Monastery News
2019 was an important year for the monastery farm. Despite the extremely wet and cool spring and the long hot drought which followed, we were able to make significant improvements in our farming system to help meet the needs of our expanding brotherhood.
Continue reading
The wondrous miracle of the incarnation of God, which was accomplished more than two thousand years ago, today fills our souls with ineffable joy. "Today God hath come to earth and man hath ascended to the heavens" (verse at festal Vespers). The Maker and Provider of all things has appeared in the world, for by His grace He could not "behold mankind oppressed by the devil" (from the Order of Baptism); "overcome by love, He Who is without beginning and incomprehensible came… to seek out the one who had wandered, His creature" (kontakion for the Parable of the Lost Coin by St. Romanos the Melodist).
Continue reading
On Saturday, November 16, the Hermitage was blessed with a visitation of the Mother of God's Kursk-Root Icon, an ancient and miracle-working icon which is considered the protectress of the Russian Church Abroad. At the same time, relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov arrived as a gift to the monastery by the brotherhood of St. Tikhon's Monastery in Pennsylvania. St. Seraphim himself was healed as a child by the Kursk-Root Icon of a severe illness, and this second meeting of the two at our humble monastery was the cause of great joy and gratitude amongst all the brethren.
Continue reading
Archimandrite Seraphim speaks about the need for a new church at Holy Cross Monastery and shares some of the beautiful new designs presented to us by our designer, Andrew Gould. Please pray that the Lord blesses this very necessary endeavor, and consider donating as you are able.
Continue reading
Designer Andrew Gould shares some of the thoughts and inspirations behind the new church design in Orthodox Arts Journal:
With great pleasure, I have developed a design for a new church for the Hermitage of the Holy Cross in West Virginia. In many ways, this design is the culmination of 15 years of thought, research, and experimentation on my part, and encapsulates the best of my ideas for Orthodox church design. I would like to share with you the story of this project.