From the book “The Experience of Comprehension of America”
On the day of remembrance of the great hesychast St. Paisiy Velichkovsky remembered the Arizona monastery dedicated to him - a marvelous oasis in the sun-scorched desert.
At the Holy Gates of the monastery
The dawn is burning. The day is ending. The monastery garden is covered in sleep. A tired shadow falls from the trees, the peaks of the mountains look into the sky. In the morning it seems in the brilliance of the dawn rays, That much will be given to accomplish, And now, when it gets darker every minute, You see everything that has not been done during the day. I would hurry before the dawn fades, But the firmament is darkening. Above the fence of the sleeping monastery the evening bell calls to prayer. How wise nature is: it’s time to pray, Calls for unearthly peace. All work and worries will begin in the morning, In the meantime, open your heart to God... Tomorrow new dawns will rise over the temple, The Light will illuminate the Brides of Christ. After all, the basis of their life is prayer and work. May the Lord bless them
The scenery here is amazing
Monastery of St. Paisius the Great and St. Paisiya Velichkovsky in Arizona, which we reached through dizzying canyons, was significantly different from the monastery of St. Anthony the Great. First of all, it was feminine. Considering the difficult climatic conditions of the high mountain desert, the ascetic deeds of the nuns are worthy of respect.
In addition, it falls under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church, but spiritual care is provided by the beloved Archimandrite Ephraim (Moraitis), who is deeply revered here.
The monastery is located in a small high-mountain desert among the surrounding picturesque mountain ranges. The road to it is not at all easy.
The harsh climatic conditions of this area provide a natural defense against the increasing number of cars and tourists.
Over millions of years, water and soil erosion have created monolithic, majestic mountain forms, narrow, deep canyons surrounded by arches, hills and cliffs.
The formation of this unique area dates back more than 320 million years, dating back to the time when central Arizona was covered by the sea. The initial layer of rocks consists of shell rock, it was formed from the shells of various sea creatures that lived in those ancient times. Then the sea dried up, and the rivers formed on the former bottom actively carried sand to the delta - the future valley of Sidon. The sand, compressed over time, became what we call today red sandstone - the iron oxide flowing in the erosive waters decorated it with many warm shades of red.
Sandstone cliffs, created by the ancient sea, form the picturesque backdrop that turns this area into a real natural theater. Wind and erosion have created natural settings from the rocks, and now, with just a little imagination, you can see the Cathedral and the Bell, the Coffee Pot and the Courthouse, and much more. Fortunately, these mountain formations are covered with a layer of limestone, which protects them, making them more resistant to external influences, and not only allows thousands of people to admire this majestic beauty, but also allows us to hope that we will be able to leave to our descendants the beauty of nature, taken, as they say Indians, they have a loan...
The last mile or two to the monastery was an ordinary dirt road, running between thickets of cacti as tall as a man. The cacti here are not at all the same as in the vicinity of the monastery of St. Anthony, but still impressive. Cars rushing along the road raise a huge dense cloud of dust, so you have to almost feel your way through. However, the beauty of the opening landscapes does not allow us to dwell on these inconveniences even for a moment. And when, finally, the view of the monastery opens up, thoughts focus only on this wonderful oasis... Fatigue instantly disappears, thirst ceases to torment, the heat that has been constantly pursuing the whole road becomes almost imperceptible...
Majestic temples of the monastery
Pilgrims are greeted warmly at the monastery. Despite the fact that we were late for the liturgy, the sisters did not show any dissatisfaction. They hospitably invited us to a meal, which was quite plentiful and tasty. The landscape on the territory of the monastery is stunning.
The landscape on the territory of the monastery is stunning
He is still somewhat stern, there is simplicity and modesty in everything. But at the same time it is very beautiful and cozy here. It is difficult to even imagine how much work it took for the nuns who settled among the red mountains to master the high-mountain desert with its constant companions: a harsh climate caused by temperature changes: desert arid heat, giving way to clearly noticeable night coolness.
