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The Orthodox Hermitage of
St. John the Theologian
is located in the central region of New York State. Founded in
1998 as a member of the American Congregation of the Primitive
Observance of the Order of Saint Benedict and a monastic dependency
of the Abbey of the Holy Name within the Archdiocese of New York & New
Jersey under the omophor of His Eminence Archbishop +JOHN; whom is a
senior hierarch in the Holy Synod of the Autonomous Orthodox Metropolia of
Western Europe and the Americas -- His Beatitude Metropolitan +EVLOGHIOS,
primate.
Life at this urban Hermitage is guided by the ancient monastic Rule of
St. Benedict as summarized in The Brief Rule of St. Romuald for Benedictine
Hermits. Our liturgical life is that of the pre-Schism rite of the ancient
Orthodox West which follows the canonical Church ("Julian") Calendar. Dedicated
to unceasing prayer and the ascetic life it seems fitting that our outreach
interests is in the anthropology and psychology of man as understood by the
Early Church Fathers who contributed significantly to the larger corpus of
Orthodox Theology.
Due to the idiorrhythmic nature of our eremitic life and ministry, we regret that no visitors are accepted.
The Hermitage --while poor (literally, "beneath the poverty level")-- prays for the day it will take up residence in the mountains or the fields either in the Catskills or the Western plains of New York State. Once there, in suitable facilities, it is hoped that others will join the Romualdian lifestyle (i.e., Benedictine hermits) of the Hermitage raising it from a singular Cell to a Kellion of no more than three or four monks.
St
Romuald’s Brief Rule
For
Romualdian-Benedictine Monks
Sit in your cell as in paradise.
Put the whole world behind you and forget it.
Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish,
The path you must follow is in the Psalms, never leave it.
If you have just come to the monastery,
and in spite of your good will you cannot accomplish what you want,
take every opportunity you can to sing the Psalms in your heart
and to understand them with your mind.
And if your mind wanders as you read, do not give up;
hurry back and apply your mind to the words once more.
Realize above all that you are in God's presence,
and stand there with the attitude of one who stands
before the emperor.
Empty yourself completely and sit waiting,
content with the grace of God,
like the chick who tastes nothing and eats nothing
but what his mother brings him.
