Has anyone done this before? I'm thinking about taking a "mini-pilgrimage" for a few days during Spring Break but I'm not sure what a stay is like.
-Catherine
-Catherine
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visiting a monastery
- Thread starter Amandine
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Yes!!!cbrickell said:
I'm going to be visiting a monastery this Wed. and Thurs. I always look forward to it, because monasteries are like a spiritual oasis....a little piece of heaven on earth.
What type of monastery will you be visiting?
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http://www.skete.com/about_community.cfm?CFID=2211731&CFTOKEN=9918117
That's one of the main sources of information I found about it. I sent them an email to ask about visiting for a few days. It's the closest monastery to me (quite far still, eek!) and I had a friend from OCF who recommended visiting sometime, since I was already considering visiting churches in the Chicago area anyway.
-Catherine
That's one of the main sources of information I found about it. I sent them an email to ask about visiting for a few days. It's the closest monastery to me (quite far still, eek!) and I had a friend from OCF who recommended visiting sometime, since I was already considering visiting churches in the Chicago area anyway.
-Catherine
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Wow! I've wanted to visit that monastery for quite some time. I get their newsletters in the mail. I was a little awkward-feeling on my first monastery visit...I didn't quite know how to act. But then again, the whole Orthodox "world" was new to me too. I still get all awkward around priests sometimes.cbrickell said:
Will anyone else be going with you, or are you planning on going alone?
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Whoop...found out that my friend was talking about a different one. There are a couple that are closer. However, the Holy Transfiguration doesn't have accomadation for guests and I can't find out any information on the others. 
-Catherine
-Catherine
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That's exactly how I feel! I'm not sure what exactly I'll do there, which is why I'm asking for tips.Photini said:
Well, if I can go, I'll probably go alone, although transportation will be a bit difficult. Right now I'm just checking it over.
-Catherine
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The times that I've gone, I've been with one or two others from my church. They're more seasoned pilgrims, so that helped to know what to expect. I haven't actually stayed on the monastery grounds overnight. The times we've gone, it is usually just for one day...over if we do stay overnight, we got a hotel room nearby. But that was because they don't have guest houses at the women's monastery...so I don't know what it's like to actually stay overnight. I'm pretty sure you're expected to attend as many of the services as you can.
When I go, I go to as many of the services as I possibly can...I go to Confession...or before I was Baptised, just talked with the Abbot for counsel. I've helped with whatever work needs to be done (i.e. dishes, gardening, etc.) It's funny, the Abbess of one of the monasteries had my kids hauling mulch and pulling weeds!!
When I go, I go to as many of the services as I possibly can...I go to Confession...or before I was Baptised, just talked with the Abbot for counsel. I've helped with whatever work needs to be done (i.e. dishes, gardening, etc.) It's funny, the Abbess of one of the monasteries had my kids hauling mulch and pulling weeds!!
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MariaRegina
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Catherine,
Please give us a report on your monastery visit. I'd love to go someday, but there is no monastery here were I live.
Yours in Christ,
Elizabeth
Please give us a report on your monastery visit. I'd love to go someday, but there is no monastery here were I live.
Yours in Christ,
Elizabeth
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- Nov 28, 2003
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Dear Catherine,
I've been to Mount Athos a couple of times and my family and I stayed for a few days at the Monastery of the Archangel Michael on the island of Thassos. The latter was particularly wonderful as up until then my wife (and children) had not had the experience of staying at a monastery and had only lived the experience vicariously through me.
In the monasteries we have stayed at, guests are not permitted to enter the part of the monastery where the monks/nuns actually live but are free to roam the other areas. Looking at the link you provided it seems you would be staying at the church mission, as the nuns do not yet have a convent established and women are not permitted at the men's monastery.
There are probably some women who stay at the mission even though they may have no intention (at this point) of becoming nuns and it is quite likely that one of them would be "assigned" to look after you. You may find yourself drafted to help in meal preparation and washing up afterwards but much of the time you will be left to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the monastery when you can read, pray or just rediscover stillness. Try and find out in advance what time the church services will be on as there may be vigils late at night or the normal services may start in the wee hours of the morning (take an alarm clock with you). If this is the case then you may need to grab some sleep in the afternoon in preparation. Hopefully you will get a chance to sit down and talk with the nuns for a while and I pray that you will continue correspondance with them after your visit. We are very blessed with the friendship we have with some of the nuns we have met and it is always a great joy to see them each time we visit.
I hope this is pertinent information. I need to qualify the above with the fact that I live in a country with literally hundreds of monasteries (there are at least 20 that I know of within an hour's drive from my home and I'm sure there are more I have not yet discovered) and they all have large numbers of visitors.
God bless,
John.
I've been to Mount Athos a couple of times and my family and I stayed for a few days at the Monastery of the Archangel Michael on the island of Thassos. The latter was particularly wonderful as up until then my wife (and children) had not had the experience of staying at a monastery and had only lived the experience vicariously through me.
In the monasteries we have stayed at, guests are not permitted to enter the part of the monastery where the monks/nuns actually live but are free to roam the other areas. Looking at the link you provided it seems you would be staying at the church mission, as the nuns do not yet have a convent established and women are not permitted at the men's monastery.
There are probably some women who stay at the mission even though they may have no intention (at this point) of becoming nuns and it is quite likely that one of them would be "assigned" to look after you. You may find yourself drafted to help in meal preparation and washing up afterwards but much of the time you will be left to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the monastery when you can read, pray or just rediscover stillness. Try and find out in advance what time the church services will be on as there may be vigils late at night or the normal services may start in the wee hours of the morning (take an alarm clock with you). If this is the case then you may need to grab some sleep in the afternoon in preparation
. Hopefully you will get a chance to sit down and talk with the nuns for a while and I pray that you will continue correspondance with them after your visit. We are very blessed with the friendship we have with some of the nuns we have met and it is always a great joy to see them each time we visit.I hope this is pertinent information. I need to qualify the above with the fact that I live in a country with literally hundreds of monasteries (there are at least 20 that I know of within an hour's drive from my home and I'm sure there are more I have not yet discovered) and they all have large numbers of visitors.
God bless,
John.
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Tangnefedd
A Liberal Christian
I think visiting a monastery is a very pleasant and restful experience.
Our North Wales home is apparently haunted by the ghost of a monk, Brother Doli (Adolphus). It is thought that monks passed by our home hundreds of years ago, following the line of the river, which is the otherside of our garden wall. They would have been making a pilgrimage to Holywell to visit the bones of St Winifred.
Our North Wales home is apparently haunted by the ghost of a monk, Brother Doli (Adolphus). It is thought that monks passed by our home hundreds of years ago, following the line of the river, which is the otherside of our garden wall. They would have been making a pilgrimage to Holywell to visit the bones of St Winifred.
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