Visit to to St. Tikhon's

On Saturday, I will be driving from my home in Virginia to St. Tikhon's Monastery and Seminary in South Canaan Pennsylvania. There are not many times when I feel as I used to as a small child on Christmas day. One is when I eat sushi, the other is when I am blessed with an opportunity to travel to a monastery. I have never been to St. Tikhon's, though I have wanted to visit for a very long time.

For one thing, it is the oldest Orthodox Monastery in America. More importantly, Saints Tikhon (Bellavin, the monastery is named after St. Tikhon of Zadonsk) and Raphael of Brooklyn blessed and taught there. St. Alexis Toth, who shaped the modern Church in America by his mass conversion of the uniates from Roman tyranny, is entombed in the monastery chapel and his relics can be venerated there. As far as Orthodox holy sites in this country, it is right up there with Spruce Island in Alaska (which I also really want to visit) and the Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco where St. John of San Francisco's relics are kept (I have travelled there and would love to go back.) I am sure there are other sites I am forgetting, but the point is that you don't have to travel to Russia or Greece to pray where "Saints have tread."

Something I have noticed over my travels is that no two monasteries are the same. They have different missions and different ways of doing things, but I have never been to one that did not edify and humble me. All Orthodox Christians need to go on pilgrimage as often as they are able. I personally try to go at least once a year. In a way, it is like going to Divine Liturgy on Sunday, which gives the strength we need to get through the coming week. My visits to monasteries give me the strength I need to continue until I can get back.

One of the main reasons I decided to leave the Antiochian Archdiocese was the almost complete lack of monastic life under that jurisdiction. Many excuses have been made, but it should be one of the first things attended to when founding the Church in a new land, and in fact has been throughout the Church's history. I completely agree with those who say that the monastic life in a nation or jurisdiction is a good meter of the health of the same. If young men and women are flying to the monasteries every year to test their vocations and building new monastic citadels, then that jurisdiction is healthy!

In any case, I am looking forward to my journey, and I hope (know) it will be beneficial. If anyone reads this, please pray for good weather and a safe journey. Apparently they have very good internet in their coffee and gift shop, so I hope to post reports and pictures.