gratitude to the founders of this holy habitation, those who lived, prayed, and labored here, helping this monastery continue its existence, for the sake of preserving the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church. You and I must understand, that although our society is advancing technologically, nevertheless we must admit that little of it constitutes true progress for human society. Mankind moves further and further away from Christ, when it is Christ Himself who is our icon, our ideal, Whom we must revere and after Whom we must follow. We cannot reassure ourselves with empty words, saying that we will be self-enlightened, self-fulfilled, that we will undertake some form of action that will bring us greater progress than we would achieve in Christ. Once and for all, mankind has been given an ideal – the Godman, Christ the Savior. No one on earth can ever accomplish that which was accomplished by Christ the Savior. It is thither, to Christ, whither we must cast our gaze, that we might never comfort ourselves with empty rhetoric about self-realization, self-perfection, that somehow this might become our true goal. The life’s goal of any conscientious Christian must be the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, as we were taught by St. Seraphim of Sarov. This is accomplished by repentance and a feeling of one’s great humility before God.

"You and I recall the following Patristic principle, which states that in great things we ought to have oneness of mind, consensus and unanimity, in the least things we ought to have freedom, but in all things we must have love. And if we will live by Patristic principles, then we will live in the love revealed to us by the Divine Trinity, for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit so love One Another, and live so deeply in one accord, one will, and one power, that is proper for us to always look to this mystery of Divine Trinitarian love, being informed and enlightened by It. It is a true example for you and me to follow.
"I thank you, Your Grace, Bishop George, Fr. Luke, brethren-concelebrants, for this triumph, this bountiful feast of the faith, in which I communed of God’s mercy and of your love. May this beauty, the memory of this, warm our hearts, because feasts end, and we must return to our obediences, but such feasts lift up our souls. They give us a grace-filled and spiritual impetus to continue living some time in joy, laboring and looking at this world with joy and hope, fearing nothing and no one but the Lord God. The Lord keep you, and I thank you, my dears, for this feast of our Orthodox Faith."

Source: "Eastern American Diocese www.eadiocese.org."

00611
Sunday of Pentecost at Holy Trinity Monastery 2012 - 06/03/12

On June  3, Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated its main feast day of Pentecost. Bishop George of Mayfield served the liturgy with  the brotherhood clergy. After the Divine Liturgy was the customary Kneeling Vespers and then lunch in the refectory followed by a reception in the main courtyard for all the pilgrims.

Joining in the celebration were pilgrims from all around the country, including a group of over twenty young people who had traveled to the monastery for a special pilgrimage over the weekend. The youth helped with preparations for the feast and also participated in spiritual discussions.

00612
Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary holds Sixty-Fourth Annual Commencement - 05/27/12

Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary held its Sixty-Fourth Annual Commencement on Sunday, May 27, 2012. The ceremonies began at two o’clock in the afternoon with a Thanksgiving Moleben served by Archimandrite Luke and the Monastery Clergy in the monastery church. The clergy, faculty, and students then processed to the Seminary Hall for the Commencement.

The ceremony began with the Russian and American national anthems, sung by the Holy Trinity Seminary Choir under the direction of third-year student Nicholas Kotar.

Archimandrite Luke, the Rector and Acting Dean, gave an opening address in Russian encouraging the graduating students to continue their progress in learning: “Never forget your books. Continue always to find the time to further your knowledge…Quench not the Spirit!” Fr. Luke then introduced Archimandrite Meletios Webber, the commencement speaker. Fr. Meletios is the abbot of St. John of San Francisco Orthodox Monastery (OCA) in Manton, California. Fr. Meletios gave an engrossing talk on asceticism and its absolute necessity in spiritual life. He called upon the audience to look upon asceticism in a positive sense, as “training the body for glory.”

Following the commencement address, Fr. Luke awarded diplomas to graduating students. Five students received the Bachelor of Theology: Dimitrii Anopochkin (Cum Laude), Ivan Denisenko, German Gatyskii, Evgenii Poznyak, and Sergei Tuygin (Cum Laude). Reader Matthew Long received certificates for successfully completing the Correspondence Program in Theological Studies.

Top students in each class then received awards: Aleksandr Brooks in first year; John Martin in second year; Nicholas Kotar in third year; Anthony Williams in fourth year; and Dimitrii Anopochkin and Sergei Tuygin in fifth year. For academic excellence first-year students Aleksandr Brooks and Stanislav Matveev received stipends of $700 and $300 respectively, courtesy of Michael Andreev of the Jordanville Monument Company.

Sergei Tuygin then made a valedictory speech expressing his heartfelt gratitude for his experiences at Holy Trinity Seminary. Following his words, Fr. Luke closed the ceremony with prayer. After Commencement, all gathered on the lawn for refreshments.

00613
Open House May 19 2012 - 05/19/12

On Saturday, May 19, 2012, Holy Trinity Monastery held its first Open House. From two to five in the afternoon, over two hundred people, most of them non-Orthodox, came from local areas in order to get to know their monastic neighbors.

Archimandrite Luke, the abbot of the monastery, welcomed the guests and did a presentation on this history of the Orthodox Church. Hieromonk Roman then gave the second presentation on the history of the monastery, from its humble beginnings to the present day. Talking about the monastery’s publishing work during the Cold War, he said, “Elderly priests in Russia would come up to me and say, ‘You’re from Jordanville? We survived on your books!’ Our name is great in Russia. But over here, we’re just another cow town.” After the presentations, Father Luke and Father Roman fielded questions from the visitors.

After a short break with refreshments, the visitors then gathered at the monastery church, where fourth-year student Anthony Williams gave them a tour. Many of the people visiting expressed their appreciation and hoped to visit again.


00614
Pannykhida for Patriach Alexey and Metropolitan Laurus on the Fifth Anniversary of the Reunification of ROCOR and MP - Photo Report May 17 2012 - 05/17/12


00615
Open House at Holy Trinity Monastery - April 19 2:00 - 5:00 PM - 05/03/12

Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, invites all those interested to experience its Open House on Saturday, May 19, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. Guests will be able to learn about the history of Russian Orthodox icons on a tour of the monastery church and grounds, as well as view two slideshows: one about the Orthodox Church and one on the history of the monastery.

00616
Talks by Fr Peter Heers at Holy Trinity Monastery - Photo Report April 27 2012 - 04/26/12

On Friday  April 27 Fr Peter Heers gave a talk on "Baptism and the Church: An Orthodox Analysis of the Ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council". The talk included an historical-theological review of the path taken to arrive at the new ecclesiology of Vatican II as well as a theological analysis and critique of the new ecclesiology. Fr Peter discussed the historical background of the council, its stated aims, and the theologians who were behind the decrees. The following questions were addressed: How does the new ecclesiology of Vatican II differ from the Orthodox, patristic view of the Church? Is the new ecclesiology a return to the ancient Western view of Baptism and the Church expounded by Blessed Augustine, as is claimed by some? Does the Orthodox Church share the same view as Vatican II and recognize as her own the Baptism of schismatics or heretics? What is the consensus patrum?The second talk was   on "The Message of Elder Paisios for Orthodox Christians in America Today" upon the occasion of the release of the long awaited publication of the life of Elder Paisios.

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Pascha 2012 - Video Report - 04/18/12


00618
Pascha 2012 - Photo Report - 04/15/12


00619
Holy Saturday Liturgy 2012 - Photo Report - 04/14/12


00620
Holy Friday Vespers 2012 - 04/13/12

Sermon by Archimandrite Luke on Holy Friday Vespers

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

It is finished — exclaimed Our Saviour, and thus He accomplished His salvific sufferings.

Suffering came into the world because of the first sin, and sin became the wall of separation between God and man depriving us of a blessed state and the Kingdom of Heaven. Man by his own devices could never heal his fallen soul, and thus we confess and believe that the Son of God was incarnate in order to redeem us and deliver us from our sinful and pitiful state. He became one of us to correct that which we spoiled, and in order to renew that which was darkened.

Suffering is always with us, and man is constantly preoccupied with the question of suffering —mainly how to avoid it. We modern people on a daily basis invent new means in order to avoid reality, and the reality of our life is frequently filled with various sorrows. One can only be amazed at the multitude of various ever-increasing distractions and new medications appearing to assuage psychological burdens.

We tremble when we recall the terrible spiritual struggle of our Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane, when He, by means of His divine vision, foresaw those  sufferings incomprehensible for us which He voluntary and with love was to take upon Himself so that we might return to paradise.He overcame all difficulties, and even on the Cross He refused to alleviate His pain. And in all of this we can conclude that suffering is an inescapable fact of life. But what is its significance? And what can we as Orthodox Christians do? What should be our attitude to such an unavoidable phenomenon?

The answer lies before us in the tomb. Our Lord accepted the inescapability of suffering as the central redemptive struggle of His life, and we must accept suffering as an inescapable fact and surrender to it. Even this humble submission to an extent relieves our sorrowful state of soul.
Our Lord also showed that it is extremely important to have a God-pleasing disposition of heart towards suffering. In spite of the fact, that He is surrounded by hatred, ill-will, intrigues, treachery, ingratitude, and lack of understanding, none the less His love remains unshakeable. He preserves and defends His love with the words: “God forgive them”. And thus He crowns His redeeming struggle of love.

Genuine spirituality like true friendship demands great attention, nurturing and support. Without this our soul, like a rare flower wilts and dies. Only a firm spiritual state, without complaining, without bitterness and hard-heartedness can assist us in overcoming all sorrows and suffering sent to us for our cleansing and correction. A living witness and example of a God-pleasing attitude towards suffering is the Mother of God, who is present in Her icon, Softening of Evil Hearts or Seven swords. Without complaint, She stood by the Cross and grave of Her Son, despite Her horrendous anguish. She took no offense at the torturers and did not become hard-hearted, quite the opposite. Her heart expanded, became softer and spiritually She achieved even greater perfection.

Dear brothers and sisters, I have spoken here only briefly about the inescapability of sufferings, but we must further continually and deeply nurture within ourselves a God-pleasing and good-hearted attitude towards sorrows, which the all-wise Lord sends for our correction. It is a terrible thing to live with a darkened, gloomy, heart. Our Lord summons us to soften and cleanse our evil hearts. And only with a purified and soft heart can we like the Mother of God, inherit eternal blessedness. Amen.

00621
Holy Thursday Twelve Passion Gospels 2012 - Photo and Video Report - 04/12/12


00622
Holy Unction Service 2012 - Photo Report - 04/10/12


00623
Palm Sunday 2012 - Photo Report - 04/08/12


00624
Lazarus Saturday - Annunciation 2012 - Photo Report - 04/07/12


00625
Meeting of the Icon "Softener of Evil Hearts" at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/03/12


00626
Tonsures to the Lesser Schema at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/01/12

On Friday March 30 2012 after the Matins service Riassaphore monks Laurence and Dionysios were tonsured to the Lesser Schema by Archimandrite Luke. At the end of Matins they entered the Altar were they received the blessing of the Abbot and then proceeded to venerate the holy icons. During the First Hour they put on white gowns as one does when they are to be baptized and when the service finished they were led by the hieromonks of the monastery to the middle of the Church were they prostrated themselves to the ground three times during which the choir sung the sessional hymn after the Third Ode of the Canon from the Prodigal Son "Thy fatherly embrace hasten to open to me, for like  the prodigal have I spent my life. Disdain not a heart now impoverished O Savior, Who hast before Thine eyes the inexpressible riches of Thy mercies. For to Thee, O Lord, in compunction I cry: Father, I have sinned against Heaven, and before Thee".

When they reached the front of the ambon the Abbot signaled them to get up and read the prayers of the tonsure and  exchanged in a dialog questions and answers as to the purpose of coming to the  monastic life.  Below are some of the exchanges that took place:

Question: Why hast thou come hither, Brother, falling down before the Holy Altar and before this Holy Assembly?
Answer: I am desirous of the life of asceticism, Reverend Father.
Question: Of thine own willing mind comest thou unto the Lord?
Answer: Yes, God helping me, Reverend Father.
Question: Not by any necessity, or constraint?
Answer: No, Reverend Father.
Question: Dost thou renounce the world, and the things belonging to the world, according to the commandment of the Lord?
Answer: Yes, Reverend Father.
Question: Wilt thou endure all the strain tribulation belonging to the monastic life, for the Kingdom of Heaven's sake?
Answer: Yes, God helping me, Reverend Father.

Fr. Laurence was tonsured with the name of St John  of St. Fransisco and and Fr. Dionysios received the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov. May our Lord help the newly tonsured monks to live steadfastly their monastic vocation  by a "pure and virtuous life" so that their life becomes a light to the world.

Archimandrite Luke counseled the newly tonsured monks to become imitators of the lives of the saints whose names they received and to struggle in humility enduring all afflictions for the salvation of their souls. At the end of this very moving service everyone went up to the newly tonsured monastics and greeted them with the traditional greeting, "What is your name father?" to which they replied  "sinful monk John and Seraphim" and all wished them many years and God's blessing in their struggles.

A video will be posted of the tonsure in the next few day

00627
A Panikhida is Served for Colonel Phillip Ludwell III - 03/27/12

Tuesday, March 14/27, 2012 marked the two hundred and forty fifth anniversary of the repose of Colonel Philip Ludwell III, a native of Williamsburg, Virginia, and the first known convert to Orthodoxy in the Americas. With the blessing of Archimandrite Luke, Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York, a memorial (panikhida) was served in English by Archpriest Gregory Naumenko (rector of the Protection of the Mother of God Church in Rochester, New York), who teaches pastoral theology and homiletics at Holy Trinity Seminary. Responses were sung by a choir of seminarians under the direction of Reader Ephraim Willmarth,the administrative assistant to the dean of the seminary. Members of the monastic community and local Orthodox believers also joined in the prayers. Archpriest Gregory also remembered the other known Orthodox members of Colonel Ludwell’s family: his daughters Hannah, Frances and Lucy, and the latter’s husband John Paradise. A short reflection on the significance of Colonel Ludwell’s life for the Orthodox Church in Russia and the Americas, and his role in early American history, was offered by Nicholas Chapman before the commencement of the memorial.

