Throughout the 2000-year existence of the Orthodox Church, monasteries have been important places of worship, evangelization and education in the Faith for the faithful who crossed through their doorsteps.  Monasteries were established everywhere in the world by the monks and nuns who traveled as missionaries to spread the Gospel message of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Monastic communities first came to life in the 4th century in the desert lands of Palestine.  In those remote places were already living men and women who decided, by choice, to give up the normal earthly life and unite themselves to Christ and serve Him for the rest of their lives.  In this period, those hermits were living their lives alone in the desert and they had to be strong in faith and also had to have a lot of courage to do so.  Their strength was God, Himself, and they did not need man-made shelters.  This way of life was, in the beginning, the best for those hermits, and still is in some cases today - but only for a few.  Now, the monastic life is conducted in a more gathered fashion and organized in communities.  The first to organize those monastic communities were St. Anthony the Great, a great hermit, himself in the desert of Egypt, and then St. Theodosius the Hermit, who organized the monasteries in the desert-lands of Palestine.

This organization of the monasteries in the 4th century was followed by the rules and codes for monastics which were created by St. Basil the Great and the other Holy Fathers at the Church Councils.  Bringing the monks/nuns together in one community allowed them to live, pray and work together as a family and be more involved in the Church life as a result.  Monasteries, thus, later became centers of education and produced many of the Church’s great theologians and clergy.  With monasteries around, it was now easier to find a place of retreat and peace for the soul, and to be closer to God.  They provided opportunities to be educated in the Faith and to know the Church’s teachings better.  Thus, the purpose of gathering all the monks or nuns into one centered community was to provide for the needs of the Church and to strengthen the Church in its times of trouble.

The Church Fathers established the "monastic codes" which are the base of the life in any monastery, wherever it is founded.  Those codes were put into practice back in the 4th century and are still in use today, thus showing the continuity of the role of the monasteries in the life of the Church.  According to those codes, monastics should live in a community, of their own choosing, where they would pray and work along with all the other members under the guidance of a superior - for monasteries of men (monks), an abbot, and for monasteries for women (nuns), an abbess.  Everybody must obey that person and show respect because the abbot/abbess is entrusted by the bishop with special responsibility to guide and care for the needs of the community.  The superior is responsible before the bishop and before God for his/her flock.  Also, all the members of the monastery must ask for permission or a blessing from the superior in everything they do – thus, fulfilling one of the monastic vows, obedience; one must obey the abbot/abbess in the monastery without any comment.

However, some of us might think that the monastic life is a very comfortable and easy life, but the reality is completely the opposite.  The monastic life is not easy and proves to be extremely difficult for those who are not called to it.  It is not a simple way of life either, to give up everything you have and to dedicate your whole life to God and to the service of the Church – which are the other two vows of monasticism, poverty by free will and chastity.  The monastics do not marry or have a family, and also do not own much; everything they have belongs to the monastery and is used for the common good of the entire community.

The monks must also show humility and love in everything they do.  That is why they wear black clothing, because black is considered the color of humility and death – the monastics are dead to the world and alive in Christ.  Furthermore, everything they do is with love and compassion because they do it in the name of Christ and for Christ.  However, the most important part of the monastic life is prayer.  The monks and nuns pray every day, multiple times at different hours, in church or in private.  They pray for themselves and for their salvation, but they also pray for us and for our salvation and for the world and its welfare, peace and protection.  The monastics follow what Christ said, "If anyone wishes to follow Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me."  They have their own "cross" to carry on the path of salvation, but they also help us with our "cross" in our journey.

Therefore, monasteries are an important part of the Orthodox Church because they sustain the foundation of the Church and help to build on it the quality of Christian life.  As one Church Father said, monastics are "the pillars of the Church" and the monasteries are "gardens of the Mother Of God" because the Birthgiver of God is the protectress of the monasteries and their inhabitants.  Therefore, as precious gardens which they are, we should all protect and support them and ask for their unceasing prayers to God for our salvation.

 
MONASTERIES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF
THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX EPISCOPATE OF AMERICA

The Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord  (for women)
Established:  1968
Abbess:  Very Reverend Mother Christophora (Matychak)
Mailing Address:  RR 1, Box 184-X, Ellwood City PA 16117-9719
Location:  Route 488, Portersville PA
Telephone & Fax:  (724) 758-4002

The Orthodox Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God  (for women)
Established:  1987
Abbess:  Very Reverend Mother Gabriella (Ursache)
Mailing Address & Location:  3389 Rives Eaton Rd., Rives Junction MI 49277-9739
Telephone:  (517) 569-2873
Fax:  (517) 569-2252
Website:  www.dormitionmonastery.com

The Ascension of the Lord Orthodox Monastery  (for men)
Established:  2001
Abbot:  Very Reverend Archimandrite Dr. Mihail (Filimon)
Mailing Address & Location:  23300 W. Davison St., Detroit MI 48223-3031
Telephone & Fax:  (313) 592-0570
Website:  www.holy-ascension.org