Jordanville Monastery

Sunday, September 27, 2009. Tanya Schueler, Jean Shafer and Marina Presnar visited the Holy Trinity Monastery ( Jordanville, NY) - a male monastic community under the auspices of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. The monastery’s in-house Orthodox seminary is the only institute training for Orthodox priesthood and ministry outside Russia. We were invited to attend the Sunday service in celebration of the visit from Russia of the Myrrh-Streaming icon of the Mother of God, named “Softening of Evil Hearts”. [for many photos, click here]

This icon began to exude myrrh in the apartment of a very pious woman in Moscow, Russia. In the year 1999, the face of the Mother of God depicted in the icon changed. Under her eyes dark circles appeared, and the scent of incense was apparent where the icon was kept. The Myrrh-streaming icon of the Mother of God "Softener of evil hearts" reacts to everything that happens in the world. Myrrh streams from her so abundantly that it is gathered by the liters. Also, just before tragic events happen, the icon streams human blood. Those who come to venerate the icon are affected by her in different ways. Some are healed; others are helped, while some are not able even to approach her.

We were also invited to have a tour of the Chapels, the adjoining Baptismal font as well as the classrooms of the seminary. This visit offered an introduction to an important aspect of Russian life in the United States on the occasion of the 1150^th anniversary of Velikiy, Novgorod and the 175^th anniversary of Rochester.

Rising from the rolling hills and fir -topped fields near the Mohawk River, the golden domes of the Church beckoned on a rainy morning. We were ushered into the church, resplendent with gloriously rendered Byzantine figures of Christ, Mary and the Saints. The congregation of families attending the worship stood respectfully as the service proceeded through the blessing of the host and the communion. The all - male choir chanted the litany while worshippers approached the Icon and lit candles in supplication. Following the service, there was an excellent fasting lunch with the communicants in the refectory.

The monastery resides on 800 acres of farmland, producing much of what is needed to support daily life, including wonderful bread and honey. The monastery’s printing press publishes instructional works in Russian and English. A library keeps important historical archives. An art studio trains iconographers and maintains the images supporting the spiritual reflections of the faithful.

During the tour, Fr. Ephraim, a seminarian, explained clearly and most efficiently the basic tenets of the Christian life as lived by the monks as well as the history of the monastery and the architectural features of the buildings. Holy Trinity Monastery was established in 1928 as a place for study and meditative reclusion, but - like many such quiet places - it has attracted a sizable congregation of worshippers who come from near and far to attend the services, especially those as important as this weekend’s celebrations. The visitors are very grateful to Fr. Vladimiri Tsurikov,Director of the Archives and to the Monastery for their hospitality and instruction. Learn more: http://hts.edu/ and http://www.jordanville.org/ by Tanya Schueler/Marina Presnar – Photos, Jean Shafer