Pilgrimage to the Monastery of the Transfiguration

I took a trip to Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, PA, met up with some of the women who have been most influential on my journey to Orthodoxy, and prayed with the sisters at the monastery.

Here are some pictures of the trip up, the grounds, and the icons there.

Pilgrimage Pictures, September 2008

When I get the other participants' pictures added to my album, I'll update.

Beth and I drove up together, and met Emily and Pres. Lisa there. We arrived just a few seconds before Emily, which was great timing! Pres. Lisa joined us on Saturday.

Friday night, we attended the vespers service, during which they sing an akathist and focus prayers for young people. I added Mara, Emma, and Jake to the list. We also were able to participate in praying for actual names listed. If you could see the huge stack of names they had to pray for every Friday night, you'd wonder how they get it done. The burden, responsibility, and joy of praying for the world is just one of the amazing things Orthodox monastics undertake. Another is hospitality, and we really felt welcomed and at home at the monastery. We were comfortable and well-fed, and our interactions with the sisters were so sweet. Oh, we also stayed in the house that was Mother Alexandra's house for the last two years of her life.

Saturday, we all slept in, missing the morning prayer services. But later on that day, we had a chance to share our journeys and lives with Mother B. We also had plenty of time to roam the grounds, take pictures, and absorb the prayerful surroundings. That night, there was another vespers/vigil service. It was very long!

Sunday morning, we went to matins and Divine Liturgy, which Father Thomas Hopko served. He gave a very inspiring sermon, and we had a chance to speak with him later on at the generous coffee hour. One of the most meaningful experiences for me that weekend was being able to take communion with these women who have joined with me and helped me on my journey towards Orthodoxy. It's one thing to know that all Orthodox Christians participate in the same Divine Liturgy and the same Mystical Supper, and another thing to be in the same chapel at the same time. I was in tears quite often over the weekend. As Mother B. put it, most pilgrims comes to weep and to pray, but mostly to weep.

That afternoon, we spoke with Mother C. and she told us about her journey to becoming a nun at the monastery. She said she asked herself at age 40, "What have you done for Christ," and when she evaluated her life and decided she hadn't done much, she began to look for ways to start doing more. She found this monastery, founded by Princess Ileana of Romania, and when she first stepped on the grounds, she knew she was home. She also told another story that illustrated for her personally--and for us vicariously--just why petty arguments and disagreements don't matter. Her humility is an inspiration, and I know I fall short of her example. She also read for us the story of St. Euphrosynos, a saint I have long admired. He reminds me so much of Cade. Later that evening, we had the vespers for the feast day of the Nativity of the Mother of God, which was really beautiful.

Monday morning, Emily left for her 12 hour journey home. Beth, Pres. Lisa, and I drove an hour to another monastery, Nativity of the Theotokos, where we celebrated their feast day with them. One of the sisters there, a friend of Pres. Lisa, showed us around the grounds and spent a long time talking with us. After that, Beth and I had the rest of the day to drive home and enjoy our time together.

The entire trip was lovely, and now our online community is planning other upcoming pilgrimages together. I can't wait!