 The metrical books of the Russian Orthodox Church in London, England record that Ludwell died at his home in London at 5p.m. on March 14 O.S., 1767, having previously been confessed and received holy communion and holy unction. His funeral was served several days later in the London church. Almost 30 years earlier he had traveled from Virginia to be received at the Russian Orthodox Church in London, in 1738, several days after his twenty-second birthday.

 He was blessed by the Holy Synod of the Russian Church to return to Virginia with the Holy Gifts and evidence points to the existence of a lay Orthodox community headed by him in mid-eighteenth century Williamsburg. He brought his three daughters up in the faith, and they were formally received into the Church in London in 1762. Some of their descendants also appear to have remained in the Church for several generations following Ludwell’s repose.

Apart from a few months spent in London in 1738/39 and the last seven years of his life, the rest of his days were passed in his native Virginia. Whilst there he translated into English The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom as it is performed without a deacon and The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great as it is performed without a deacon. He also translated The Orthodox Confession of the Catholic and Apostolic Eastern Church, which was published in London in 1762, and penned what appears to be a short work of his own, entitled How to behave before, at, and after the Divine Service in the Church.
            
In all of these labors, he demonstrated an evident love for God and the Orthodox faith. He was also known for his cheerful and vivacious disposition, given to hospitality and to contributing to the needs of the poor. (He was the first external donor to what were to become America’s first university and first hospital in Philadelphia. )

He played a vital role in strengthening the defense of the Commonwealth of Virginia through tireless intercession with the British military authorities in his capacity as a member of the Royal Governing Council and was instrumental in obtaining the appointment of the young George Washington as a Colonel in the colonial militia. His family connections with some of the major figures of early US history are extensive: his wife was the cousin of Martha Washington and amongst his nephews there are two signers of the Declaration of Independence and the twelfth President of the Continental Congress. President’s William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison were blood relatives of Ludwell and he is the great uncle of the famous American civil war General Robert E Lee. The future President Thomas Jefferson was amongst the executors of his estate and Benjamin Franklin house was a few doors down the street from Ludwell’s London home at the time of his death.

The Psalm reader at the London church at the time of Ludwell’s repose was the future Fr. Andrew Samborskii. He was to marry an English orphan girl, Elizabeth Fielding and used the catechism Ludwell translated to instruct his future wife in the Faith. After serving the church in London as Psalm reader and priest, Samborskii returned to Russia and became tutor in religion to the Grand Duke’s Alexander and Constantine, sons of Tsar Paul I. John Paradise, son in law of Philip Ludwell, also worked for the Russian imperial family as an agent for Catherine the Great in preventing a war between England and Russia.

Further information about Ludwell and his family may be found here http://orthodoxhistory.org/page/2/?s=ludwell

May Colonel Philip Ludwell’s memory be eternal!

 

00628
Sunday of the Veneration of the Precious Cross - Photo Report 2012 - 03/18/12


00629
Pannikhida for Metropolitan Laurus on the Fourth Anniversary of his Repose - Photo Report - 03/16/12


00630
First Week of Great Lent 2012 - Photo and video report - 03/02/12


00631
Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/13/12

On February 12, 2012 Holy Trinity Seminary celebrated its patronal feast, commemorating the Holy Three Three Hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada served for Vigil and the Divine Liturgy accompanied by clergy of Holy Trinity Monastery. During the  Vigil many parts of the service were sung in Greek using the traditional Byzantine Chant under the direction of Hieromonk Cyprian (Alexandrou). Students from the second and third year  Greek course also read various parts of the service in Greek and a special thanks goes to Nicholas Adamou, Professor of Biblical Greek and  Issues of Parish Administration at Holy Trinity Seminary.

After the Divine Liturgy a reception was held at the Seminary Hall where Archbishop Gabriel and Archimandrite Luke greeted everyone with the feast. Archbishop Gabriel shared his memories of being a student at Holy Trinity Seminary and how much he treasures those days. He advised the students to use their time here wisely and receive as much benefit as possible during their they at the Monastery. Archpriest Vladimir Tsurikov then announced various scholarships that were awarded to students.   After the meal the seminary choir sung various liturgical pieces having as the theme the thief on the cross followed by a few students singing various church hymns in Byzantine chant.

May the Three Hierarchs serve as an inspiration and example to all the students.

00632
Service to the Holy New Martyr Alexander Schmorell - 02/06/12

On the Eve of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia the German Diocese officially canonized the Holy Martyr Alexander Schmorell. For more about his life click here.
The following day at Holy Trinity Monastery on February 5, 2012 the brotherhood served their  first service in honor of the newly canonized Holy Martyr Alexander combined with the service to the Holy Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg. May his life serve as an inspiration to us all of love for God and truth and love for our neighbor.

00633
Theophany - Photo Report - 01/19/12


00634
Third Day of Christmas - 01/09/12

On Monday, January 9, 2012 His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion served at Holy Trinity Monastery for the third day of Christmas. The seminarian Deacon Igor Grytsina was ordained to the priesthood  and seminarian Sergei Tuygin was made a reader. Priest Igor is currently serving his forty day liturgies and will continue his studies at Holy Trinity Seminary this year. During the small entrance of the Divine Liturgy the following clergy received awards for their service to the Church and monastery; Archpriest Vladimir Tsurikov, Hieromonk Roman Krassovsky and Hieromonk Theophylact Dewell Clapper. They were all awarded the right to wear the Palitsa. After the service a reception was held at Archimandrite Luke's office for all present.

00635
The Nativity of our Lord 2012 - 01/07/12


Christ is Born!
Glorify Him!


Today we joyfully celebrate the birth of our Savior. The Gospel story of this glorious event moves many to tears of compunction. Indeed we are moved to embrace on another our of love for God today. And even though this might be a quickly passing sentimental response it is a welcomed change in our otherwise busy life where thoughts of God are frequently crowed out by more mundane affairs.
However we should pause for a moment and give thought to the reason for this event, which forever change the course of history.

Our Lord and Savior was born to save us from the fires of hell. Surely mankind and each of us indivually for our sins could only expect to perish eternally. God’s judgment is clear in the words of our Lord, “But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, who after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Truly our eternal fate is in God’s hands. How can we affect the scales of God’s justice?

We worship the Child-God today with warm and loving hearts. Every one of us understands and loves the heart of a child, even more so the divine heart of our Savior today. Who of us would not be horrified at the thought of crucifying a child?  However this heart of the infant Christ will grow into the heart of the crucified Savior who cried in agony on the Cross, and who’s heart was pierced by a spear, precisely because of our sins. The infant Christ knows that He is born today to save us from the fires of hell by his agonizing, redeeming death. And He willingly accepts this struggle.

Of all of our sins against the Infant Christ, which will lead him to the cross, the greatest is our refusal to take advantage of His salvific struggle, from the beginning to the end of his divine life. The gift of our salvation is daily, hourly offered to us and we refuse to accept it. More than any imaginable sin this sin of refusing the gift of forgiveness, the gift that leads to eternal life and delivers us from hell fire, is the greatest.

Our Lord in His birth humbled himself completely. His step towards us is immeasurable. The greatest stumbling blocks to our salvation are our constant denial of our need for God and our excuses for not making greater efforts. We should not forget that that at the Last Judgment there will be no lawyers to offer some feeble defense for our foolishness. Our damnation will be of our own making.

Let us make that small step toward the Child-Christ today and every day and take from His infant hands the gift of salvation. There is nothing He wants more, than that we take what He offers.

Amen.



00636
Eve of Christmas 2012 - Photo and Video Report - 01/06/12


00637
Feast of St. Nicholas 2012 - Photo Report - 12/19/11


00638
Cathedral Roof Repair in progress - Nov 2011 - 12/06/11

Dear Friends of Holy Trinity Monastery

Work has begun in repairing the roof of the main cathedral of the Monastery. Thank you for your support to help us begin this work which is vital in preserving the frescoes in the Church and being damaged by leaks and moisture.


00639
Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple - 12/04/11

On December 4, 2011, the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, Archbishop Gabriel of Canada ordained fourth-year seminarian Igor Grytsyna to the diaconate and Reader Ephraim Willmarth was made a sub deacon. May God grant them zeal and strength to serve the Church for the glory of God.


00640
Holy Trinity Monastery added to the National Register of Historic Places - 12/03/11

On December 3rd, 2011, in the early afternoon people from all walks of life gathered together at the seminary hall at Holy Trinity Monastery to celebrate a moment of history. During a small ceremony, Archimandrite Luke, the abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, was presented a certificate commemorating the monastery’s addition to the National Register of Historic Places. The monastery was added to the National Register on July 15., 2011.

It was the culmination of over four years of work by the monastery, local preservation groups, including the Preservation League of New York State and Otsego 2000, the New York State Historic Preservation Office and the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission

To qualify for the National Register, a historic place must meet one of four primary criteria, in this case, the monastery’s unique architecture, design and construction, as well as the role it played in 20th century world history.

“Properties owned by religious institutions or used for religious institutions or used for religious purposes are not ordinarily considered eligible for National Registry status, however there are exceptions,” said Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow in a news release. The monastery qualified, he said, because the Byzantine-style architecture of the buildings has its own importance.

In the 20th century, the monastery was a gathering place for people who had lost their homes and country during the Soviet communist era. The monastery became a 'little bit of Russia' for immigrants forced to leave their homeland, where they were able to preserve their culture and religion.  The monastery's role as a distribuor of spiritual literature which found its way behind the iron curtain, contributed to the recognition of its historic significance.

Receiving the status is significant because the church is now eligible for federal grant money and investment tax credits on rehabilitation work.

Tania Werbizky, regional director of the Preservation League of New York State, called Holy Trinity Monastery “one of the state’s most important landmarks.” In 2008, the Preservation League of New York State placed the monastery on its “Seven to Save” list of endangered properties. “We took this action not only because the property faced threats from unsympathetic, industrial-scale development proposed nearby, but also because we were certain of its extraordinary significance,” Werbizky said.

The proposal of a wind farm nearby threatened the serenity of the monastery Murianka said, adding that the noise, shadows and industrial feeling of the wind farm would be particularly harmful to the 10,000 visitors who come to the monastery each year. “They come to the monastery for spiritual refreshment in the context of the country,” Murianka said. Fred Miller, former executive director of the Mohawk Valley Heritage Corridor Commission, and Assemblyman Marc Butler also spoke at the ceremony. “In closing, let me suggest that we stay vigilant and aware of the treasure that is Holy Trinity Monastery,” Miller said. “Today’s celebration should be a beginning, not an ending.”

People from local, state and national government were  present, as were historians, friends and neighbors. It was a joyous occasion, followed by refreshments and a guided tour of the cathedral.

Holy Trinity Monastery continues to be a gathering place for people from all continents. People still come to share in the culture and the spiritual treasure of Orthodoxy.  It is a place were people bring their families to enjoy the peaceful landscape and quiet countryside, and for a brief time to share in the monastic life of the brotherhood.

00641
Pannykhida for veterans of Gallipoli and members of the white movement - Nov 26 2011 - 11/26/11


00642
Monastery Brotherhood and Seminarians - Group Photo / October 2011 - 10/25/11


00643
Autumn Pastoral Conference October 18 -20 2011 - 10/21/11

Please click here to see news reports

00644
The Church and Empires: Revisiting the Origins of Orthodoxy in the Americas 1496—1867 - 09/28/11

On September 28, Nicholas Chapman, a member of the Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas, presented a lecture to the Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary community. His lecture, entitled “The Church and Empires: Revisiting the Origins of Orthodoxy in the Americas 1496—1867,” featured the results of archival research in America, England, and Venice, Italy. Mr. Chapman’s lecture challenged the conventional view that Orthodoxy originated primarily with the Russian Mission in Alaska, and instead proposed a more multicultural origin story. He linked the origin of Orthodoxy with American colonization, noting that there were Greek Christians even among the first Spanish explorers. He also explored in depth the first certifiable Orthodox convert in America, Philip Ludwell III, whose descendants may have kept the Orthodox faith for over two centuries. Chapman, who also manages the publication and bookstore operations for the Monastery, has published his findings in a special issue of the journal Road to Emmaus.

00645
Exaltation of the Precious Cross 2011 - Photo Report - 09/27/11


00646
Apple Picking at Holy Trinity Monastery - 09/22/11

On September 22 the seminarians had their first common obedience for the year to pick  apples.  After lunch the students were divided into groups and began collecting the apples into boxes. At the same time there was another group making preparations for apple pies and apple preserves. By the end of the day we had baked forty apple pies, made plenty of apple preserves and another group prepared a barbecue for all the students. We are grateful for the women pilgrims that assisted us in baking the pies and making the apple preserves. The following day a few students  went to Dyn's Apple Cider Mill and got  over 150 gallons of apple cider. Everyone worked hard  and well together and the students felt how important it is to do things together for the common good.

00647
Feast of the Birth of the Theotokos 2011 - Photo Report - 09/21/11


00648
Feast Day of St Job of Pochaev - 09/10/11

On September 10, 2011 Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated the feast day of its protector, St. job of Pochaev at the chapel dedicated to his memory. After the liturgy Archimandrite Luke congratulated Archimandrite Iov of Holy Trinity Monastery on his names day and reminded all of his good example of quiet  labor and monastic life. A moleben was served at the end of the liturgy with a procession of the icon of St Job of Pochaev and the Kursk Icon around the Church.

00649
Begining of the 2011-2012 Academic Year at Holy Trinity Seminary - 09/06/11

September 6, 2011 was the first day of the academic year for Holy Trinity Seminary. After the liturgy a moleben was served before the Kursk Icon of the mother of God asking God's blessing  for the new school year. On the same day Archimandrite Luke met with the students of Holy Trinity Seminary  and spoke to them about the need to develop a right disposition and spiritual attitude. He advised them about the need to participate in the life of the Church, to cultivate brotherly love and be attentive to their lives so that their stay will be one of spiritual benefit. At the end of the talk  Fr Luke blessed the new students to wear a cassock and wished them God's blessing for the new school year. This year the Seminary enrolled twelve new students. The brotherhood wishes that  their stay at Holy Trinity Monastery be for them  spiritually rewarding and that their studies here are joined with a striving for the spiritual life.

