Church Construction Update - February 2025

By the grace of God, in the past year we have gotten significantly closer to completing the new church. In particular, the new trapeza (monastic dining hall) and kitchen on the lower level are nearly finished, with the plumbers and electricians installing the commercial kitchen equipment at the time of this writing. In December, two Russian iconographers completed an exquisite “Hospitality of Abraham” fresco of the Holy Trinity in the trapeza apse – a beautiful symbol of the ministry of hospitality which is so close to the heart of our monastery. God willing, the beauty of this icon is just a foretaste of the beautiful iconography that will one day adorn the church upstairs. We hope to begin using the new trapeza in the near future, which will be a tremendous relief given the regular overcrowding and severe structural damage we are currently facing in our existing trapeza.

The church itself is also coming along quite well. The most significant remaining structural element is the flooring, and we are currently working with our suppliers to source the travertine stone we will use. Once the flooring is complete, we will turn our attention to the most necessary furnishings – the iconostasis and Holy Table being by far the most important, although we will also need such items as klirosi and monastic stasidi.

Finally, we have also been working on the outside landscaping as weather permits. In addition to aesthetic improvements, we have installed a large plaza in front of the lower level for pilgrims to congregate after meals and church services, as well as handicap-accessible pathways leading to the church and trapeza. Much more work will need to be done in the future, but we are on track to make everything outside usable and accessible by the time the interior is finished.

It is our fervent hope and prayer to begin using the new church and trapeza as early this year as possible. At a bare minimum, we plan to finally revive our annual Pilgrimage Weekend in September, hosting both the divine services and the banquet in the new building. We hope as many of you as possible will be able to join us for this upcoming historic weekend!

Although we have faced several unexpected financial setbacks, through the grace of God, the generosity of our benefactors, and the hard work of the brotherhood, we are currently still on track to be able to complete the building. However, there still remain many necessary purchases to make the church a proper temple of God, such as the iconostasis, iconography, sacred vessels, etc. Individual item sponsorships are available for many of these needs. We are extraordinarily grateful for the immense generosity that so many of you have already displayed, and we ask that you continue your support in order for us to continue and complete this work unto the glory of God. All gifts are greatly appreciated, but recurring monthly donations are by far the most helpful way to support us in our work. May God reward you!