St. Tikhon’s Monastery to host Monastic Gathering

— In conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery here, a special gathering of members of monastic communities of the Orthodox Church in America will be held July 29-31, 2005.

In issuing the invitation, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman noted that the gathering will focus on “the important role that monasticism has played and continues to play in the life of The Orthodox Church in America and provide an opportunity for representatives of our Church’s monastic communities to gather in prayer, discussion, and fellowship.”

The gathering will also offer an opportunity for participants to formulate plans for an international monastic conference to be tentatively hosted by the monastery in the summer of 2006.

The wonderworking icon of the Mother of God of Valamo will be present throughout the gathering. His Eminence, Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland, accompanied by Archimandrite Sergei, abbot of New Valamo Monastery, and Mother Maria, abbess of Lintula Convent, will bring the icon to North America to visit Saint Tikhon’s Monastery. The icon will also be present in Kodiak, AK, at the celebration of the 35th anniversary of the glorification of Saint Herman of Alaska.

The monastic gathering will begin Friday, July 29, at 10:00 a.m., and will conclude on Sunday, July 31, after the Divine Liturgy and lunch.

Monastic communities may send as many participants as they wish. Registrations should be sent by July 22, 2005 to His Grace Tikhon, Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania and Deputy Abbot of Saint Tikhon’s Monastery, PO Box 130, South Canaan, PA, 18459.