I'm glad that monasteries are slowly but surely making a comeback, not just in traditional Orthodox countries but in North America, too. They are truly bastions of sanity and consistency in an insane and unstable world. While I'm sure this has always been the case to a greater or lesser extent, it seems today that there are more and more men and women entering adulthood with no clear idea of what to do with themselves, no prospects for marriage and no options but pointless low-wage labor. They see a world riddled with corruption, poverty, class warfare, race hatred and greed and have no inclination to participate in it. Many of them respond by shutting themselves off and surfing the internet while collecting a welfare check, unless they're fortunate enough to live with their long-suffering parents. Others abuse alcohol and drugs. Some go one step further and kill themselves, in some cases - God forbid - after killing innocent people out of frustration and helplessness. This is where monasteries come in. It's not just for hyper-spiritual people with advanced university degrees. Life's "losers" (and I use that word with great reservation) have a place in them as well with an opportunity to grow. They provide discipline and a routine, training your mind to get out of your own head and focused on Christ and others. They provide truly edifying and humbling work. Most importantly, they provide a path to theosis for those for whom a "normal" life simply isn't in the cards.
@J G I would also like to add that there's no age restriction on doing this, either. Some come to the realization that monasticism is for them when they're young. Others don't until they're older. Each person is different. Father Lazarus, for example, the Coptic monk who lives in the desert, wasn't tonsured until his mid-40s, and many who attempt monasticism when they're at the "ideal age" out of idealistic zeal don't endure. It's also unrealistic for an abbot to expect most of his acolytes to be young and educated, too. The vast majority of them want to raise families and pursue their careers after spending all that time and energy getting a degree with a hefty student loan to boot.
I went there last weekend, met Abbot Seraphim and Metropolitan Hilarion for the Exhaultation of the cross. It truly was a beautiful experience. May you find a way to Holy Cross Monastery.
Any chance someone does a documentary someday showing an average day at the monastery? I realize that would be an immense amount of work, and so probably not possible.
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What an amazing calling! Obviously, it is not meant for everyone. But I would love to visit monasteries some day.
I'm glad that monasteries are slowly but surely making a comeback, not just in traditional Orthodox countries but in North America, too. They are truly bastions of sanity and consistency in an insane and unstable world.
While I'm sure this has always been the case to a greater or lesser extent, it seems today that there are more and more men and women entering adulthood with no clear idea of what to do with themselves, no prospects for marriage and no options but pointless low-wage labor. They see a world riddled with corruption, poverty, class warfare, race hatred and greed and have no inclination to participate in it. Many of them respond by shutting themselves off and surfing the internet while collecting a welfare check, unless they're fortunate enough to live with their long-suffering parents. Others abuse alcohol and drugs. Some go one step further and kill themselves, in some cases - God forbid - after killing innocent people out of frustration and helplessness.
This is where monasteries come in. It's not just for hyper-spiritual people with advanced university degrees. Life's "losers" (and I use that word with great reservation) have a place in them as well with an opportunity to grow. They provide discipline and a routine, training your mind to get out of your own head and focused on Christ and others. They provide truly edifying and humbling work. Most importantly, they provide a path to theosis for those for whom a "normal" life simply isn't in the cards.
@J G I would also like to add that there's no age restriction on doing this, either. Some come to the realization that monasticism is for them when they're young. Others don't until they're older. Each person is different. Father Lazarus, for example, the Coptic monk who lives in the desert, wasn't tonsured until his mid-40s, and many who attempt monasticism when they're at the "ideal age" out of idealistic zeal don't endure. It's also unrealistic for an abbot to expect most of his acolytes to be young and educated, too. The vast majority of them want to raise families and pursue their careers after spending all that time and energy getting a degree with a hefty student loan to boot.
Obedience is rhythm ... beautiful .
☦️🐝☦️
I’ve always wanted to visit for a weekend
I went there last weekend, met Abbot Seraphim and Metropolitan Hilarion for the Exhaultation of the cross. It truly was a beautiful experience.
May you find a way to Holy Cross Monastery.
And both men were some of the nicest people I've met, especially Abbot Seraphim.
Will The Person Thank you! If not this fall, hopefully after Pascha 2020
@@johnrep9690 Hopefully. May God help you.
Many Years!
Enjoyed the video too!
Any chance someone does a documentary someday showing an average day at the monastery?
I realize that would be an immense amount of work, and so probably not possible.
yes, it's called "New Men"
@@ThePhilosophicalINFP Thank you very much!
Psychomancer is this documentary available anywhere?
@@ploopploop9569 it's making the rounds at film festivals
Look up “one day in the life of a men’s monastery,” “the good struggle,” “Athos”
Can someone tell me which jurisdiction is this monastery in.
Russian church abroad
@@patrickmartin8783 Thank you!
Living in the world, but not being of the world...
#138