00650
Celebrations in honor of St. Job of Pochaev were held in Holy Trinity Monastery - 09/04/11

Every year in September, on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Holy Trinity Monastery triumphantly celebrates the memory of the monastery’s Father and Heavenly Intercessor, St. Job of Pochaev. This year, the celebration of St. Job took place on September 3rd and 4th.
The divine services were led by the monastery abbot, Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), co-served by visiting clergy: Archpriest Wsewolod Drobot (rector of the Nativity of the Mother of God Church in Albany, NY), Eastern American Diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Archpriest Michael Taratuchin (rector of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY), Priest Evgeny Shchukin and Deacon Philosoph Ullman (clerics of the Montreal & Canadian Diocese), and monastery clergy.
On Saturday, on the eve of the feast, the clergy and worshipers who had gathered at Holy Trinity Cathedral set off for the monastery cemetery to the Dormition Church to greet the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. Upon returning to the main cathedral, Fr. Luke led the faithful in singing the akathist to the great God-pleaser St. Job before the icons of the Pochaev Mother of God, the Kursk Root Mother of God, and St. Job. All of t he faithful received copies of the Kursk Icon in honor of the 75th anniversary of the blessed repose of Metropolitan Antony (Khrapovitsky), first Primate of the Church Abroad. The festal All-Night Vigil was then served.

On Sunday morning, the early Liturgy was celebrated in Holy Trinity Cathedral’s lower Church of St. Job of Pochaev. The festal Divine Liturgy in the upper church was celebrated by Fr. Luke, co-served by the above-mentioned clergy. During the Great Entrance, Archbishop Nikon (Rklitsky; formerly of Washington & Florida) was commemorated, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of his blessed repose.
With the blessing of Fr. Luke, during the communion of the clergy, Fr. Serge Lukianov delivered the following sermon:
We’ve gathered today in this holy monastery to honor the holy God-pleaser St. Job of Pochaev and venerate the copy of the wonderworking Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. Today we also prayerfully commemorate the 35th anniversary of the blessed repose of Archbishop Nikon, one of the most outstanding hierarchs of the Church Abroad.
 
The feast of St. Job has been celebrated for centuries in Holy Russia. In one of his remarkable sermons, Archbishop Nikon spoke about the history of this national feast day:
 
"Once, not long before the Great War, tens of thousands of worshipers would gather at the Pochaev Lavra for [the great feast of St. Job of Pochaev]. Then-Archbishop Anthony of Volyn, future founder of the Russian Church Abroad, would summon the faithful to the Pochaev Lavra on these days. And these feasts were dear to the hearts of the people. Having persevered the harsh summer, having gathered their harvests in the fields, farms, and gardens, the Orthodox residents of these western lands, oppressed by their heterodox neighbors, came fervently to the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God and to St. Job of Pochaev in his grandiose Dormition Church."
 
And we, brothers and sisters, living abroad, far from our homeland, have continued this good tradition, for decades gathering here, at Holy Trinity Monastery, filling this marvelous Holy Trinity Cathedral to capacity. But why are we here? Why should we gather here every year? We came to this holy monastery to drink from the spring of eternal salvation.
 
As administrator and ruling bishop, Archbishop Nikon elevated the Diocese to great spiritual heights, because he supported his clergy with fatherly love and summoned the people to the Holy Church. If people would live in the Church and by Her laws, then life on earth would no longer be difficult, because all of Church life is built on prayer and obedience. If we will attend services often and repent of our sins, then everything else will be added to us. Our common life in the Church is a reflection of our internal spiritual life. If within us are love and co-suffering, then we will strive to help and support one another. If in our souls we will harbor envy and pride, then we will foster only vengeance and jealousy, to the rejoicing of the evil one, who ceaselessly seeks to tear apart the one Church – the raiment of Christ.
 
Archbishop Nikon said that, "The Holy Church is the true Teacher of life – She teaches Her children how rightly to live and how rightly to die. In this grace-filled School of life the Teacher is Christ Himself, Who invisibly abides in His Church and, through His Apostles and Saints and through the very life of the Church, teaches the world His teaching: ‘Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen’".
 
Let us continue the legacy bequeathed to us by those countless elders, who for decades labored in this holy monastery. Indeed, many of us remember such beacons of Orthodoxy, such shining examples of piety, as Metropolitan Laurus, Archbishop Vitaliy, Archbishop Averky, Archimandrites Panteleimon, Vladimir, Anthony and Sergius, and we often feel like orphaned children because these beacons are no more. But this is not really the case. They are here, they are with us! They lay at rest in the monastery cemetery, in the crypts, and even the holy walls of this church are filled with their rich spirit of love for Christ and the Holy Church. Ceaseless prayer in this holy monastery is the legacy bequeathed to us by our elders. If we will pay frequent visits to this monastery and draw from this grace-filled spring, then life on this earth will no longer be difficult and, God willing, we will be able to live together eternally with all the saints and our holy fathers.
 
May the Lord God help us, by the prayers of St. Job of Pochaev, to become worthy heirs of these holy elders and Archbishop Nikon, spreading the Gospel of Christ throughout the land. And if we accept this cross and dedicate our lives to serving Christ and His Holy Church, then we will become worthy to bear the name of Christian and will be saved and, in the words of St. Seraphim of Sarov, thousands around us will be saved. Amen.

Upon completion of the Liturgy, a moleben with procession around the cathedral was served. After the service, Fr. Luke greeted his co-brothers and all of the faithful on the occasion of the feast and thanked everyone for their prayerful participation in the feast of St. John of Pochaev. On behalf of His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, Fr. Serge greeted Fr. Luke and the monastery brethren. He also called upon all of the pilgrims to support the monastery: "In these difficult times, we must provide major financial aid to our monasteries, so that our monks may continue to unceasingly pray for our salvation and for the whole world."
After lunch, everyone gathered at the monastery cemetery for a panihida for Matushka Elizabeth Olhovsky (wife of monastery cleric and guardian of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God Deacon Nicholas Olhovsky), who reposed on September 8, 2010. Fr. Luke led the panihida, co-served by several of the clergy.

Source: http://eadiocese.org/News/2011/sept/lbrdy.en.htm

00651
Moleben and Akathist to the Kursk Mother of God Icon - 09/02/11

On Monday, September 5 at 5PM there will be a moleben and Akathist served to the Kursk Root Icon  in English at the cemetery chapel of Holy Trinity Monastery

00652
Feast Day of Saints Florus and Laurus - 08/31/11

On Wednesday, August 31, 2011, the feast day of SS Florus and Laurus, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, prayed during midnight office at 5 am at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Jordanville, NY, after which he officiated at Divine Liturgy. He was joined by Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, the monastic priests and visiting clergymen.  At the customary time of Divine Liturgy, the First Hierarch ordained Subdeacon Philosoph Ullman of the Canadian Diocese to the rank of deacon.

After the service, His Eminence headed a commemorative litiya at the entrance to the crypt of Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory. In addition to Vladyka Laurus, the late abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Sergei (Romberg), who died on this day in 1992, was commemorated. Fr Sergei was a long-time ekonom (steward) of the monastery and a teacher at Holy Trinity Seminary. 

00653
Feast Day of Sts. Peter and Paul - 07/12/11

On July 12,  the feast day of St Peter and Paul Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada came to preside over the services which were attended by many pilgrims, the Russian Scouts (ORUR) and students from the Summer Music School. At the end of the service the 30th anniversary of Archimandrite Luke's ordination to the priesthood was commemorated. A special word of greeting was given by Archbishop Gabriel and on behalf of the monastery brotherhood, Hieromonk Theophylact expressed the brotherhood's support and prayers for his work as abbot and the continuation of the missionary work of the Monastery. Flowers and a prayer rope made by one of the seminarians were presented to Fr Luke. May God grant Fr Luke health and guidance to continue his labors for the good of the Church.



00654
Pentecost and Feast of the Holy Spirit at Holy Trinity Monastery 2011 - 06/13/11

From Saturday the 11th to Monday the 13th of May, Holy Trinity Monastery marked its patronal feast day of Pentecost. The celebrations began on Saturday evening with the festal Vigil. Two Divine Liturgies were served on Sunday morning – the first in the lower church of St. Job of Pochaev, the second in the upper church of Holy Trinity Cathedral. Many of the faithful communed of Christ’s Holy Mysteries during the divine services. The main Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop George of Mayfield. The Divine Liturgy concluded with the Great Vespers service and the Pentecost kneeling prayers.
Monday, the Feast of the Holy Spirit, took on special significance due to the participation in the festivities of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York. His Eminence was co-served at the Divine Liturgy by Bishop George, monastery rector Archimandrite Luke, and a multitude of priests and deacons of the Eastern American Diocese.

During the Small Entrance, Metropolitan Hilarion awarded Archpriest Michael Taratuchin (rector of St. John of Kronstadt Memorial Church in Utica, NY) the right to wear the palitsa. After the Great Entrance, the First Hierarch ordained Hierodeacon Anatoly (Zilin; cleric of Holy Trinity Monastery) a hieromonk, and after the Eucharistic Canon, ordained Subdeacon John Malcom to the diaconate. The newly ordained Deacon John will fulfill his service in the Church of the Entrance into the Temple of the Holy Virgin in Syracuse, NY.
After the Liturgy, a procession with moleben was held around the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Archimandrite Luke then invited the clergy and monastics to a reception in honor of the feast.

Source: eadiocese.org

00655
Photo exhibition «An Island of Holy Russia in Exile» opened in Moscow - 06/03/11

On June 3rd, 2011, a photo exhibition opened in the Solzhenitsyn Library of the Russian Diaspora, devoted to the history of Holy Trinity Monastery and Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, N.Y.Click here for more information.

00656
Holy Trinity Seminary Graduation 2011- Photo Report - 05/29/11

Sixty-Third Annual Commencement of Holy Trinity Seminary

On Sunday, May 29, 2011, Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY, held its sixty-third annual commencement. The day began with the Divine Liturgy in Holy Trinity Cathedral, served by His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, accompanied by His Grace, Bishop Peter of Cleveland (both alumni), and a multitude of priests and deacons. Following lunch in the refectory, faculty, students, and guests processed to the church for the celebration of a Thanksgiving Service (Moleben). Following the service, all the assembled went in procession from the church to the seminary auditorium.

Following a prayer and the singing of the national anthems, Archimandrite Luke, Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary, officially opened the ceremonies. He congratulated the graduands, reminding them of the words of the Apostle Paul: Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2).

His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, then addressed the graduands, encouraging them to apply worthily the knowledge they received in Seminary in their future pastoral work. His Eminence concluded by citing the words of the Apostle Peter: As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10).

Archpriest George Dragas, a renowned theologian and patrologist who is on the faculty of both Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and Holy Trinity Seminary, delivered the commencement address. Fr. George began by remarking that, speaking from the perspective of a visitor – and as one who has travelled throughout the Orthodox world – he is convinced that Jordanville is a place of holiness, an inner sanctum of Holy Orthodoxy. The theme of Fr. George’s address was the royal priesthood, defining the priest as one who makes spiritual offerings, sacrificing things of the body for the things of the soul. The priesthood, Fr. George stated, is the spiritual sacrifice of body, soul, and skills for the glory of God and the service of His people.     

The degree of Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) was then awarded to the following: Maksim Abroskin, Dmitrii Bolbot, Nicholas Lochmatow, Miodrag Radovanovich, Ephraim Willmarth, Alejandro Sandoval, and Jovan Marjanac. The Certificate in Theological Studies was awarded to Deacon Nathan Mouselli and Deacon Ilia Grozdanov.

Awards for academic excellence were granted to: John Martin (first year), Roman Kuhnen (second year), Sergei Grushchin (third year), and Sergei Tuygin (fourth year). Awards for diligence were granted to: Jason Laiblin (first year), Igor Grytsyna and Rassaphore-monk Dionysy (Nikoloski) (third year), and Dimitri Anopochkin (fourth year). Scholarships generously provided by Michael Andreev of the Jordanville Monument Company were awarded to John Martin (first year) and Sergei Tuygin (fourth year).

Words of gratitude of behalf of the graduating class were then offered by Maksim Abroskin (in Russian) and Ephraim Willmarth (in English).

Following a closing prayer, the Rector closed the commencement exercises.     

00657
Anniversary of the Repose of Metropolitan Anastasy 2011 - Photo Report - 05/22/11

Please click here to read his life.

00658
New Website for Holy Trinity Monastery Publications - 05/18/11

A Message from  Archimandrite Luke

Holy Trinity Monastery, April 30/May 13

Dear Rev. Fathers, Brother and Sisters,

Christ is Risen!

Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, is pleased to announce a new beginning in its traditional work of publishing and distributing Orthodox Christian literature. This work will now take place using the name  “Holy Trinity Publications.” In making this new beginning the monastery is recognizing that whilst the Russian Orthodox Church is again free to minister to the needs of the faithful in Russia, there is a growing spiritual vacuum in the West that cries out for knowledge of “the Faith once and for all delivered to the Saints.” The Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian people have preserved this Faith with its own cultural uniqueness. Holy Trinity Monastery is an inheritor of this tradition, and through its publications will seek to make this more widely known.

In doing so we hope to make best use of all that modern technologies and distribution channels offer, so that this heritage can be found and appropriated by the greatest number of people.

With all of these things in mind we have launched a new web site:
http://www.holytrinitypublications.com/
and published four new and very different books:

A Psalter for Prayer: An Adaptation of the Classic Miles Coverdale Translation Augmented by Prayers and Instructional Material Drawn From Church Slavonic and Other Orthodox Sources  - Compiled, arranged, and edited by David M. James

Light Invisible: Satisfying the Thirst for Happiness - By M.V. Lodyzhenskii, Translated by Mother Magdelena of Novo Divievo

Testament of Memory: A Siberian Life - By Mikhail Chevalkov Translated by John Warden

A Practical Handbook for Divine Services - By Gregory Woolfenden

Full details may be found at http://www.holytrinitypublications.com/New_Releases

We value the continuing prayers and support of all in furthering this integral work of the Monastery.

