Hermitage Celebrates 30th Anniversary

The Hermitage of the Holy Cross celebrated its 30th anniversary this year, marking the occasion in a number of important ways which culminated in the celebration of its patronal feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with the annual Pilgrimage Weekend following (read the history of the Rite of the Exaltation which is practiced in the monastery).

First, this summer the brotherhood published a booklet containing the Life & Akathist of the Holy Great-martyr and Healer Panteleimon. This booklet was compiled by the monks of the Hermitage and adorned with beautiful design and iconography, in a labor of love springing from the desire to honor the saint who has done so much for his monastery and to bring his love and presence to those who need or have already benefited from his heavenly aid.

Second, the Hermitage designed and purchased a beautiful monument for its founder, Hieromonk Kallistos, which was installed just before Pilgrimage Weekend and blessed by Metropolitan Hilarion after the festal Divine Liturgy. The brethren are now laboring to further adorn the gravesite of their founder with new brickwork and landscaping around the area before winter sets in.

Additionally, progress continues on the current construction projects: a new building dedicated to St. Herman of Alaska, which will house the candle factory, a commercial bakery, and a meeting room for the brotherhood, as well as new water and natural gas utility lines and improvements to the monastery roads. Various other painting and renovation projects have been underway as well.

Finally, Archimandrite Seraphim announced during the Pilgrimage Weekend banquet that, following completion of the St. Herman Building, construction will finally begin as soon as possible on a new monastery church. This project is long overdue and extremely necessary -- the current chapel was designed as a temporary structure for a brotherhood one third of the current size, with far fewer pilgrims and visitors. Please consider donating towards our construction efforts so that work can begin next spring on the new church, with God's help.

We thank everyone for all of the love and support that has been shown to us over the past thirty years, and we ask that you continue to remember us in your prayers as often as possible. The monks regularly remember all of the friends, pilgrims and benefactors of the monastery in their prayers as well.