Local Orthodox Clergy Visit the Monastery

The monastery was honored to host the final meeting of the Washington Orthodox Clergy Association, before the Summer break, on June 9th.

Following the service of the 3rd Hour, everyone enjoyed fellowship, discussions on many topics, and a meal together.

Lend Us A Hand

Spring is in full swing on Vashon Island, and with it comes a whole lot of work. We’re trying to complete the Way of a Pilgrim Bookstore, finish the walkway around the temple, and get our vegetable garden planted.
We always welcome extra hands, so if you are inclined to do so, we’d love to have some extra help.

Memory Eternal!

It is with great sadness that we announce the falling asleep of the Monk Spiridon, a beloved member of our holy brotherhood. A good friend of the monastery for many years, Father Spiridon had been making yearly pilgrimages from his home in Lancaster, Lancshire, England.

Father Spiridon (Stuart) was born on January 8, 1932, and entered into eternal rest on Sunday, May 3rd, at the age of 77. He was tonsured a monk on December 16, 2007, in Holy Protection Monastery Church, here on Vashon Island. The Brotherhood spent the last year trying to get permission to bring
Father Spiridon to the United States, so he could live out his life among his “American cousins”.

Before becoming Orthodox, Spiridon had been Catholic, and was in fact in the final weeks of his novitiate at Ampleforth Abbey when he felt that he could no longer participate in those forms of worship. In telling me his story, he shared that the last straw for him was the casual lack of reverence that was common, even at the monastery, in preparing the bread and wine for the mass. He saw this in comparison to the care and devotion that goes on, unseen, in Orthodox churches, (at the proskomedi), and felt that this was the way that the Eucharist ought to be treated and the this was the honour with which creation should hold its Creator. He left before taking final vows.

Yet he retained the link to monasticism, and kept a correspondence with Blessed Seraphim of Platina, for whom he had great love and respect.

Baptized into the Orthodox Church at Holy Trinity Monastery, in Jordanville, New York, he regularly made pilgrimages to Holy Trinity Monastery, Holy Cross Hermitage in West Virginia, and All-Merciful Saviour Monastery. Following the move by the monks Saint Edward the Martyr Monastery in Brookwood, England, who left ROCOR at the time of the Unification with the Moscow Patriarchate, Spiridon decided to seek monastic tonsure in the Vashon Island monastery.

The Paschal Zadostoinik
The Angel cried unto the lady, full of grace: ‘O pure Virgin, rejoice! and again I say, rejoice, for thy Son is risen from the grave on the third day. And He hath raised all the dead.‘ O ye people, be joyful! Shine, shine, O new Jerusalem! for the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Dance, now, dance and be glad, O Sion! Do thou exult, O pure Theotokos, in the Resurrection of thy Son!

Monastery Blend Coffee

Fine coffees available from the Monastery online.

Phone: 206-463-5918 | Business Phone/Fax: 206-463-3461
Email:
Mail: All-Merciful Saviour Monastery
Box 2420
Vashon Island, WA 98070-2420
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