"In order for us to understand and accept the will of God, we must be diligent and zealous in our prayers." – The Entrance of the Theotokos Convent in Washington, D.C.

December 15, 2011
"In order for us to understand and accept the will of God, we must be diligent and zealous in our prayers." – The Entrance of the Theotokos Convent in Washington, D.C.

Over the course of Christian history, the response to society’s spiritual shortcomings was a retreat from the world and the rise of monasteries. Today, when fewer and fewer people consider Christianity as a whole, or Orthodoxy in particular, to be a religion that obligates them to much, the Eastern American Diocese is witnessing something unexpected – a surge in interest toward monasticism, the expansion of existing monasteries and the appearance of new ones.

One such monastic community is the Entrance of the Theotokos Convent, recently established on the outskirts of the American capital, and already a peaceful harbor for those seeking a quiet life in the world of prayer and hard work.

The Entrance of the Theotokos Sisterhood was founded on 2010 under the omophorion of the Orthodox Church in America. But after May 24, 2011, when the Primates of ROCOR and the OCA concelebrated the Divine Liturgy for the first time since 1943, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah of all America and Canada, entrusted the sisterhood of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple, to His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, as a manifestation of their newly established spiritual and liturgical unity. Metropolitan Hilarion received the nuns through a canonical release into the Eastern American Diocese, where the newly-founded monastery is temporarily located in the Washington, DC area. The monastery is unique because of the cultural diversity of the nuns and their commitment to serve the various needs of the multiethnic Orthodox flock in America.

"Our monastery is pan-orthodox and multilingual by nature," said Abbess Aemiliane, rectress of the monastery. "The founding nuns are Americans of Greek, Russian, and Syrian descent, and most of us are converts to the Orthodox faith. Depending on the specific needs of our pilgrims, services are conducted in English, Greek, Slavonic, and Romanian. If Russian pilgrims come – we serve in Slavonic. If Greek pilgrims come – we serve in Greek," the Abbess explained.

The sisterhood of nuns and novices is currently housed by the hospitality of the faithful in Washington, DC, while potential candidates are actively seeking to join the monastery as soon as larger facilities are obtained. The sisters pray fervently that the Lord would help them find a suitable location to build a monastery.

The nuns fulfill various obediences, which include producing therapeutic natural oils and balms, distributing incense, making translations and welcoming pilgrims. To tend to the pastoral needs of the community, Metropolitan Jonah released Archpriest Vladimir Danylevich (former cleric of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, DC) to the Eastern American Diocese under the omophorion of Metropolitan Hilarion, who assigned him as the serving priest for the convent.

Every day begins with the Midnight Office, followed by Matins and Hours. In the afternoon, a Supplicatory Canon is read, followed by the Ninth Hour, Vespers and Compline.

In recent months, the prayers of the sisters were heard, and they were introduced to a magnificent property near Libertytown, MD, that is ideal for an Orthodox monastery. The spacious estate, which sits on 131 secluded acres, located one hour north of Washington and 45 minutes west of Baltimore, was formerly used as Protestant community. The property includes a chapel with a bell tower, administrative building, refectory, cemetery, a large renovated barn, six houses, and two guest houses that can accommodate up to 20 pilgrims. With two ponds, 70 acres of corn fields, and a new water treatment facility, the property is ideal for farming and other agricultural activities.

The acquisition of such a large estate will require either $1 million to purchase or $300,000 for a lease-to-purchase option. Relocating to Libertytown, MD, would create enormous potential for the future of the monastery as a spiritual haven in the Eastern American Diocese. The sisters have put all of their trust in the Lord, and hope to move into the estate by the end of the year.

"With God’s help, and through the generous support of our pilgrims and benefactors, we hope to move to Libertytown in December," said Abbess Aemiliane. "We believe that if it is the will of God to have a monastery in this place, then everything will work out in due time. In order for us to understand and accept the will of God, we must be diligent and zealous in our prayers."

The Monastery of the Entry of the Theotokos is one of several monasteries in the Eastern American Diocese that is experiencing a surge in monasticism. In the words of diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, this is due in large part to the high level of engagement of ROCOR’s First Hierarch.

"Metropolitan Hilarion has been actively engaged in the strengthening and support of our monasteries," explained Fr. Serge. "Under the direction of His Eminence, the diocesan administration is working to find different ways to support the monasteries through programs such as ‘Project Kellia’ and ‘The Orthodox Farm.’ By raising awareness of the monastic surge in our Diocese, and the challenges that go along with it, we hope to unite the faithful in helping our monasteries."

In a time when more and more people are turning away from the Church, monastic communities like the Monastery of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple are places where the faithful can turn for spiritual guidance and comfort.

"Our doors are always open to any pilgrims who are searching for the True Light of Christ in this American land," said Mother Aemiliane. "As we begin our monastic struggles in a new monastery, we are grateful to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, and to His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, for the overabundance of fatherly love and archpastoral care that they have shown for our sisterhood. We are overjoyed to be under the omophorion of Metropolitan Hilarion, and are grateful for the support that we have received from the hierarchy and the entire Diocese."

His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion, visited the convent on the occasion of the patronal feast day of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple. On December 3, His Eminence led the All-Night Vigil in St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC. Abbess Aemiliane and the sisters attended and prayed at the Vigil. On Sunday morning, December 4, the First Hierarch celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the convent’s temporary home in Silver Spring, MD.

During the Divine Liturgy, Met. Hilarion ordained Hierodeacon Damascenos (Haemmerli) to the priesthood, and Monk Basil (Land) was tonsured a reader and then ordained a subdeacon and hierodeacon. Hieromonk Damascenos and Hierodeacon Basil are assigned to the convent where they will assist in the daily cycle of services, along with the monastery chaplain Archpriest Vladimir Danylevich. His Eminence also tonsured novice Abigail to the rassaphor, with the name Diodora.

During his visit to the convent, Metropolitan Hilarion repeated his call for the establishment of monastic communities in the Eastern American Diocese and across America, and encouraged Abbess Aemiliane and her sisters to progress spiritually in their monastic life.

During the Diocesan Winter Pastoral Conference, His Eminence gave several interviews to correspondents of the diocesan Media Office, during which he spoke of his visit to the convent.

"Monastic communities are a great source of spiritual strength for our Diocese, because they are a haven for the thousands of faithful in need of consolation and spiritual direction," the First Hierarch said. "With God’s help, the Convent of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple will be a great asset to our Diocese."

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