In Christ,
Archimandrite Luke
Abbot



00659
Spring in Jordanville - 05/14/11

 

00660
Holy Pascha at Holy Trinity Monastery 2011 - Photo Report - 04/24/11

 

00661
Holy Saturday 2011 - Photo Report - 04/23/11

 

00662
Video Selections from Holy Saturday Liturgy 2011 - 04/23/11

 

00663
Video Selections from Holy Saturday Matins - 2011 - 04/23/11

 

00664
Holy Friday - Photo Report - 04/22/11

 

00665
12 Passion Gospel Service - Photo Report - 04/21/11

 

00666
Video Selections from 12 Passion Gospel Service at Holy Trinity Monastery 2011 - 04/21/11

 

00667
Holy Unction - Photo Report - 04/19/11

 

00668
Palm Sunday: The Entrance of the Lord into Jerusalem - Photo Report - 04/17/11

 

00669
Third Anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus - photo report - 03/16/11

 

00670
My Soul, my soul arise! - 03/10/11

Kontakion, tone 6

My soul, my soul, arise! Why are you sleeping? The end is drawing near, and you will be confounded. Awake, then, and be watchful, that Christ our God may spare you, Who is everywhere present and fills all things.

00671
Monday of First Week of Great Lent 2011 - Photo Report - 03/07/11

 

00672
His Beatitude Christopher, Archbishop of Prague and Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, visits Holy Trinity Monastery - 02/26/11

On Saturday, February 26, 2011, His Beatitude, Christopher, Archbishop of Prague and Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, visited Holy Trinity Monastery along with His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia...

00673
Troitskoe Nasledie 4 - 02/20/11

 

00674
Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/12/11

 

00675
Kursk Root Icon Visits Holy Trinity Monastery for Moleben and Akathist - Photo Report - 01/27/11

 

00676
Nun Ioanna of St. Elizabeth Skete Reposed in the Lord - 01/19/11

Nun Ioanna, the foundress of St. Elizabeth Skete reposed in the Lord on January 19th, 2011, at the age of 92.

 

After Mother Ioanna retired from a career as a professor of German and Russian at St Michaels College in Burlington Vermont, she received an invitation from Vladika Laurus to teach at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary. Since Mother Ioanna dearly loved the monastery, and visited her father-in-law Fr. Michael Pomazansky  regularly for many decades, she accepted Vladika’s invitation and settled in Jordanville in 1984. As well as teaching, she wrote many articles for the monastery publications.

 

She was made a novice on the 18th December 1987, on the eve of St Nicholas, and this was the beginning of the St Elizabeth Skete. Mother Ioanna was tonsured on the 9th of December 1993, on the eve of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God by Vladika Laurus.  She was given the name Ioanna in honor of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco. Her obediences continued to be teaching and writing articles.

 

After a prolonged illness, Mother Ioanna passed away peacefully on the feast of Theophany, on January 19th.  Memory Eternal!

 

00677
Eve of Theophany - Photo Report - 01/18/11

 

00678
Nativity - Photo Report - 01/09/11

 

00679
St. Herman's Conference Dec 24 - 28 - 01/01/11

Between Dec 24 - 28 Holy Trinity Monastery hosted the annual St. Herman Conference. Please click here for reports of the events that took place. We would like to thank everyone who helped make this event possible.

00680
Entrance of the Theotokos of the Mother of God - 12/04/10

On  Saturday December 4, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion and His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield served at Holy Trinity Monastery for the feast of the Entrance of the Mother of God. Fr Sergio Sette was ordained to the priesthood by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion during the Liturgy. Fr Sergio completed his studies at Holy Trinity Seminary in 2010 and God willing will be going to serve the Church in Argentina in the near future. May God grant the newly ordained Fr Sergio much strength and zeal to serve the Church for the salvation of souls.


00681
25th Anniversary of the Repose of the Ever Memorable Metropolitan Philaret - 11/21/10

On November 21, on the feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Michael and the Bodiless Hosts, His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan precided at the services at Holy Trinity Monastery. This day  marked the 25th anniversary of the repose of the ever memorable Metropolitan Philaret who is buried in one of the crypts below the main cathedral. After the Liturgy His Grace Bishop Jerome accompanied by clergy served a pannykhida at the grave of Metropolitan Philaret. May his memory be eternal and his life serve as an inspiration and example  of true piety and faith.

Crypt of Metropolitan Philaret

00682
Third Issue of "Troitskoe Nasledie" - 11/04/10

The third issue of "Troitskoe Nasledie" is now available. For more information in Russian click here.

00683
Feast Day of St. john of Kronsdat - 11/01/10

On the Feast of St. John of Krondstadt the Abbot of the Monastery and sisters of the Skete of St. Elizabeth celebrated an early morning Divine Liturgy at the chapel in the Monastery forest dedicated to the Saint (and his patron St. John of Rila). Despite the freezing temperature, 27 degrees (the church is not heated and without electricity) we thank God that in this modest way we were able to glorify the Saint's memory and the church dedicated to his name.

The sisters prepared a festive breakfast at their Skete for the Abbot and women attending the service.

00684
Feast Day of the Holy Apostle Luke - 10/30/10

On October 30 - 31 when the Holy Church celebrates the memory of the Holy Apostle Luke, our monastery was visited  with the  Myrrh Streaming Hawaii Icon, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, pilgrims from the St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Washington DC and the wife of the murdered missionary priest Daniel Sysoev in Russia.

On Saturday at 3PM a pannykhida was served in memory of Br. Joseph, the keeper of the Iveron myrrh streaming icon, who was murdered in 2007.

His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion served vigil and all with much reverence and joy venerated the myrrstreaming icon of the Mother of God from Hawai.

On Sunday His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion ordained Hierodeacon Gabriel to the priesthood for the needs of the monastery. At the end of the Liturgy His Eminence congratulated the Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, Archimandrite Luke on his name's day and wished him much strength and wisdom to continue his difficult duties as Abbot. He congragulated the newly ordained Hieromonk Gabriel and thanked God for the blessing of having the myrrhstreaming icon of the mother of God  visit the monastery on the anniversary of the death of Br. Joseph. This icon from Hawai by God's providence began to stream myrrh a number of years ago and has since been a comfort and support to those who turn to the Mother of God in faith and humility.

At 2:30PM a video was shown about the life of the Priest Daniel Sysoev and at the end his wife Julia answered questions about her husband.

Another Pannykhida was served after the video presentation at the graveside of Br. Joseph after which  the pilgrims from Washington departed.

We thank God for such blessings to visit our monastery.


00685
Feast of the Holy Protection - Photo Report - 10/14/10

 

00686
Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross (Photo Report) - 09/27/10

 

00687
Labor Day Weekend 2010 - Photo Report - 09/04/10

 

00688
The Feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God - Photo Report - 08/28/10

 

00689
Second Issue of Troitskoe Nasledie - 08/06/10

 

00690
Three Part Series "An Introduction to the Dogmas and Methods of Ecumenism" by Fr Peter Heers - 08/06/10


00691
Feast Day of St. Elizabeth the New Martyr - 07/18/10

 

00692
Summer Youth Program 2010 - 07/17/10

Holy Trinity Summer Youth Program 2010 report by Ephraim Willmarth, Program Coordinator

From June 27 to July 17, 2010, Holy Trinity Monastery conducted the summer youth program for the second year since its reinstatement. Nine boys ages fourteen to seventeen participated, which was a larger group than the previous year. They came from both nearby New York and New Jersey, and from far and wide, including Virginia, Michigan, Colorado, and Ontario, Canada. They lived at Holy Trinity Monastery for three weeks, keeping a schedule similar to that of seminarians. They prayed with the monastic brotherhood daily, served in the altar, shared common meals, and helped at various monastery obediences. In addition, there was time for play, with sports, swimming, and official outings such as a trip to underground caves and a ride on a historic railroad. The boys had the opportunity to become familiar with the members of the monastic brotherhood. They listened to stories about several of the notable monks who have reposed, as told by Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow, who knew them all personally. The boys participated in discussions and lectures daily about spiritual, moral, and practical topics relevant to their lives. These were led by visiting white clergy and monastic clergy from the monastery. In spite of somewhat different cultural backgrounds, and the fact that most of these boys had never met each other before, the group was united by a desire to be at Holy Trinity Monastery, and by their common faith. They made a manly effort to keep the schedule and did diligent work. Members of the brotherhood had only positive comments about their willingness to work and their good behavior in the altar. The boys themselves commented positively about the program, and expressed a desire to return next year.

00693
Feast Day of St. Peter and Paul - Photo Report - 07/12/10

 

00694
Holy Trinity Monastery Bookstore - 07/10/10

The Monastery's Bookstore is now online.
Please visit us at: bookstore.jordanville.org

00695
Tonsures at Holy Trinity Monastery - 07/02/10

On the eve of the Feast of St John of Shanghai and San Fransisco, Archimandrite Luke tonsured Br. Daniel and Br. Dionysy to Rassophore monks. Fr Luke wished the newly tonsured monks to be persistent and consistent in their daily struggles, to turn to Christ, the mother of God and the saints for support. May God help and establish Fr. Daniel and Fr Dionysy in the monastic life.

00696
Deacon Vladislav Naumkin's ordination to the priesthood - 06/16/10

See the Seminary's website for more info

00697
62nd Commencement of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary - 05/30/10

Click here for more info

00698
Pentecost and Holy Spirit Monday - Photo report - 05/23/10

For more information click here

00699
Bishop Daniel of Erie Reposed in the Lord - 05/12/10

His Grace Bishop Daniel reposed in the Lord on April 26. For more information please visit the Eastern American Diocese here and here

May the Lord grant rest to his soul among the righteous.


00700
Holy Trinity Seminary Journal "Troitskoe Nasledie" - 04/30/10

The first issue of the Holy Trinity Seminary Journal "Troitskoe Nasledie" has recently appeared. It is a quarterly edition in full-color with volume of 80 pages. This journal is in Russian.For more information in Russian, please visit www.hts.edu/nasledie. 

00701
Annunciation of the Mother of God - 04/07/10

 On the feast of the Annunciation of the Mother of God, His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada served at Holy Trinity Monastery. Monk Theophan of Holy Trinity Monastery was made a subdeacon. May God help him to worthily serve the Church.

00702
The Skete of St. Elizabeth the New Martyr in Jordanville - 04/07/10

On the feast of the Annunciation, in 2010, Bishop Gabriel came to the Community of St. Elisabeth and read the Directive from the Synod whereby the community was elevated to the rank of a Skete.

00703
Radonitsa - 04/06/10

On Tuesday of St. Thomas week a general commemoration of the dead was held at Holy Trinity Monastery. For more information about Radonitsa click here

00704
Bright Monday - Photo Report - 04/05/10

 

00705
Pascha at Holy Trinity Monastery - 04/04/10


00706
Palm Sunday - 03/28/10

 

00707
Pannykhida on the second anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus - 03/17/10

 

00708
A photographic Memorial of Metropolitan Laurus - 03/16/10

On the occasion of the second anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus we offer to his many spiritual children a photographic memorial of our beloved father as we all remember him - a true servant of the Church of Christ and a loving Father.

Memory Eternal!

00709
Great Canon of Saint Andrew - 03/16/10

 

00710
Third Sunday of Great Lent - Veneration of the Precious Cross - 03/07/10

 

00711
Holy Saturday - 03/04/10

 

00712
Sunday of Orthodoxy - 02/21/10


00713
First Week of Great Lent - Photo Report - 02/20/10

 

00714
Feast of the Three Hierarchs - 02/11/10

 

00715
Great Friday - 02/04/10

 

00716
Kursk Icon Visits Holy Trinity Monastery - 01/24/10

On Sunday January 24 the Kursk Root Icon was brought to the Monastery by Archpriest Sergei Lukianov. The icon was met by the brotherhood and laity in the evening and a moleben and Akathist was served in the Monastery's cathedral. Following the service Fr Serge gave a moving presentation in the seminary hall of the icon's visit to Russia. May the Mother of God help us and bless the efforts of Fr Serge in taking the icon to as many parishes as possible for the edification of the faithful.

00717
Theophany 2010 Photo Report - 01/19/10

 

00718
Priest Rodion reposed in the Lord - 01/11/10

On January 11, 2009, Priest Rodion Aragon from Costa Rica reposed in the Lord after battling with cancer of the stomach for many months.

In the period of time he spent at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary he gained the love and respect of all. His kindness, willingness to help, humility and positive outlook even amidst suffering was an example to all of us.

We wish Gods help to his Matushka Elena and son Arsenii and the faithful in Costa Rica for their loss of a loving father. May God grant rest to his soul.

00719
Ordination to the Diaconate - 01/09/10

On January 9, 2009, His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada ordained to the diaconate Andrew Doubleday at Holy Trinity Monastery.

We wish the newly ordained deacon many years and a fruitful service to the Church.

00720
Nativity 2010- Photo Report - 01/07/10

 

00721
Great Thursday - 01/04/10

 

00722
Funeral of Archimandrite Joasaph - 12/21/09

On Monday, December 21,  the funeral of Archimandrite Joasaph was held at Holy Trinity Monastery presided by Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, Bishop Peter of Cleveland and Bishop George of Mayfield. Numerous clergy and laity paid their last respects to Archimandrite Joasaph and prayed for his repose.

Archimandrite Joasaph touched the lives of many by his love for the Church and zeal to help others, both as a layperson while involved in teaching and even more so as a priest who was entrusted with the  leadership of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.

He left a bright career in academia to serve more wholeheartedly the Church and although the Lord took Him after one year since his ordination to the priesthood it was as if his desire to serve was fulfilled. Archimandrite Luke told him a few days before he reposed that God looks at the intention of the person and counts it as if it were fulfilled.

