Following the celebrations of Pentecost in San Francisco, His Beatitude and Bishop Benjamin traveled to Manton, CA where the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco is located. The monastery was founded in 1996 by then Father Jonah and a small band of brothers.

Originally, the Monastery of St. John was located in Point Reyes, CA at the St. Eugene Hermitage. The Hermitage was gifted to the Diocese of San Francisco by Mrs. Mary Lewry in memory of her beloved son, Eugene, who died on the last day of the Second World War. Several attempts at maintaining a living monastic presence at St. Eugene’s were made. Over the years several buildings were either moved to or built on the property. Weather, mold and decaying buildings made life for the monks a challenge. Abbot Jonah began to search out a more suitable place for the monastery to grow. Eventually, an appropriate place was located just outside of Redding, CA in Tehama County.

The property at Point Reyes had a fairly new chapel that was built through largely through the efforts of Mr. Constantine Chekene and Mr. Constantine Tsenin of San Francisco. The beautiful St. Sergius Chapel, nestled in a grove of tall douglas firs, possessed a rather commanding view of the rolling hills of Marin County. One of the more notable architectural features of the chapel was its dome, formerly part of the Holy Trinity Cathedral bell tower in San Francisco.

Faced with the need to move to larger, more suitable quarters, but not wanting to lose the chapel, a solution was found. It was decided the St. Eugene property would be sold and the chapel moved to Manton and enlarged. Desiring to honor the intent of the donor, Mrs. Lewry, it was decided the rebuilt chapel would be named the St. Sergius/St. Eugene Church and the memory of the soldier Eugene would continue, not merely in name, but also in the daily services of the monastic community.

It was truly fitting that His Beatitude, the founder of the St. John of Shanghai Monastery, was able to take part in the reconsecration of the St. Sergius/St. Eugene Church. A Vigil service was held in the temple on the evening of June 8 by His Beatitude, Bishop Benjamin, the present superior of the monastery, Archimandrite Meletios, the brotherhood and pilgrims. On the next morning, following the vesting of the Metropolitan, the Rite of Consecration was held. The walls of the rebuilt church were anointed with Holy Chrism and blessed with Holy Water.

Immediately following the consecration, divine liturgy was served.

The iconscreen and many of the other appointments of the original church were placed in the newly built church. There was a sense of both continuity and growth, the old and the new. But, most important, the life of a living monastic community filled the temple.

One might also note the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco has already outgrown its new facilities. THe brotherhood continues to grow and welcome pilgrims from around the world. Plans have already been made to construct a second monastic building to house the growing community. Some 13 more men are waiting to be admitted to the community which has become the largest monastic community in the Orthodox Church in America. Should you be interested in supporting the work of the monastery or learning more, please visit their website at: www.monasteryofstjohn.org

And to see even more photos, visit the DOW folders on Picasa at:
picasaweb.google.com/dowoca/June8ArrivalSupperVigil?feat=directlink
picasaweb.google.com/dowoca/June9TempleConsecration?feat=directlink
picasaweb.google.com/dowoca/June9DivineLiturgyAndMeal?feat=directlink