Old Monastery
Usually when I think of a monastery I think of caves in the mountains of Greece with ancient stone rooms or deep in the woods As they like it to peaceful. You may be as surprised as I was to discover that there are monasteries in the wilderness of Alberta. That is the subject of today’s blog.
First you should know that I phoned ahead to obtain permission to visit and photograph this site. Not only did I receive permission to enter their land, but fellow provided me with lots of interesting stories and history of the area. He was a caretaker of the area but not himself a monk. However he knows the monk who lives nearby and knew a lot of the stories of his adventures.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to meet the monk but it would be really neat to meet him to hear his stories first hand.
The local homesteaders knew the road past the monastery as “Monks Road”.
The Monks would use that road to travel by a team of horses and wagon to Vegreville and Bellis.
I walked the old wagon trails the dirt path each Monastery homes from the monastery to each of the resident monk’s homes. It was about a 5 minute walk in the woods to each residence. These monks were living in the wilderness where you could hear the birds singing and squirrels chirping. The monks of this order took a vow of silence. This religious vow pertained to all monks of the order. In this wilderness the only sounds to be heard were the birds and the squirrels and maybe occasionally the chopping of wood. The silence of the wilderness was the monk’s by choice and promise. They devoted their lives to prayer and service by leaving society.
The Heavenly Kingdom in the Wilderness.
Monastic life in the Orthodox church. Monastic life plays an important role in many Christian churches, especially in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. In some Greek Orthodox monasteries the monks pray unceasingly. This contrasts with Roman Catholic monks who frequently sing or chant as part of their daily devotions. In non-Christian faiths such as Buddhism, monks gather to learn and teach others.
Some of the things that I saw were so very unique.
For example the earth clay fireplace which was interesting because it had no burn marks from the heat and smoke of the fire. There is a piano here as you can see from the photos. This old piano must have a lot of stories to tell but they are not stories of the monastery because it didn’t belong to the monks. Someone might have thought of it as a gift or maybe even wanted to discard it. Since the monks didn’t need the piano they put it to good use by placing it on top of the water well so that nobody would fall into it.
The original monks, under the leadership of the first abbot, Archimandrite Germogen (Cherkashin), were originally from the Saint Job of Pochaiv brotherhood (known as the larva) in Ukraine by way of the Holy Trinity Monastery, Holy Dormitorn Pochaiv Jordanville, New York. The original monastery of Saint Elias was abandoned after Archimandrite Germogen (Cherkashin) moved away in the early 1960s. The last of the original monks to live at the old site finally moved to the Nativity of the Theocons, near Nisku Alberta.
Revival of the previous community, 2011
The title of Igumen of Saint Elias Hermitage was revived under the Archodiose of Canada with the tonsure and elevation of then Igumen Alexa (Pihach), who was the second to hold the office and title of abbot. Igumen Gerasim (power tonsured to be a rasophor monk of the Saint Elias Hermitage (under Abbot Alexander Jonah. , Paffhahausen 14 December, 2011, at Holy Trinity. in Smoky Lake, Alberta. He was elevated to the dignity of igumen in June of 2012 in Winnipeg , Manitboa by Bishop Irenee (Roche), then Administrator of the Archdiocese of Canada. On 21 September, with the blessing of Bishop Irénée, he was tonsured into the Lesser Schema by Archimandrite Alexander (Pihach) at Saint Herman's Sober. Following the appointment of Archimandrite Alexander to be the Dean of Saint Catherione Representation Church in Moscow, Igumen Gerasim was subsequently assigned by Bishop Irénée (Rochon) to be the abbot of Saint Elias' Hermitage. He is the third to hold that responsibility. In February of 2014, Stavrophor Monk Tikhon (Green), formerly of Saint Silouan's monastery near Johnstown, Ontario, was transferred and attached to the Hermitage of Saint Elias.According to their website, “The Archdiocese of Canada is the legitimate descendant in Canada of the mission of the Russian Empire in North America. The diocese was founded and incorporated by Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus, in 1903.”
“Even though the Mother Church granted us self-governing status in 1970 with a new name, the Orthodox Church in America, we are that same Church established through the mission of St. Herman and others sent from Valaam Monastery to Alaska. Our mission is the same as theirs. We are called by God to take what we have inherited from Russia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Palestine, Syria and other Orthodox lands, and plant the Truth of Jesus Christ in the Orthodox manner in Canada.”
“The great variety of our parishes and their life show the many ways in which we struggle to undertake this in faithful obedience to the Lord.”
Monarch Butterflies have light brown wings with black veins and their caterpillars are noted for their bright stripes.
As I walked around I found some old stoves, cans, and bottles that were left behind when the monks left.