The last few months of pain and suffering made Fr Joasaph concentrate even more on preparing his soul to go to Christ by sincere confession, repentance,  communion of the Holy Mysteries, prayer and trust in God's will and providence.

May his sacrifice of a worldly career, his love and sincerity for people, his patient enduring of his sickness, his desire to serve the Church inspire us and warm our hearts who so often get involved with the cares of the world and forget about the one thing needful - to prepare our souls for the life to come.

To the family of Fr Joasaph we offer our condolences but we also say that blessed are you to have a son, a brother, who was granted a blessed ending with hope in God's mercy. For the cancer of the body brings forth a renewal of the soul unto salvation when borne with patience.

May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ grant rest to the soul of His servant, Archimandrite Joasaph among the righteous.

00723
Archimandrite Joasaph, Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Reposes In the Lord - 12/18/09

Archimandrite Joasaph peacefully reposed early this morning at a hospital in Boston after a period of a few months struggling with cancer. He endured this cross with patience and with hope and trust in God's will, preparing his soul for the true and blessed eternal life.

On this day the Church commemorates the memory of the venerable Savvas the Sanctified of Jerusalem. Through the prayers of the Venerable Savvas and all the saints may the Lord grant rest with the righteous to the soul of His servant, Archimandrite Joasaph. Memory Eternal!

The Funeral will be held at Holy Trinity Monastery on Monday December 21 at 1PM.

Please click here for more information

00724
Protopriest George Larin's 40th Anniversary to the Priesthood - 12/07/09

On Monday December 7, Protopriest George Larin celebrated his 40th anniversary to the priesthood at Holy Trinity Monastery. It was here forty years ago that Fr George received his ordination by his beloved Vladyka Laurus. On the occasion of his anniversary, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion sent a letter of congratulations for his service to the Church. Archimandrite Luke, Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, concelebrated at the Divine Liturgy and at the end of the Liturgy wished him and his Matushka, Katherine, God's blessing and many years.

00725
Blessing of the new Iconostas of the St.Job of Pochaev Church - 11/29/09

On November 29, 2009, a week after the consecration of the Church of St. Job of Pochaev, the newly installed iconostas was blessed upon the completion of the Divine Liturgy. The iconostas is a gift to Holy Trinity Monastery by Ekaterina Vladimirovna Anisimova and her husband, Vasilii Vasilievich Anisimov.  It was carved by Andrei Vukolov in Russia. May St. Job of Pochaev bless the donors for the love and honor they showed to St Job of Pochaev. In the prayer behind the ambon we read, "sanctify those who love the beauty of thy House".  May these words serve as a reminder to all of us to the love we should all have for the beauty of the Church to the glory of God.
 

00726
Consecration of the Church of St. Job of Pochaev - 11/22/09

On November 22, 2009 the Church of St. Job of Pochaev was consecrated by His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield to the joy of all the brotherhood. Please click here for more info.

00727
Commission on Dialog with the Orthodox church in America Meets in Jordanville - 11/17/09

The second preparatory meeting of this Commission
was held at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York on November 17 and November 18 , 2009.

Participating were: His Grace. Bishop George of Mayfield,Chairman; Archimandrite Luke; Protopriest David Moser, Priest Peter Jackson, and Mitred Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff, Secretary.

00728
Saint John of Kronstadt Feast Day Utica, NY 2009 - 11/01/09

 

00729
Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary Wall Calendar 2010 (English or Russian) - 10/30/09

Full-color 12”x16” Orthodox wall calendar for 2010. The Calendar features beautiful views of Holy Trinity Monastery with scenes from the lives of the Monastery and Seminary communities. Each month includes listings of feasts, non-fasting weeks, commemorative days, and fasting days. Also featured are feast days celebrated locally at Holy Trinity Monastery.

•    14 pages of heavy weight paper
•    Languages: English, Russian separate versions
•    Size: 12 x 16 inches
•    Binding: Spiral with a hanger
•    individually wrapped

 Now available for order from the Monastery bookstore. Price: $19.50 plus shipping.

Individual Orders send to : bookstore@jordanville.org

Bulk Orders send to: press@jordanville.org

00730
Softener of Evil Hearts - 10/10/09

The myrrh streaming icon of the Mother of God "Softener of Evil Hearts" was at the monastery from September 25 to September 29. Read here for more details.



00731
Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Near Caves - 09/28/09

 

00732
Labor Day Weekend 2009 - 09/06/09

On September 5-6, labor day weekend, by God's grace the Monastery celebrated the memory of St. Job of Pochaev and honored the Mother of God of Pochaev. On Saturday at 3pm there was a procession to the Dormition Chapel were the icon of the Mother of God of Pochaev was  returned to the main cathedral of the Monastery. A moleben was served with an Akathist to St. Job of Pochaev. His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield presided in the services as well as clergy from various parishes.

On the following before  the liturgy, Sergei Jakubov, a graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary, was tonsured a reader and during the liturgy Deacon Andrei Rodenko was awarded the double orarion for his service to the Church.   We would like to thank the clergy and faithful who attended the services and prayed with us and wish the newly tonsured reader Sergei and Deacon Andrei many years of service to the Church. 

00733
Pannykhida for Metropolitan Laurus - 08/31/09

On the feast day of the holy Martyrs Florus and Laurus, on Monday August 31 a pannykhida was served for Metropolitan Laurus at his grave side. We are grateful to Metropolitan Hilarion, Archibishop Mark and Bishop John who were are able to come on this day and pray for the repose of our memorable Father Vladyka Laurus.

00734
The feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God - 08/28/09

On the Feast of the  Dormition,  Holy Trinity Monastery celebrated with two liturgies; one in English at the chapel of Dormition in the cemetery and one in Slavonic in the main cathedral. Both were attended by many pilgrims. After the service in the main cathedral there was a procession with the Pochaev icon of the Mother of God to the cemetery chapel where a moleben was served.

00735
Transfiguration and Iveron Icon of the Mother of God - 08/22/09

This year for the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord we were honored to have present with us the Myrrh Streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God from our parish in Hawaii. Reader Nektarios, the protector of the icon, arrived before Vigil with the icon. After Compline on the day of the Feast a moleben and akathist were served before the icon. The following morning Archimandrite Luke served Liturgy for the nuns of the community of St. Elizabeth with the icon present. After the Liturgy the icon left for our parish in Albany and then to Boston.

The faithful witnessed the holy  myrrh streaming from the icon of the Mother of God,  which formed and continued to stream collecting on the cotton wool below the icon. At various times the myrrh would flow outside the frame and the faithful would anoint themselves with the myrrh. This inspiring event greatly enhanced the solemnity of the Feast and was was spiritually uplifting for the Brotherhood and all the faithful. To read more about  this icon go to this site.

00736
Commission on Dialog with the Orthodox church in America Meets in Jordanville - 08/05/09

The Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, at its meeting held on April 22/May 5, 2009 established a Commission for Dialog with the Orthodox Church in America.

The first preparatory meeting of this Commission
was held at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York on July 22/August 4 and July 23/August 5, 2009.

Participating were: His Grace. Bishop George of Mayfield,Chairman; Archimandrite Luke; Protopriest David Moser, Priest Peter Jackson, and Mitred Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff, Secretary.

This Preparatory Meeting discussed a
variety of proposed Agenda items for the future Joint
Meetings of the Commissions and made assignments to the Commission members for the drafting of position papers to be discussed  at  the next meeting of the Commission, scheduled for November.

A presentation on the preliminary work of the Commission will be made at the next meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Church Abroad.

The members of the Commission expressed their
gratitude to Archimandrite Luke and the members of the brotherhood of Holy Trinity Monastery for organizing and hosting the meeting and for their warm hospitality.

00737
Ordination to the diaconate - 08/05/09

On July 26, Andrei V. Psarev was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion in Jackson, NJ.

May our Lord Jesus Christ grant the newly ordained Father Andrei His grace to serve the Church with zeal and love. Axios!

00738
Summer Youth Program Report - 07/10/09

After many years in abeyance, the Jordanville Summer Youth Program was relaunched on June 21, 2009, on the Sunday of All Saints of Russia.  The program was open to boys between the ages of fifteen and eighteen, and lasted three weeks.  Six boys came from different parts of the United States to be part of the Youth Program, having heard either by word of mouth or by looking at the Jordanville website. 

The boys participated in the life of Holy Trinity Monastery, attending services daily and working with the monks at various obediences.  Some of the obediences included serving in the altar, painting icons, working in the vegetable and flower gardens, helping in the kitchen and bakery, and cleaning the Seminary dormatory.

There were many special features of the program as well. The group met with a priest including Rev. Victor Boldewskul and Rev. Alexei Pjawka for spiritual instruction and discussion daily.  The boys learned about the fundamentals of Orthodoxy, the lives of saints and were exposed to the living heiritage of Holy Trinity Monastery including its spiritual connection with the Pochaev monastery.  Archimandrite Luke, the Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, met with the boys and spoke on special topics.  Two of the boys received instruction in iconography from Monk Theophan. Fr. Boris Henderson, the Summer Youth Program advisor, came from Colorado to do a woodworking project with all the boys. They all participated in campfires and lenten barbeques, swimming in the monastery lakes, sports, and fishing.  One special fishing trip was led by Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow.  Fr. Victor brought the boys to a lake where Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory would sometimes retreat for relaxation.  They rented a boat and had a lenten cookout on an island.  The boys also went to Howe Caverns and the Baseball Hall of Fame in nearby Cooperstown. 

Abbot Luke, Fr. Boris, and the planners and organizers of the Summer Youth Program would like to thank all those who donated to the program.  Together they made the program affordable and accessible to people would otherwise not be able to attend, and contributed greatly to the program's success.




 

00739
Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi Reposed in the Lord - 07/03/09

On July 1, 2009, Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi, Mount Athos, reposed in the Lord. His grace filled appearance in blessed repose is a testament to how God blesses those who sincerely struggle to live a life of holiness. He was one of the two remaining disciples of the Holy Elder Joseph the Hesychast. He arrived in Mount Athos, New Skete, in 1946 from Cyprus. In New Skete he joined the brotherhood of Elder Joseph the Hesychast and there began his ascetic struggles. From 1987 he lived in the Monastery of Vatopaidi where he reposed.
 
His deep humility and love for our Savior, his patristic understanding of the monastic life shone forth as a bright light and example for the monastic community of Mount Athos. His words touched the hearts of many and his books, "Elder Joseph the Hesychast: Struggles, Experiences, Teachings"  and "Obedience is life: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia" are a testament of his rich experience of the grace of God. May God grant rest to his soul and may his life be an inspiration and guide to all of us for a life in Christ.

00740
Commencement 2009 - 06/30/09

On Sunday May 31, Holy Trinity Seminary had its 61st Commencement for the graduating class of 2009. For a detailed news report see the Seminary website.
May God bless the graduating students so that this experience of theirs of not only learning but living and taking part in the services and life of the monastery and seminary may bear abundant spiritual fruit.

00741
Monday of the Holy Spirit - Photo Report - 06/10/09

 

00742
Holy Pentecost - 06/08/09

On Sunday June 7,  our Monastery celebrated the Feast of Pentecost. We had the joy of having His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield preside  at the services. To the many pilgrims who took part in the services we wholeheartedly wish them God's blessing.

00743
Youth Retreat - Memorial Weekend - 06/05/09

On Memorial Day Weekend, Holy Trinity Monastery hosted a retreat for Orthodox young adults.  Many came from as far away as Florida and California.  The greater number of participants came from the young adult community of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, but all were welcome and some came from other jurisdictions.
The retreat officially began on Saturday, May 23, following the Divine Liturgy and breakfast in the monastery refectory, which was attended even by those who arrived late in the evening before.  Retreat organizer and seminarian Michael Perekrestov welcomed the participants to Holy Trinity Monastery.  Graduating seminarian Vladimir Davydov gave a lecture based on his bachelor’s thesis, which focuses on the cemeteries of Holy Trinity Monastery.  After the lecture, all took part in a Litya for Metropolitan Laurus and the reposed mentioned in the lecture.  Then the group broke up into three randomly chosen groups who helped to beautify the monastery.  One cleaned the cemetery church dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God.  Another helped to clean, paint, and prepare the garage building to be a nice dining hall for the pilgrims who will be coming for the monastery’s feast day, on Pentecost.  The third helped to beautify the monastery grounds by weeding, trimming, and spreading decorative mulch.  After lunch in the refectory and a break, the group gathered in the Holy Trinity Seminary hall for a lecture and slide presentation on Metropolitan Laurus, which was given by the Metropolitan’s former cell attendant and dedicated lifetime assistant, Protodeacon Victor Lochmatow.  Father Victor answered questions and gave a vivid picture of Metropolitan Laurus’ life and personality, which he witnessed from the time of his early youth.  All were grateful for the opportunity to get to know Metropolitan Laurus a little better.  After a short break, Archimandrite Luke (Murianka) gave a tour of some of the buildings on the Monastery grounds, including Holy Trinity Cathedral, the baptistery, and the monastery print shop.  He spoke about the meaning of the church icons, the history of Holy Trinity Monastery, and shared his thoughts on its historical and current mission.  Afterward, the group went to the cemetery church to read the rule for Holy Communion, which was done partly in Slavonic and partly in English.  The group enjoyed supper in the Monastery refectory with the monks, and then attended the all-night vigil.  Some of the participants sang in the choir with the monks and seminarians, while others stood and prayed for the entire service.
The following morning, on the Sunday of the Blind Man, the group attended the Divine Liturgy and many approached the chalice.  After lunch, many attended an optional presentation by a representative of the Eastern American Diocese Youth Association, Katherine Rimakis.  Ms. Rimakis gave some recommendations and guidelines for better organization of church youth events and communication between parish youth groups.
Afterward, all went to Glimmerglass Park on Lake Otsego for a bar-b-que.  By God’s Providence, the clouds cleared and the weather was beautiful.  There was a soccer game, Frisbee, swimming, and singing songs.  All were very grateful to God for this time together.  The group returned to Holy Trinity Monastery in time to attend Small Compline.  After the service, all attended a bonfire on the Monastery property.  Many talented individuals played guitar and sang songs, including traditional Russian and Cossack songs, Irish ballads, American spirituals, and popular music.  All enjoyed listening and eating s’mores.
The next morning after liturgy and breakfast, the group attended a discussion on Orthodox Spirituality with comments on monasticism and marriage by Hieromonk Cyprian (Alexandrou), the Holy Trinity Seminary Dean of Students and also Instructor of New Testament Greek.  After the talk, the participants went on a tour of the icon studio with iconographer Monk Theophan.  Then they visited the museum, guided by Michael Perekrestov.  This officially concluded the Memorial Day Weekend retreat.
Many voiced the hope that this will become an annual event.
On behalf of all the participants of the Memorial Day Weekend Youth retreat, Archimandrite Luke and the event organizers would like to especially thank Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, Archpriest George Lagodich, and the clergy and parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec for a generous donation, which helped greatly to make everything possible.  We would also like to thank all those who contributed in any way, including our local Orthodox sisters who baked delicious home-made sweets for the group.

