Press and Supporter Comments

Press and Official Endorsements:

  • Byzantine Texas blog covered the Project launch in July 2016, and wrote to us, “This is actually the very project I had hoped someone would tackle for some time.”
  • Established with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Paul of the OCA Diocese of Chicago and the Midwest, who wrote, “Very professional, and well thought out… I find myself wholeheartedly endorsing it.”
  • The OCA Midwest Diocese website also published a major announcement on the Thebaid Project launch.
  • Photographer & Director Ralph Sidway was invited by Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America to introduce the Thebaid Project at the OCA’s annual Synaxis of Monastic Superiors in October 2016, and was warmly received, with invitations to visit from the more than a dozen monastics assembled from across the USA and Canada.
  • “This November 2017, New Skete was blessed to have, Ralph Zosimas, as a guest at Emmaus House, and he took some very impressive photos of the services, the monks’ monastery and the nuns’ monastery. Ralph is traveling North America, visiting various Orthodox monasteries, taking photos and plans to publish a book in 2018. We wish him the best in this endeavor, and pray for his safe travels, and an edifying fulfillment of this unique pilgrimage.”
    Blessings ~ Br Gregory, Monk of New Skete

Comments from Supporters:

  • “The reason why we supported you was because we believe that healthy monasticism is the key to a vibrant church. We hope your work will be a spark which continues to bring monasticism to the consciousness of all Orthodox and the wider world. Bless you in your journey and your work.” — Anonymous Supporter, New Jersey
  • “May God Bless every day of this project. A wonderful work!” — Paula Romano
  • “They had me at ‘apophatic ’!” — Todd Isaac
  • “A fascinating project with beautiful picture. Congratulations to the authors!” — Fr. Cyril Hovorun
  • “It was great having you at our parish in Nicholasville!” — Audrey Wagner, Wilmore KY
  • “Let us offer our thanks to our brother Zosimas, as well as our renewed prayers for the success of his own mission, which is to photographically document life within the many Orthodox monasteries here in North America.” — Fr. Basil Rusen, St. Herman’s Orthodox Church, Hudson OH.