Memorial Day pilgrimage to mark centennial of North America’s oldest Orthodox Christian monastery

An aerial view of St. Tikhon’s Monastery, South Canaan, PA, during the early 1930’s.

SOUTH CANAAN, PA [OCA Communications] — With just days before the opening of the 101st annual pilgrimage to Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery here on Friday, May 27, 2005, the monastic brotherhood, students at the adjacent Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, and faithful from area parishes are busy making final preparations to welcome thousands of pilgrims from across North America.

This year’s pilgrimage has been long anticipated, as it marks the 100th anniversary of the monastery’s establishment.

His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, primate of the Orthodox Church in America, will preside at the centennial celebration. Joining him will be the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops, a number of visiting hierarchs, and thousands of clergy and faithful.

“Founded by Father Arseny [Chagovetz] in 1905 with the blessing of then-Archbishop Tikhon [Bellavin] of North America, the monastery church was consecrated on May 30 of the following year,” said the Very Rev. John Matusiak, OCA communications director. “Built with donations from hard-working central and eastern European immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania’s coal and steel regions and the northeast, the monastery has served as a center of Orthodox Christian spirituality and education for a century.”

The original monastery community consisted of several monks who, in addition to living a monastic life, organized an orphanage. In 1938, the adjacent Saint Tikhon’s Seminary was established by decision of the Church’s hierarchs. Today, the seminary boasts an enrollment of over 70 students from across North America and abroad, double the number of seminarians studying just a few decades ago.

Over the years, Orthodox Christian faithful have flocked to the monastery during its annual Memorial Day weekend pilgrimage for worship and fellowship and to pray at the graves of their loved ones interred in the monastery’s cemetery. Dozens of additional buildings and shrines have been erected on the monastery grounds since it’s establishment. Most recently, a new bookstore and museum honoring the OCA’s former primate, Metropolitan Theodosius, who retired in 2002, were constructed.

“The centennial pilgrimage is expected to attract thousands of faithful and visitors,” Father Matusiak added. “A combined choir of hundreds of voices will sing under the direction of the Very Rev. Sergei Glagolev during the pilgrimage, and a set of bells marking the centennial will be blessed and dedicated. Commencement exercises for Saint Tikhon’s Seminary will also be held during the weekend.”

The pilgrimage will end on Monday, May 30, with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy by Metropolitan Herman, members of the Holy Synod of Bishops, and numerous other hierarchs. A number of other services will be celebrated throughout the four-day celebration.

Click here for the complete schedule of pilgrimage services and events.