00744
Bright Saturday - Patriarchal Cathedral New York - 05/03/09

On April 25, 2009, clergymen from the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and from the Moscow Patriarchate gathered at the St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City in order to concelebrate at the Liturgy of Bright Saturday.  Click here for more information .

00745
Bright Monday - 04/27/09

 

00746
Bright Tuesday - 04/27/09

 

00747
Memorial Day Youth Retreat - 04/24/09





00748
Holy Pascha - 04/19/09

Christ is Risen!

00749
Holy Saturday - Liturgy - 04/19/09

 

00750
Holy Saturday - Matins - 04/19/09

 

00751
Holy Friday Vespers - 04/17/09

 

00752
Holy Unction Service - 04/17/09

 

00753
Palm Sunday 2009 (Photos) - 04/17/09

 

00754
Service of the Twelve Passion Gospels - 04/17/09

 

00755
Sunday of the Veneration of the Precious Cross - 04/05/09

Photo Report

00756
Tonsure into the Schema - 04/05/09

On Friday, April 3,  2009 after the service of the Akathist Rassophore Monk Evgeny of Holy Trinity Monastery was tonsured to the Small Schema by Archimandrite Luke, receiving the name of Saint Gabriel of the Seven Lakes. May our Lord Jesus Christ help Fr Gabriel in his monastic struggles and grant him patience and humility.

00757
First Year Anniversary since the repose of Metropolitan Laurus - 03/19/09

The first year anniversary since the repose of the ever memorable Metropolitan Laurus was on March 16, 2009. On this day the blessing of the new marble tomb was performed by Archimandrite Luke, Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery,  which was then  followed by a pannykhida service. Archimandrite Luke gave an inspiring talk on the life of Metropolitan Laurus, his simplicity, prayer life, and perseverance in his struggles amongst his sicknesses.

Part of the talk (in Russian) may be viewed here.

See also two texts by Matushka Elena Perekrestov and Reader Tikhon Thompson and a  text by Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko.

00758
New DVD Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Holy Trinity Monastery - 03/19/09

A new DVD commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Holy Trinity Monastery is now available. It includes 2 DVD's and covers the three day festal celebrations in 2005. It is beautifully recorded and edited as well as being inspiring.

 The cost of the DVD is  US$20.

Orders  by e-mail:
 
bookstore@jordanville.org

By Mail

Holy Trinity Monastery Bookstore
PO Box 36
Jordanville, NY 13361
USA

By Fax

1 315 858 0505


00759
Sunday of Orthodoxy -2009 - 03/12/09

On Sunday, March 8, 2009 His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan served at Holy Trinity Monastery for the Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. His Grace gave an inspiring sermon on the significance of this feast and our responsibility of keeping the Faith.


00760
Important Appeal - 03/11/09

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

The financial crisis in the world around us is felt in our Monastery. This has created difficulties in meeting the operating costs in the Monastery for electricity, heating and the most necessary repairs. We appeal to our benefactors to remember us in their prayers and ask their support.

With love in Christ,


Archimandrite Luke and Brotherhood




00761
Sunday of Orthodoxy - 03/08/09

Last year, on the Sunday of the first week of Great Lent when the Holy Church commemorates the Triumph of Orthodoxy,   our beloved Father and Archpastor Metropolitan Laurus reposed in the Lord.

May the Lord God grant rest to His soul among the righteous. On this feast day this year we cannot help but remember the day when the large large bell of our monastery bell tower sorrowfully echoed the news of the repose of Metropolitan Laurus.

Vladyka loved the Church, he loved this monastery, he honored and prayed with much faith in front of the Kursk Root icon of the Mother of God and St. Job of Pochaev. All his spiritual children will remember his quiet childlike faith and love he showed when venerating the icons. May his example warm our hearts to increase our seal to grow closer to  God, to the Mother of God and the Saints.

Below are two videos from September 3 2005.

00762
First Week of Great Lent - Photo Report - 03/07/09

 

00763
First Week of Great Lent - 03/05/09

Below is a video recording of the Kontakion of the Great Canon sung  at Holy Trinity Monastery, March 4, 2009.

Kontakion of the Great Canon, Sixth Tone

My Soul, my soul arise! Why sleepest thou? The end draweth near, and thou shalt be troubled; arouse thyself, then, that Christ God may spare thee, Who is everywhere present, and filleth all things.

00764
Ordination to the Priesthood of Deacon Alexei Pjawka - 03/05/09

On February 12, 2009, on the feastday of the Three Hierarchs, the Rev. Deacon Alexei Pjawka was ordained to the priesthood by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

May the Lord bless the newly ordained Priest Alexei and his wife Alexandra so that he may serve the Church and bear abundant fruit.


00765
Patriarch Kirill - 03/05/09

On January 27, Metropolitan Kirill was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. On February 1, 2009 Metropolitan Kirill was enthroned at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

Most of  the Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia participated in the election process as well as many delegates from all the ROCOR  Dioceses.

In his acceptance speech Metropolitan Kirill asked for prayers to bear the heavy cross of Patriarch and so it is our duty to pray for our pastors in Church and in our private prayers. May the Lord God grant our new Patriarch strength, wisdom and steadfastness in the Faith.

Many Years.

00766
Ordination to the priesthod of Fr. Rodion - 01/22/09

On the Synaxis of St. John the Baptist, January 20, the Rev. Deacon Rodion Aragon was ordained to the priesthood by His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.

Father Rodion is currently studying at Holy Trinity Seminary and will move back to Costa Rica in the near future.

May God strengthen him in his service to the Church.


00767
Nativity 2008 - 01/07/09

  Photo Report

00768
St. John of Kronsdat - 01/02/09

 

00769
Ordination to the Diaconate - 12/28/08

On Sunday, December 28, 2008,    Rodion Aragon was ordained to the diaconate by His Grace, Bishop George of Mayfield in the Cathedral of Holy Trinity Monastery. Rodion is  a first year seminarian at Holy Trinity Seminary from Costa Rica. God willing Father Rodion will be ordained to the priesthood  in the near future so that he may serve and begin a new parish in Coronado, Costa Rica. Preparations for a new church are being made in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. May God help him and strengthen him in his new service to the Church.

00770
Icon Mounting Studio Website is Online - 12/16/08

We are pleased to announe that the first phase of the Icon Mounting Studio Website is Online. Click below to go to site:

www.iconstudio.jordanville.org

00771
Bishop George's First Hierarchical Liturgy - Photo Report 12/8/08 - 12/08/08

00772
The Conscecration of Archimandrite George to the Episcopate, and the ordination of Hierodeacon Joasaph to the Priesthood - 12/07/08

On Sunday, December 7,  the Very Rev. Archimandrite George was consecrated to the episcopate by His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland and His Grace Bishop John of Caracas, receiving the title of Bishop of Mayfield. His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion could not be present, as was preparing to attend the funeral of Patriarch Alexey in Russia.

In a festal and joyous atmosphere, the brotherhood of the Monastery, pilgrims and clergy  from many states joined in prayer and witnessed a truly solemn and grace-filled event. Hundreds of people came, even though the weather was not conducive to travel, thus showing their love and support for the Russian Orthodox Church in her consecration of a convert Bishop to serve the pastoral needs of  the many Orthodox Christians whose primary language is English.

The newly consecrated Bishop George also ordained hierodeacon Joasaph to the priesthood. Fr. Joasaph is preparing to serve the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. In his acceptance speech Bishop George reminded us that "the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few." May Christ our Lord help His Grace Bishop George and Hieromonk Joasaph to labor in the vineyard of the Church, so that by their efforts and struggles God will grant them His Grace to bear abundant fruit unto the salvation of souls.

Eis Polla Eti Despota!

00773
Bishop Elect Archimandrite George's Nomination Speech - 12/06/08

Speech of Bishop Elect Archimandrite George

read at the Service of Nomination

Saturday, December 2008

at Holy Trinity Monastery

God-loving Hierarchs, dear Fathers, Brothers, and Sisters in Christ!

It is with fear and trembling that I stand before you now, with the realization that along with the day of my baptism, this is probably the most important day of my life. Since the day that I learned that my name had been presented as a candidate to the episcopacy, I have been in a state of bewilderment, wondering how this could happen, and thinking that somehow it simply would not happen. However, as we all know, the ways of man are one thing, and the ways of God are another.

I was born in the Midwest, in Illinois, raised in a pious Roman Catholic family, with an older brother who is a Roman Catholic priest, and an aunt who is a nun. I attended a Roman Catholic elementary school and high school. In elementary school I attended mass daily, served as an altar boy and sang in the choir. My parents were good Christian examples, my father especially being a remarkably meek and patient man. In spite of all this, when I became a young man I began searching for something more, not even knowing what that might be. Eventually my travels brought me to California where God opened my mind and heart and revealed to me His Orthodox Church. I truly felt like the person in the Gospel parable who found the pearl of great price. I quit my job and made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and Mt. Athos. It is there that I firmly decided to become a monk. Upon returning home I joined the Russian Church in San Francisco and went to Platina, where Frs. Herman and Seraphim told me to go to Holy Trinity Monastery, here in Jordanville, where I arrived in September, 1975.

Here I was blessed to study in the seminary and become a novice by Archbishop Averky, and I was instructed in the monastic life, both by word and example, by the many fathers here at that time, such as Frs. Vladimir, Sergei, Anthony, Gury, Jonah, and Tikhon, who all showed much fatherly love and care for the young monks and novices and always encouraged us. When Vladika Laurus became the abbot in 1976, he became like a genuine father for me, always showing great love and patience. After graduating from the seminary I was given a blessing to go to Mt. Athos to live, in 1981. I had hoped to stay there, but God judged otherwise. As St. Ambrose of Optina says: “The all-good Providence of God always arranges what is most beneficial for us, while in our ignorance, we very often strive for the very opposite.” I returned here in 1986 and Vladika Laurus ordained me a hierodeacon that year, and a hieromonk in 1987. As a hieromonk and later as a confessor I came to see how the grace of God works through us sinful creatures, in spite of our many weaknesses and infirmities, as St. Paul says: “I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me” (Phillip. 4:13). It is this, and monastic obedience, which gives me the strength to accept the decision of the Council of Bishops that I be consecrated a bishop, all the while being conscious of my sins and unworthiness. Perhaps the only training I have for this exalted position is monastic obedience, and I think it is significant that I was not asked, or given a choice, but merely informed of the Bishops’ decision, allowing me only to say, “May it be blessed.”

I ask you, holy archpastors, to pray for me, that my heart and mind be always open to the Word of God and that I may have the strength and courage to obey it. I ask you to continually guide me and instruct me as I start out on this new path, and later on that you admonish me whenever you see that I am making a mistake, that I, and the flock entrusted to me, may profit from your wisdom and experience. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I ask for your prayerful support, that God may continually strengthen me and guide me by His Holy Spirit to do His work, “for the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”  I ask all of you to pray that the Lord have mercy on me, that at the Last Judgment, as it says in the prayer of consecration of a bishop, I may stand unashamed before His throne and receive the great recompense which He has prepared for them that have endured sufferings for the preaching of His Gospel.

 

 

 

00774
Tonsure of Protopriest John Shaw - 12/06/08

On Friday December 5, after the service of Compline, the Very Rev. Protopriest John Shaw was tonsured to the schema by His Grace, Bishop John of Caracas in the main Cathedral of the Monastery. He received the name of St. Jerome of Stridonium. May our Lord Jesus Christ through the intercessions of St. Jerome grant Hieromonk Jerome wisdom and enlightenment as he prepares himself for his high calling as a Bishop. 

00775
Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple - 12/05/08

On Thursday, December 4, 2008, Bishop John of Caracas served vigil and liturgy at Holy Trinity Monastery for the feast of the Entranceof the Theotokos into the temple.

00776
Pannykhida for His Holiness Alexy, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia - 12/05/08

On Friday, December 5, Bishop John of Caracass and clergy of Holy Trinity Monastery served the first  pannykhida for the repose of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. Patriarch Alexy will be remembered for his love of the Church and his unceasing efforts to revive the Church  in Russia and bring forth unity between the Church in Russia and the Russian Church Abroad. May the Lord grant him His Heavenly Kingdom.

00777
Patriarch Alexy reposed in the Lord - 12/05/08

His Holiness, Patriarch Alexy, reposed in the Lord on Friday, December 5. May the Lord grant rest to his soul. Memory Eternal!