How much work the nuns put in. to create an oasis here. — God knows
Already from mid-February, daytime temperatures begin to rise actively, while nights remain cool. And then summer comes: during the day from +32C to +53C with a sharp cooling after sunset. Sometimes the difference between day and night temperatures can be about 50 degrees!
It is impossible to explain this: how cozy it can be in the middle of the desert, between protruding cacti and all kinds of thorns, in a labyrinth of countless traveled and trodden paths - and yet it was so.
The horizon shimmered with hitherto unimaginable shades of red, the mountains on one side glowed with gold, and on the other they went into an incredibly purple sky. Beauty! But besides it, there was something else... something that seemed to be dissolved in the air, permeating everything around, calming the soul and filling it with quiet joy.
Procession at the monastery
Miracles in War and Standing in Faith
Of course, severe military trials could not but affect the spiritual state of the future monk. Trying to endure all the hardships of war without complaining, Arseny derived spiritual benefit from everything. Every moment he was ready to give his life to save his neighbor. Participating in any of the most dangerous tasks, the ascetic never abandoned prayer and sincere faith. And the Lord protected both himself and many people from his inner circle from death.
So, one of his colleagues told how two soldiers from his battalion asked to go into a small trench where Arseny was hiding from bullets. Seeing that there was not enough room for everyone, the ascetic got out of the trench, giving way to others. At that moment, a shell exploded next to him, and the young man felt one of the fragments hit him on the head. Having felt and examined his head later, Arseny saw that the fragment did not leave even the slightest scratch, but flew in such a way that it only carefully shaved off a strip of hair to the very root.
In another battle, when Arseny’s battalion was encircled and the hope for salvation was becoming less and less, the future monk suddenly crawled out of the trench, stood up to his full height in the midst of whistling bullets and shells, crossed his arms on his chest and began to pray. A few minutes later, attack aircraft arrived and completely destroyed the enemy.
Icon of Paisius of Svyatogorsk and Arsenius of Cappadocia
Saving a life
Many people with whom Arseny fought side by side owe their lives to him. Thus, one of his colleagues with tears in his eyes told how during the retreat he fell and lost consciousness. They noticed his absence only when the soldiers reached their shelter. No one thought of saving the poor fellow, considering him dead, and only Arseny rushed back. He put his comrade on his shoulders and dragged him to the location where he came to his senses. Until the end of his days, he thanked Arseny for saving his life.
After serving a total of 5 years, the future elder was transferred to the reserve and could return home. Friends in the service offered to settle nearby in one of the villages and start families, but Arseny firmly told everyone that, having repaid his debt to the Motherland, he would go to a monastery.
Temple in the name of St. Paisius the Great and St. Paisiy Velichkovsky
After the meal, we were invited to a beautiful, spacious church, where Mother Melania, who accompanied us, told us the history of the monastery, kindly answered our questions, and allowed us to photograph the shrines. She literally radiated kindness and attention, and the story was accessible and simple.
Temple interior
Despite the fact that the monastery is very young (it was founded in 2006), its territory is quite landscaped: trees and bushes are planted, providing shade and pleasing to the eye. Mother said that many parishioners worked to improve the monastery for the glory of God: people brought soil, donated expensive plants, planted them in accordance with the instructions of landscape design specialists, who drew up plans for their placement free of charge.
Temple of St. Paisius the Great and St. Paisiy Velichkovsky
Visit to the holy mountain and long-awaited monasticism
Almost immediately after leaving the army, while still in uniform, Arseny decided to fulfill his old dream - to visit Holy Mount Athos. Being completely inexperienced in spiritual life, the first trip did not bring the expected spiritual benefits. Arseny was ready to trust anyone who spoke to him on the topic of faith. In addition, shortly after his arrival, he received a letter from his father asking for help. Considering this as yet another obedience, Arseny returned to his father’s house and again began to work for the good of his family, without abandoning strict fasting and tireless prayer.