Although it was raining on and off the rain made great scenery photos.
Rain drops on trees dripping down. It is a historic site, the Hermitage of Prophet Elias is a monastic community consisting of Archimandrite Alexander [Pihach], Dean of the OCA Representation Church in Moscow, Stavrophore Monk Tikhon (Greene), (who resides in Edmonton Alberta - about an hour and half away), and Igumen Gerasim [Power], as the current ruling abbot, who keeps the home fires burning onsite at the current residence in Smoky The title of Igumen of St. Elias Hermitage was revived under the Archdiocese of Canada (OCA) with the tonsure and elevation of then Igumen Alexander [Pihach], who was the second to hold the office and title of abbot. Igumen Gerasim [Power] was tonsured a Riasophore monk of the St. Elias Hermitage, under Abbot Alexander, by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, December 14th, 2011 at Holy Trinity Russo-Greek Orthodox Church in Smoky Lake Alberta. He was elevated to the title of Igumen in June of 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by His Grace, Bishop Irénée [Rochon], administrator of the Archdiocese of Canada, and on September 21st, was received into the Lesser Schema by Archimandrite Alexander [Pihach] at St. Herman’s Sobor (Sobor - definition, a council, synod, or convention), Edmonton Alberta, with the blessing of Bishop Irénée. Following the appointment of Archimandrite Alexander as Dean of St. Catherine’s OCA Representation Church in Moscow, Igumen Gerasim was subsequently appointed Abbot of St. Elias Hermitage by Bishop Irénée, being the third to hold that office. In February of 2014, Stavrophore Monk Tikhon Green of St. Silouan’s Monastery, Spencerville, Ontario, was transferred and attached to St. Elias Hermitage.
While the Hermitage of Prophet Elias a small group, who, due to the necessities of work are not living under the same roof, they still keep a very good fraternal spirit and are in constant contact with each other by means of travel, phone and even Skype, etc. Igumen Gerasim supports himself personally and supports and maintains the current residence, (on a farm acreage six miles north of Smoky Lake, Alberta) by being a missionary priest and rector of eight rural parishes and 10 cemeteries in this vast area of the Canadian heartland of Orthodoxy, founded by mainly Bukovinian Ukrainian settlers over a century ago. Thus the revived St. Elias Monastery has a significant impact on the spiritual life of this historic region, blessed in the past by the service of the likes of St. Tikhon, the Priest martyr Jacob Korchinski, Archbishop Arseny of blessed memory, Archimandrite Germogen, and numerous others, both monastic and married, who like the St. Herman and his companions, carried and continue to carry the light of Orthodoxy to the People of God. Thus their mode of life at St. Elias, though quite distinct from a seemingly more coenobitical or anchoritic models, such as is found at places like the Holy Mountain of Athos, in Greece, has nevertheless the same spiritual goals of true union with God, an example (as frail as it is) of striving to live the Angelic Life of the Heavenly Kingdom, and a “voice which cries in the wilderness” calling all to follow the Holy Orthodox Way.
The road past there, is known locally, as the Monks road. who homesteaded about a mile from here, and he used to take them to Vegreville, and Bellis, with his team of horses, and his wagon.
To what this small community was holding on to
Wagon trails take me home the old trails to the monstary to each of the homes Was almost 5 min walk or so in far off place in the woods
Well be posting videos stay tuned pictures taken 2018
The monstary was a resident There Old wood orthodox cross laying on the tree the church was not far from the resident from what I been Looking at in the monstary member of an order of monks noted a vow of silence relating monks nuns living under religious vows of the homes they are living in the monks like quite In the wilderness but just enough to here the birds chirps squirrel run up a tree embracing nature if you take vows u promise to live the Monastery way but only in there whispers greater monk has chosen to leave society and devote his life to prayer and service.
Now first all I phoned with permission and gathered information on the history but when I did call the guy was giving me so neat stories of his adventure there of the piano the wildlife and I believe it from information on the guy who knows the monk Unfortunately I dont know the monk But it would be neat to meet him to here stories.
Heavenly Kingdom the wildernes. the Holy Orthodox Way. monks is, devote his monks prays and there service christianity they believed to be in the wildrness for the prays , to live a life full life but only in there thoughts and pray in there whispers Whispering crys their voice
means from Greek monastic Orthodox Christianity, some monks pray unceasingly, while Buddhist monks often teach others, and Roman Catholic monks sing in choirs
Founded in 1700 it was founded in 1970 Canadian heartland Ukrainian Settlers Autocephaly is the status of a hierarchical Christian Church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. It has been compared with that of the churches within the Anglican Communion
That's quite a discovery. You've documented it very well as usual.
ReplyDeleteThank you appreciate that very much love to write
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