00778
Proposed Windmill Project in Jordanville - 11/10/08

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: Many times in the past our dear abbot Metropolitan Laurus sent out appeals asking you to help support our beloved Monastery. Once more, we are in a position where we need your help. The township in Jordanville is proposing to build a wind farm with 40 wind turbines, each to be 399 feet high. The closest one will be 1.14 miles from the monastery. All of the turbines will be to the east of the monastery and will be clearly visible. As desirable as it is to have clean energy, this project is being built without adequate consideration for the health of the residents living closest to the wind turbines. Research indicates that the noise from the wind turbines can disturb sleep, affect health, well being and productivity. Blood pressure and heart rate can be affected and cause cardiac arrhythmia as well as a host of other health problems. The most vulnerable people are the old, the ill, the blind, hearing impaired, fetuses, babies and children. The proposed wind farm will also affect the scenic landscape surrounding the monastery. Anyone who has gone to our hilltop cemetery to pray, or walked up to the cross on the hill, will remember the incredible feeling of peace. This calming of the soul will be impacted by the view of 40 turbines spinning, as well as the noise they create. We are afraid that the monastery, as a place of spiritual retreat will be jeopardized. We are hoping that the Historical Preservation agency will declare Holy Trinity Monastery as a Historical Site, and as such, we will be eligible for some protection from this type of development. The Historical Preservation agency will meet on December 3, 2008 to decide our case. During the next couple of days, we request that you send a letter to the Historical Preservation agency and indicate how special Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary is to you in terms of its spiritual importance and cultural significance. Over the decades and generations, Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary have been a place where pilgrims come to pray and to celebrate the Holy Church feasts. It has helped to train priests and teach our children the Orthodox faith. With your help, we hope this tradition will continue in the next and future generations. Please address your letter to: Ruth Pierpont, Director Field Services Bureau New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation Peebles Island, P O Box 189 Waterford, NY 12188 USA If possible a copy of the letter should be sent to : Holy Trinity Monastery (Wind Project) P.O. Box 36 Jordanville, NY 13363 USA We also ask that you include us in your prayers. Archimandrite Luke Abbot

00779
Synaxis of the Holy Optina Elders - 11/10/08

On October 23, the Holy Church commemorates the memory of the Holy Optina Elders. We have the blessing of having a chapel dedicated to their memory in the main monastery dormitory and relics of Saint Ambrose, Saint Anatoly the Younger, and Saint Nektary of Optina. The lives of these holy men serve as examples for all christians  and a guide to true spirituality.

00780
Synaxis of the Saints of the Kievan Caves Monastery - 11/10/08

On Saturday, October 11, our monastery had the great joy of solemnly celebrating the memory of the Saints of the Kievan Caves Monastery. The services were presided by His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion,  with the participation of many clergy. The Monastery is blessed to have a reliquary of many of the Saints of the Kiev Caves, whose presence serves as a reminder of the sanctifying grace that God bestows to those who serve Him in humility and truth.  On the eve of the feast, Joseph McLellan was tonsured to the small schema by His Eminence, and received the name of the Holy Hierarch Joasaph, Bishop of Belgorod. On the following day Fr Joasaph was ordained to the dianconate. May our Lord Jesus Christ  help the newly ordained hierodeacon Joasaph so that he serve the Church in piety, and may  Saints Joasaph and the Saints of the Kiev Caves be to him  a constant support and inspiration to attaining holiness.

00781
Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross - 09/29/08

On the feast of the Exalatation of the Holy Cross his Grace, Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, presided in the vigil and divine liturgy. During the liturgy, hieromonk Theophylact of Holy Trinity Monastery, was awarded the gold cross for his service to the Church and the Monastery. May the Lord grant him strength to continue working in the vineyard of the Church.

00782
Beginning of Seminary Classes 2008-2009 - 09/14/08

On September 8, 2008,  after the Divine Liturgy, a moleben for the beginning of classes was served. On September 9, the Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary, Archimandrite Luke,  spoke to all the students, advised them,  and encouraged them to seek true wisdom which is derived from the Church.  May God bless the instructors and students so that this year may be fruitful and spiritualy edifying.

00783
Feast Day of St. Job of Pochaev - 09/14/08

On September 10, 2008 the monastery celebrated the feast day of St. Job of Pochaev in the chapel dedicated to his name.

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Pilgrimage Weekend - 08/31/08

On Labor Day Weekend, every year, the Monastery celebrates the  Pochaev Icon of the Mother fo God and St. Job of Pochaev. This year also coincided with the memory of the Martyrs Florus and Laurus, the patron saints of the late Metropolitan Laurus and Archimandrite Flor. On Saturday at 3:00 PM the faithful in procession walked to the cemetery chapel dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos to greet the Pochaev icon which was left there on the feast of Dormition. The faithful walked under the icon of the Mother of God asking for her heavenly protection, and then all,  singing hymns to the Mother of God, returned to the main cathedral. The Pochaev icon was placed in the middle of the church and the icon of St. Job of Pochaev next to it. A moleben with an Akathist to St. Job was served followed by small vespers and the rule for Holy Communion. At 7:00PM vigil begun with Litia around the church and the blessing of the loaves. On Sunday two liturgies were served, one at 6 and the other at 9:00.

May the Mother of God and St. Job of Pochaev bless all the pilgrims, protect this monastery and strengthen the monastics in their service to the Church.

Thank you to all the visititng clergy and faithful for their love and support.

00785
Dormition of the Theotokos - 08/27/08

THE DORMITION OF THE MOST-HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD

by Saint Nikolai Velimirovic

The Lord Who, on Mt. Sinai, commanded by His Fifth Commandment: "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12), showed by His own example how one should respect one's parent. Hanging on the Cross in agony, He remembered His mother and indicating to the Apostle John, said to her: "Woman behold your son" (St. John 19:26). After that, He said to John: "Behold your mother" (St. John 19:27). And so providing for His mother, He breathed His last. John had a home on Zion in Jerusalem in which the Theotokos settled and remained there to live out the end of her days on earth. By her prayers, gentle counsels, meekness and patience, she greatly assisted the apostles of her Son. Primarily, she spent her entire time in Jerusalem often visiting those places which reminded her of the great events and of the great works of her Son. She especially visited Golgotha, Bethlehem and the Mount of Olives. Of her distant journeys, her visit to St. Ignatius the Theophorus [God-bearer] in Antioch is mentioned, as well as her visit to Lazarus (whom our Lord resurrected on the fourth day), the Bishop of Cyprus, her visit to the Holy Mountain [Athos] which she blessed and her stay in Ephesus with St. John the Evangelist [The Theologian] during the time of the great persecution of Christians in Jerusalem. In her old age, she often prayed to the Lord and her God on the Mount of Olives, the site of His Ascension, that He take her from this world as soon as possible. On one occasion, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and revealed to her that within three days she will find repose. The angel gave her a palm-branch to be carried at the time of her funeral procession. She returned to her home with great joy, desiring in her heart once more to see in this life, all of the apostles of Christ. The Lord fulfilled her wish and all of the apostles, borne by angels in the clouds, gathered at the same time at the home of John on Zion. With great rejoicing, she saw the holy apostles, encouraged them, counseled them and comforted them. Following that, she peacefully gave up her soul to God without any pain or physical illness. The apostles took the coffin with her body from which an aromatic fragrance emitted and, in the company of many Christians, bore it to the Garden of Gethsemane to the sepulchre of [her parents], Saints Joachim and Anna. By God's Providence, they were concealed from the evil Jews by a cloud. Anthony, a Jewish priest, grabbed the coffin with his hands with the intention of overturning it but, at that moment, an angel of God severed both his hands. He then cried out to the apostles for help and was healed since declaring his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Thomas was absent, again according to God's Providence, in order that a new and all-glorious mystery of the Holy Theotokos would again be revealed. On the third day, Thomas arrived and desired to venerate [kiss] the body of the Holy All-pure one. But when the apostles opened the sepulchre, they found only the winding sheet and the body was not in the tomb. That evening, the Theotokos appeared to the apostles surrounded by a myriad of angels and said to them: "Rejoice, I will be with you always". It is not exactly known how old the Theotokos was at the time of her Falling Asleep but the overwhelming opinion is that she was over sixty years of age.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE MOST-HOLY BIRTH-GIVER OF GOD [THE THEOTOKOS]

Thus spoke the Lord Most High

From your heart, Virgin pure,

Living water, to flow,

That, those who thirst, drink Christ -

Life-bearing Source,

We are all boastful of you!

So that the thirsty, drink Christ:

By Him, the bitter to be sweetened,

By Him, the blind to be washed

And by Him, the sorrowful, to heal their grief

Life-bearing Source

We are all boastful of you!

Beverage, from eternity arrived,

The arid time, the brook filled,

And again, toward the heavens raised;

The world exhausted, became refreshed-

Life-bearing source,

We are all boastful of you!

O All-pure One, glory to You,

O Mother of God, glory to You!

For us, to the Living Christ, You gave birth

The living water of grace -

Life-bearing source

We are all boastful of you!

REFLECTION

Each one of the faithful can learn much, indeed very much, from the life of the Virgin Theotokos. However, I would like to mention here only two things. First, she had the habit to frequently on Golgotha, on the Mount of Olives, in the Garden of Gethsemane, to go to Bethlehem and to other places famous because of her Son. At all of these places, especially Golgotha, she prayed on bended knees. By this, she gave the first example and incentive to the faithful to visit the holy places out of love toward Him Who, by His presence and by His passion and glory, made these places holy and significant. Second, we learn how she, in her prayer, prayed for a quick departure from this life that her soul, at the time of her separation from the body, not see the prince of darkness and his horrors, and hidden from the dark regions not encounter the power of Satan. Do you see how terrible it is for the soul to pass through the toll-gates [mitarstva]! When she, who gave birth to the Destroyer of Hades and, who herself has frightening power over demons prayed thusly, what then is left for us? Out of very great humility, she commended herself to God and did not trust in her own deeds. So much less should we trust in our deeds and even more we should commend ourselves into the hands of God, crying out for His mercy, especially for mercy at the time of the departure of the soul from the body.

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the wondrous proof by which Samuel confirmed his words before the people (1 Samuel 12 - 1 Kings 12):

1. How Samuel told the people it is evil before the Lord that they seek a king for themselves beside the Lord, the King;

2. How for the confirmation of his words, he called upon God to permit thunders and rain;

3. How the thunders and rain descended and how the people were frightened of God and of Samuel.

HOMILY

About the most glorious Child

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Upon whom of mortal man, in human history could all of these titles, all of this authority, all of this glory apply? There is no one. That is why St. Chrysostom says: "It is impossible to understand this in regard to any other man but only in reference to Christ." The prophet here clearly expresses two natures in the Savior of the world: the Human and the Divine. "A Child is born," this signifies a purely human nature. "Unto us a Son is given," this unites the two natures in one person: the Son of God and the Son of the Virgin in the person of the Incarnate Lord. However, the remaining titles signify the divine nature of the Lord Jesus. His government is "upon His shoulder," i.e., the government is His. His own government and is not borrowed. "Mighty Counseller," is this not the Holy Trinity? The angel or messenger and herald of this Triune Counsel is the Son of God, the Pre-eternal Word. "Wonderful Counseller," for all that is wonderful, all that is an amazement, all that is new which came to mankind is from Him and through Him.

"The Mighty God," what would Arius and his modern adherents, who deny the divinity of the Lord Jesus, say to this? "The Prince of Peace," for from Him is lasting peace; outside Him is war, without and within. "The Everlasting Father," [the Father of future times] as He is the Lord of the past, so also is He the Lord of the future. Furthermore, He is also the Father of the Church, the Creator of the new world, the Founder of the Kingdom of God.

Isaiah himself, the son of Amos, saw this wonderful and true vision some seven hundred years before it was revealed to the entire universe.

O Lord Jesus, You are to the prophets the most glorious prophecy and to the faithful, the most glorious revelation. Unlock our mind that the wonderful glory of Your majesty can enter into it and unlock our heart so that it would be filled by Your life-creating love.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

Source: www.westsrbdio.org


00786
Remembering our Fathers - 08/20/08

On Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Archimandrite Luke served a pannykhida in memory of Archimandrite Jospeh, one of the co-founders of Holy Trinity Monastery, and Archimandrite Vladimir, a well known and beloved spiritual Father of the Monastery. They both reposed on this day,  1970 and 1988 respectively.

00787
The Transfiguration of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ - 08/18/08

From the Prolog by Saint Nikolai Velimirovic

In the third year of His preaching, the Lord Jesus often spoke to His disciples of His approaching passion but at the same time of His glory following His suffering on the Cross. So that His impending passion would not totally weaken His disciples and that no one would fall away from Him, He, the All-wise, wanted to partially show them His divine glory before His passion. For that reason, He took Peter, James and John with Him and, with them, went out at night to Mt. Tabor and there was transfigured before them: "And His face shone as the sun and His garments became white as snow" (St. Matthew 17:2). There appeared along side Him, Moses and Elijah, the great Old Testament prophets. And, seeing this, His disciples were amazed. Peter said: "Lord, it is good for us to be here: if You will, let us make here three tabernacles; one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah" (St. Matthew 17:4). While Peter still spoke, Moses and Elijah departed and a bright cloud overshadowed the Lord and His disciples and there came a voice from the cloud saying: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; hear Him" (St. Matthew 17:5). Hearing the voice, the disciples fell to the ground on their faces as though dead and remained that way, lying in fear, until the Lord came near to them and said: "Arise and be not afraid" (St. Matthew 17:7). Why did the Lord take only three disciples on Tabor and not all? Because Judas was not worthy to behold the divine glory of the Teacher, Whom he will betray and the Lord did not want to leave him [Judas] alone at the foot of the mountain so that the betrayer would not, by that, justify his betrayal. Why was our Lord transfigured on a mountain and not in a valley? So as to teach us two virtues: love of labor and godly-thoughts. For, climbing to the heights required labor and height represents the heights of our thoughts, i.e., godly-thoughts. Why was our Lord transfigured at night? Because, the night rather than the day is more suitable for prayer and godly-thoughts and because the night, by its darkness, conceals all the beauty of the earth and reveals the beauty of the starry heavens. Why did Moses and Elijah appear? In order to destroy the error of the Jews, as though Christ is one of the prophets; Elijah or Jeremiah or some other that is why He appears as a King above the prophets and that is why Moses and Elijah appear as His servants. Until then, our Lord manifested His divine power many times to the disciples but, on Mt. Tabor, He manifested His divine nature. This vision of His Divinity and the hearing of the heavenly witness about Him as the Son of God, should serve the disciples in the days of the Lord's passion, in strengthening of an unwavering faith in Him and His final victory.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE TRANSFIGURATION OF OUR LORD GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST

There, where Israel defeated Sisar

There also condescended, the Heavenly King

Prayer, to go and to nightly vigils,

The glory of His Transfiguration, to manifest,

And the faith of His followers, to confirm

In the eternal victory of Him the Victor.

