The height and breadth of North America takes away one’s breath, when one considers it all. Even more breathtaking is the breadth of places where Orthodox monasticism is taking root.
Below is my proposed itinerary, to give you an idea of the many monasteries planted across the USA and Canada, from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Alaska, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.
Someone recently asked me if I will be “following the seasons.” Great question, and I certainly am! I plan to include Alberta, Canada and Alaska in the Summer months, the Southwest and Southeast in the Winter, and so forth.
There are already changes being made — including additions and deletions — and some sections will be broken up into several excursions. But the general idea is here. (Please note some of the maps below are no longer accurate, due to additions and changes.)
I hope also to schedule parish presentations along the way, and am already off to a good start in that regard, having conducted five parish events in 2016. If you are interested in having me give a slide show & presentation on the Thebaid Project at your parish, please contact me and I’ll be glad to work it out.
To learn more about how parishes benefit from hosting a Thebaid Presentation, visit my page on ‘Creative Tent-making’…
I hope you enjoy this look at one of the guiding documents of the Thebaid Project, which has been updated several times since I first began preparing it in 2015.
Northeast: PA/NY/Nova Scotia/Ontario:
1. Monastery of the Transfiguration (OCA)(W), Ellwood City PA
2. Nativity of the Theotokos (GOA)(W), Saxonburg PA
3. Convent of St Thekla (Antiochian)(W), Glenville PA
4. St Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery (OCA), South Canaan PA
5. Holy Protection of the Theotokos (GOA)(W), White Haven PA
6. New Diveyevo Monastery (ROCOR), Nanuet NY
7. St Nektarios Monastery (GOA), Roscoe NY
8. Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery (OCA), Otego NY
9. Holy Trinity Monastery (ROCOR), Jordanville NY
9b. St Elizabeth the New Martyr Skete (ROCOR) (W), Jordanville NY
10. New Skete (OCA), Cambridge NY
11. Hermitage of the Annunciation (OCA), Watford, Nova Scotia, Canada
12. Holy Monastery of Panagia Parigoritissa (GOA) (W), Brownsburg, Quebec, Canada
13. Hermitage of St Anthony the Great (OCA), Westport, Ontario, Canada
14. St Kosmas Aitolos Monastery (GOA), Bolton, Ontario, Canada
TOTAL MILES: ~ 2950 mi. one-way
Michigan-Illinois
1. St Sabbas the Sanctified (ROCOR, Moscow Pat.), Harper Woods MI
2. Holy Trinity Monastery (GOA), Smith Creek MI
3. Dormition of the Mother of God (OCA) (W), Rives Junction MI
4. Holy Transfiguration (GOA), Harvard IL
5. St Sava Monastery (Serbian), Libertyville IL
TOTAL MILES: ~ 750 mi. one-way
Northern Ohio
Possibly lower Ontario monasteries also; see Northeast map above.
1. St Gregory Palamas (GOA), Hayesville OH
2. Skete of the Entrance of the Theotokos (GOA) (W), Hayesville OH
3. St John the Theologian Skete (ROCOR), Hiram OH
TOTAL MILES: ~ 275 mi. one-way
Southeast United States
1. Hermitage of the Holy Cross ROCOR), Wayne WV
1b. Nativity of the Virgin Mary (ROCOR) (W), Wayne WV
2. Skete of St Maximos the Confessor (Bulgarian), Palmyra VA
3. Saints Mary & Martha Monastery (OCA) (W), Wagener SC
4. Panaghia Vlahernon Monastery (GOA), Williston FL
4b. Holy Annunciation Monastery (GOA) (W), Reddick FL
5. Saint Nicholas Monastery (ROCOR) (W), North Fort Myers FL
6. Glorious Ascension Monastery (ROCOR) (W), Resaca GA
7. St Paul Skete (Antiochian) (W), Grand Junction TN
TOTAL MILES: ~3400, round trip.
NORTHWEST – Montana/Washington/British Columbia
1. St Peter’s Monastery (OCA), Harrison, Montana
2. All Merciful Savior (ROCOR), Vashon Island, WA
3. All Saints of North America (OCA), Dewdney, British Columbia, Canada
TOTAL MILES: ~2550 mi. one-way
Tentative plan calls for pilgrimage to extend into Alberta, Canada.
Alberta, Canada
1. Holy Transfiguration Hermitage (OCA), Lone Butte, British Columbia, Canada (Closed to visitors, clergy retreats, by arrangement only.)
2. Convent of the Protection of the Theotokos (ROCOR), Bluffton, Alberta, Canada
3. Hermitage of the Protection of the Theotokos (OCA), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
4. Hermitage of Prophet Elias (OCA), Smoky Lake, Alberta, Canada
TOTAL MILES: ~ 920 mi. one way from Dewdney BC;
TOTAL FOR NORTHWEST & ALBERTA, CANADA: 3470 mi. one way
Great Plains & Southwest United States
1. Holy Archangel Michael & All Angels Skete (Serbian), Weatherby MO (includes St Xenia Sisterhood adjacent to this location)
2. Presentation of the Virgin Mary (OCA) (W), Marshfield MO
3. Nativity of our Lord Monastery (OCA), Kemp TX
4. Holy Archangels Monastery (GOA), Kendalia TX
5. Archangel Michael Monastery (OCA), Canones NM
6. St Paisius Monastery (ROCOR) (W), Safford AZ
7. St Anthony’s Monastery (GOA), Florence AZ
TOTAL MILES: ~2950 mi. one way.
Tentative plan calls for pilgrimage to proceed to California/Colorado monasteries.
California/Colorado
1. St Antony Coptic Orthodox Monastery (Coptic), Newberry Springs CA
2. Holy Resurrection Monastery (OCA, Romanian), Temecula CA
3. St Macarius the Great (OCA), Montclair CA
4. St Barbara Monastery (OCA) (W), Santa Paula CA
5. St Silouan Monastery (ROCOR), Sonora CA
6. Holy Cross Monastery (OCA, Bulgarian), Castro Valley CA
7. Our Lady of Kazan Skete (OCA), Santa Rosa CA
8. Holy Assumption Monastery (OCA), Calistoga CA
9. St Herman of Alaska Monastery (Serbian), Platina CA
10. St Xenia Skete (Serbian), Wildwood CA
11. St John of Shanghai & San Francisco (OCA), Manton CA
12. Protection of the Holy Virgin (OCA) (W), Lake George CO
TOTAL MILES: ~2800, from Florence AZ
Alaska
I am currently planning to fly in and out of Anchorage. Travel in Alaska would be by road, ferry, plane and small boats.
1. Protecting Veil of the Theotokos (OCA) (W), Anchorage AK
2. Holy Resurrection Cathedral (OCA), Kodiak AK (to venerate St Herman’s relics)
3a. Ss Sergius and Herman of Valaam Chapel, Spruce Island AK
3b. Archangel Michael Skete (Serbian), Ouzinkie AK
3c. St Nilus Skete (Serbian) (W), Ouzinkie AK
The North American Thebaid 