Monday, April 8, 2019
Feast day of the Annunciation monastic community
On March 25/April 7, the monastic community of the Annunciation celebrated its patronal feast day. The Vigil with the Litya was filled with festal hymns in place of most of the fasting texts, giving great joy to all present.
In the morning, we celebrated midnight office, the hours and the Divine Liturgy, where all received Holy Communion. At the conclusion of the service, we made a procession around the monastery. At the meal, the order of the Panagia concluded the festal celebrations.
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
Christmas greeting from the Annunciation Hermitage
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Great Saturday and Annunciation feast at the Annunciation Hermitage
This year the feast of the Annunciation fell on Great Saturday, according to the typikon of St Savvas, which is used in the Russian Church.
The festal hymns for the “beginning of our salvation” were combined with the hymns to the very culmination of our Saviour’s great self-emptying Passion for the salvation of us all.
All present stood around the tomb and chanted the moving lamentations together in English.
The next morning we read the hours, then the Old Testament prophesies of the Resurrection of Christ at the Liturgy of St Basil the Great.
The Gospel at the Liturgy of St Basil the Great.
Vladyka blessed wine and bread for our refreshment, but we did not serve a festal meal in the trapeza, keeping the fast until the Resurrection of Christ.
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Two walls of frescoes completed
Two walls of frescoes using traditional fresco technique on wet lime plaster have been completed at the hermitage of the Annunciation. It was decided to decorate the trapeza with women ascetic saints to strengthen our monastic labour.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Bishop Ambrose visits Annunciation Hermitage
On Thursday 11/24 November, Bishop Ambrose and a small group of pilgrims visited the Annunciation Hermitage.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Feast day of Saint Hariton
On Sunday the 28.9/11.10, the feast day of Saint Hariton was celebrated by pilgrims and monastics at the Annunciation Hermitage.
Saint Hariton the Confessor offers us an example of faith in God in unexpected and perhaps challenging moments in our lives. Whatever happens to a Christian is from God and is exactly what is needed for his personal salvation.
Read a life of the venerable confessor here.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Exaltation of the Cross - Camp
From September 25-27, a group of young people came to the Annunciation Hermitage for a camp.
They made and erected a Cross on “Mount Tabor” above the monastery.
Carpentry skills by the boys were put to good use. Some of the boys helped with the iconography, whilst the rest had the difficult task of digging a deep hole in the rocky ground. The tropar and other hymns to the Cross were sung.
The participants had five lectures and discussions on the Law of God.
They prayed at the services morning and evening, and took part of Holy Communion.
A competition - the teams were handed the first question, which started them off on a search for ongoing clues hidden all over the monastery property. Competing team members share experiences on the challenges of the competition track - quick decisions had to be made during the race.
A campfire with discussions about ancient Rome, the first Christians, and tall tales.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Festal Services for the Annunciation of the Mother of God
The monastery of the Annunciation of the Mother of God celebrated its patronal feast on 6-7 April (24-25 March, old style). The feast commenced with Vespers, and later in the evening, a festal Vigil. Around 30 people came to the monastery for the feast.
Abbott John concelebrated with Protodeacon Vasily Yakimov. Many young people attended and helped with reading, singing and serving.
After the Vigil, rassophore nun Elisabeth was tonsured to the small schema, with the name Evgenia.