There, divine light from Himself, He released

Dispels the thick darkness, and illuminated Tabor;

The Light, for a long time, which in Himself contained

From which, to the world, a little at a time dispensed

Abundant rays, now released,

Jubilant rays, sweet rays.

The glow of humanity, to reveal to heaven,

To earth and to men, the Divine Truth.

Let the firmament, its Representative see,

Let the earth recognize God, the Savior.

REFLECTION

Why did our Lord not manifest His divine glory on Tabor before all the disciples instead of before three of them? First, because He Himself gave the Law through the mouth of Moses: "At the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established" (Deuteronomy 19:15). Therefore, three witnesses are sufficient. These three witnesses represent three main virtues: Peter Faith, for he was the first to confess his faith in Christ as the Son of God; James Hope, for, with faith in the promise of Christ, he was the first who laid down his life for the Lord, being the first to be slain by the Jews; John Love, for he reclined on the bosom of the Lord and remained beneath the Cross of the Lord until the end. God is not called the God of many but rather the God of the chosen. "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob" (Exodus 3:6). God often valued a faithful man more than an entire nation. Thus, on many occasions, He wanted to destroy the entire Jewish nation, but because of the prayers of righteous Moses, spared that nation to live. God listened more to the faithful Prophet Elijah than to the entire unbelieving kingdom of Ahab. Because of the prayers of one man, God towns and people. Thus, the sinful town of Ustiug was to be destroyed by fire and hail had it not been saved by the prayers of the one and only righteous man in it, St. Procopius, the "fool for Christ" (July 8).

CONTEMPLATION

To contemplate the Providence of God, which rewarded the virtue of Ruth and Boaz (The Book of Ruth):

1. How Ruth, being left a widow, remained faithful to Naomi, her aged mother-in-law and, by her labors, fed both, Naomi and herself;

2. How the wealthy Boaz was merciful and helped these two poor women;

3. How Boaz and Ruth entered into marriage from whom was born Obed, the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.

HOMILY

About the exaltation of the Church of God

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it" (Isaiah 2:2).

This prophecy pertains to the Church of Christ. However much of this prophecy could seem to be mysterious to the Jews before Christ, so much more is it completely clear for us today. Mountain or height: the house of the Lord is truly established "in the top of the mountains", i.e., in the heights of the heavens, for the Church of Christ, first, is not sustained by the earth but rather by the heavens and finally, one part of the members of the Church (and now, a greater part) is to be found in heaven, while the other part is still on earth.

Further, the Church of Christ is "exalted above the hills", i.e., above all earthly and human greatness. Human philosophy and art and all the cultures of people as well as all earthly values represent only the low hills in comparison to the infinite heights of Christ's Church. For it was not difficult for the Church to create all of those hills, while neither one of them, nor all of them together, in the course of many thousands of years, was able to create the Church.

Finally, the prophet says: "all nations shall flow into it." To what, truly, up to now, have all the nations flowed if not into the Church of Christ? The Temple of Jerusalem was inexcessible to the Gentiles under the penalty of death. The Church, however, from the beginning called all nations on earth, obedient to the command of the Lord: "Go ye therefore and teach all nations" (St. Matthew 28:19).

This is the vision of Isaiah, the son of Amos, a vision from afar, a vision truthful and wonderful.

O Wonderful Lord, we give You unceasing thanks that You have made us worthy to be the children of Your Holy and True Church that is exalted above all the worldly heights.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

Source: http://www.westsrbdio.org 

00788
Appeal by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia - 08/16/08

Having learnt about the hostilities in Tshinvali and its outskirts, I call upon the warring parties to cease fire and return to the path of dialogue. Blood is being shed in South Ossetia and people are being killed and this makes my heart to grieve profoundly. Among those who have lifted their hand against each other are Orthodox Christians. What is more, those who have come into conflict are Orthodox nations who are called by the Lord to live in brotherhood and love. I am aware of the appeal to peace made by His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Iliya of All Georgia. I also make my ardent appeal to those who have gone blind with hatred: stop! Do not let more blood be shed, do not let today’s conflict be expanded many times over! Show common sense and virtue: sit at the negotiation table for talks with respect for the traditions, views and aspirations of both the Georgian and Ossetian peoples. The Russian Church is ready to unite efforts with the Georgian Church and help in achieving peace. May our God, Who ‘is not a God of disorder but of peace’ (1 Cor. 14:33), be our Helper in this endeavor.

+ ALEXY
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

00789
Grant Rest O Lord to the Newly Departed Servant of God Olga - 07/26/08

On July 23, 2008, Olga, the mother of the Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, Archimandrite Luke, reposed in the Lord. After a period of sickness, the Lord took her on the eve of her patronal feast day. She was born in 1926 in Philadelphia coming from a long line of priests in her family and married to Peter Murianka who reposed in 2001 and is also buried at Holy Trinity Monastery. May the Lord grant the newly departed servant of God  Olga eternal rest in His Heavenly Kingdom.

00790
Bishop John of Caracas - 07/24/08

On June 21, 2008, Hegumen John (Berzins) of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America was consecrated to the episcopacy in the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Erie, PA. He was given the title Bishop of Caracas and will administer the South American parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Divine Liturgy and the rite of consecration, and the rite of nomination held the evening before, were celebrated and performed by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, President of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Grace Bishop Daniel of Erie, and His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland.

The election of Fr John as Bishop of Caracas took place at the recent Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and, in accordance with the Act of Canonical Communion signed on May 17, 2007, was confirmed by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The divine services of June 21, as is customary in the Old-Rite Church of the Nativity in Erie, were performed in the ancient tradition. Participating were a multitude of clergymen who gathered in the city for the Orthodoxy in the 21st Century Conference, including Priest John Miroliubov, Secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Committee on Old-Rite Parishes.

Source: www.synod.com

00791
Russian Orthodox Scouts visit Holy Trinity Monastery - 07/17/08

On Tuesday July 15,  the Russian Orthodox Scouts of the St. George Pathfinders of America visited Holy Trinity Monastery for their annual pilgrimage accompanied by the Very Rev. Serge Lukianov. A moleben was served at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, followed by a tour and lunch for all our guests.

00792
Chapel of St. Job of Pochaev - 07/10/08

Due to renovations,  the chapel of St. Job of Pochaev located in the basement of the Holy Trinity Cathedral will be closed for the next two weeks.

00793
Pictures of Holy trinity Monastery - Part Two - 07/10/08

Holy Trinity Cathedral

00794
Pictures of Holy Trinity Monastery - Part one - 07/02/08

Monastery Grounds

00795
Sunday of All Saints of Russia - 06/29/08

On The Feast of All Saints of Russia

Saint John of Shanghai & San Francisco

 

The feast of All Saints of Russia is not a feast of just righteous ones, but of saints. God is filled with holiness; "Holy is the Lord our God." But man is created in the "image and likeness" of God, and the Lord at creation blew into him the power to partake of the Divine essence and thereby come closer to God, and the closer a man is to God, the holier he is. Saints are those who have partaken of the Divine essence and made it their own; to God, they become "His own." The saints enjoy blessedness, for God is blessed. From them there is light for men. Through them the power of God is revealed. Saints retain all that is characteristic of the human condition; they know everything that is ours. They are near to God, but they are also near to us; they walked and dwelt among us. The people of Holy Russia venerated them, kissed their icons and holy relics, wanted to be as close as possible to the saints, touched holiness, and the Russian land was filled with it. Holy Prince Vladimir demonstrated the regenerating power of the Divine essence upon himself. Previously wild and passionate, he was completely reborn, so that he became a new person, radiating light and joy, and was called "beautiful sun." Do not think that contact with holiness is the fate of only the Russian nation. No! All peoples can live in the spirit that Holy Russia lived and lives in, and then they are close and comprehensible to each other. St. Anthony of the Kiev Caves and St. Anthony the Roman were men of different countries, but together they built the Russian Church, and they are equally near and dear to her. Until recent times we did not have martyrs, but there was a multitude of saints. They influenced the direction that the Russian people took; the people loved them and tried to follow them, and this determined the way of life. All of life was illuminated, until spiritual apostasy began, which led to a fall. But Holy Russia is alive. When the persecution began, strugglers were revealed, confessors, and now we have martyrs. The spirit of Holy Russia lives. Holy Russia is part of the Ecumenical (i.e., the entire) Church. Celebrating the saints, we desire to be together with them and to acquire the power of God through their holiness. They know us, our nature, our characteristics and spirits, and they know our souls, too-what is necessary for us. We are close to them as children are close to parents. The Apostle Peter prayed for his disciples. St. Demetrius of Thessalonica rushes to help the Greeks because this is his own nation. Sts. Boris and Gleb help their relatives (e.g., Alexander Nevsky), and their own Russian people.

00796
Chapel of the Optina Elders - 06/27/08

The Elders of Optina are commemorated on October 10. They were officially glorified on May 12, 1990 in the Cathedral Church of Saint Nicholas in Montreal, Canada. The chapel to the Optina  Elders, as well as our monastery's bell tower  were completed in 1988 as part of the millenian celebration of Orthodoxy in Russia. It is located on the third floor of the monastic dormitory and adorned with the original icon that was used for the glorification,  and many other holy relics of saints. Services are held at the chapel during the winter season.

Read here an account of the glorification of the Holy Elders of Optina. The Elders of Optina brought many people to salvation through their prayers and their God given wisdom and enlightenment. They have inspired  and guided countless of faithful to a true understanding of the spiritual life. May they help us in our difficult times to lead a proper spiritual life based on humility and truth.

Saint Herman Press has published an excellent  series of the lives of the Optina Elders. These books are highly recommended as they inspire one towards the spiritual life and are contemporary examples of people striving towards holiness. These books may also be purchased through our bookstore.

00797
Easter Sunday Vespers - 2007 - 06/27/08

In memory of our beloved Father, Metropolitan Laurus. Video selections from Easter Sunday Vespers

00798
Prayers for St. Herman Monastery and St. Xenia Skete - 06/27/08

The Monastery of St. Herman of Alaska in Platina and the St. Xenia Skete  in Wildwood  are greatly  threatened by fires that have been ravaging many parts of California the past few days. Please pray  that God will protect them and all those  in immediate danger of losing their properties.

00799
ROCOR Directory 2008 - 06/27/08

The directory of the Hierarchy, Clergy, and Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia is available online in PDF format. This edition will be revised to reflect the current changes, and will be posted with corrections in the near future.

00800
Funeral for Archpriest Gabriel Kin - 06/19/08

On Tuesday, June 17, the Very Rev. Archpriest Gabriel Kin reposed in the Lord  after a period of sickness by which he prepared his soul for the Heavenly Kingdom. He was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Averky in 1969 and served for many years the Western American Diocese. After many years of service as a missionary priest he settled in Richfield Springs, close to the Monastery, where he served.  He also taught  for a number of years at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary. He will be remembered for his love and dedication to the Mother of God, his piety, pure heart,  and love towards people. May the Lord grant him Eternal Rest!

00801
Tuesday After Pentecost - 06/17/08

Photo report.

00802
Monday After Pentecost - 06/16/08

On Monday of the Holy Spirit, we had the honor to have His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion serve with us again. The Very Rev. Michael Boikov was awarded the jeweled cross for his service to the Church. Rev. Deacon Aleksey Dyuka was ordained to the priesthood and will now serve the Church in China. Deacon Nikolai Olhovski, received the double Orarion for his service and dedication to Metropolitan Laurus and  the Church, Andrei Psarev, instructor of Russian Church History and Canon Law at Holy Trinity Seminary was made a subdeacon, and Arsenii Pilguik, a graduate of Holy Trinity Seminary was tonsured a reader for the German Diocese. May God help them in their service to the Church and grant them much strength. At the end of the liturgy Protodeacon Joseph read Grammata from the Synod of Bishop to Protodeacon Victor Lohmatov thanking him for his over 50 years of service, support and self sacrifice  in assisting  the late Metropolitan Laurus and working for Holy Trinity Monastery.

00803
Pentecost Sunday - 06/15/08

On June 15, 2008  the Monastery solemnly celebrated the feast of Pentecost with Metropolitan Hilarion. At the end of the Vespers Service, the newly elected abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, Archimandrite Luke,  was given the abbot’s staff as a symbol of his new role as a pastor and shepherd of the brotherhood entrusted to him. His Eminence expressed his warm wishes and expressed his heartfelt prayers that the Holy Spirit grant him enlightenment, strength and wisdom to carry out his duties. After the common meal a reception was held at the skete of the late Metropolitan Laurus for all present.

00804
Election of the New Abbot - 05/19/08

On May 6/19, the Feast Day of St. Job of Pochaev, a new abbot for Holy Trinity Monastery was elected. Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, and Bishop Peter of Cleveland traveled from New York City to take part in the election. They were met with the ringing of bells, as Archimandrite Luke and the brotherhood waited in church to greet their new First Hierarch and Metropolitan.

00805
Official Pannykhida for Metropolitan Laurus - 04/06/08

Photo report.

00806
Repose of Metropolitan Laurus - 03/16/08

On Sunday, 16 March 2008, on the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery reposed in the Lord. May the Lord grant him rest in His Kingdom!

00807
Pannikhida for Metropolitan Laurus

Holy Trinity Monastery
1407 Robinson Rd.
PO Box 36
Jordanville, NY 13361

info@jordanville.org
Telephone: (315) 858-0940
FAX: (315) 858-0505