Having done everything in his power to help his family, several years after his first visit to the Holy Mountain, the young man goes there again. Having chosen one of the monasteries, he begins the novice life there, for which he so carefully prepared himself. Arseny met amazing monks and fathers in his monastery, who instructed him and confirmed him even more in the faith.
Paisiy Svyatogorsky
Interesting. Already as a novice, with the blessing of the abbot, Arseny fulfilled difficult ascetic rules that were beyond the strength of many experienced monks.
During the day he worked obediently as a carpenter, and in the evening and at night he prayed. He slept on stones or bricks and did not heat himself in his cell. In winter, he wore only a cassock, and wrapped his body in paper under it. I slept for half an hour or an hour a day, and in order not to fall asleep at night while praying, I stood with my feet in a basin of cold water.
Finally, on March 27, 1954, after undergoing all obediences, the young man took his first tonsure with the name Averky. A difficult monastic life began, full of obediences and trials. So, monk Averky ended up working as a carpenter for one of the senior monks. This monk was not particularly pious, he was arrogant and angry. The brethren of the monastery suffered a lot from him, but he was the only carpenter, so they could not kick him out. The young monk Averky remained in his obedience for more than 2 years, and humbly endured all the reproaches and unfair punishments of his mentor. Later the ascetic will say that during this period of time he received enormous spiritual benefit.
After several years of simple monasticism, Father Averky was tonsured into a mantle with the name Paisiy - it was under this name that he became famous as a great Elder, and later as a saint.
Photo of the Venerable Elder Paisius the Holy Mountain
Before the face of the Most Pure One
But, of course, the dominant feature among this splendor is the spacious church in the name of St. Paisius the Great and St. Paisiy Velichkovsky. It is large and bright, with a beautiful carved iconostasis and rich paintings. A true treasure is the icon of the Mother of God of Arizona (the same as in the monastery of St. Anthony the Great).
Icon of the Mother of God of Arizona
Before the face of the Most Pure One, you experience an involuntary trembling: your whole life suddenly flashes before your eyes, bitter and joyful, full of gains and losses, beautiful because the Lord does not reject us, who are stubborn in sin, but through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother grants repentance...
Oasis in the desert
The heavenly patrons of the monastery are the deeply revered saints here. Paisius the Great and St. Paisiy Velichkovsky, saints who belonged to different eras, but were close in spirit: they were united by hesychia - sacred silence. And also the Jesus Prayer, of which they were both practitioners. Apparently, the Lord loved these ascetics so much that he generously endowed them with this special Gift.
Heavenly patrons of the monastery
The sisters deeply revere Father Ephraim (Moraitis). who is their confessor (for more details about this monastery and Elder Ephraim, see the corresponding article)
Archimandrite Ephraim (Moraitis)
During the day, the territory is quite hot, but in the evening it begins to cool down, and various sounds, sometimes frightening, begin to be heard from different directions: first from a distance, then the specific howling of coyotes is heard closer and closer, the barking of a monastery dog is heard, then the sounds become less and less distinguishable and gradually subside.
A night in a monastery is a special time. The huge sky extends its cover, the outlines of the mountains are visible and above them are bright large stars. The silence does not last long: at 5 o'clock in the morning the bell rings, inviting everyone to the Midnight Office. The heart is filled with a special feeling when, in the silence of the night in the early morning darkness, sisters in monastic vestments begin to flock to the church, silently gliding through the darkness.
The splendor of the temple
Silence reigns in the temple, multi-colored lamps flicker, candles are lit, of which there are very few. This tunes the soul into an elevated mood and it soars towards God. The animals have not yet awakened, the clear-voiced birds have not yet filled the surroundings with prayerful singing, the bustling world is still sweetly slumbering in the pre-dawn oblivion, and in the heart of the desert in a cozy temple a quiet angelic singing is heard. People in the neighboring town are sleeping and, perhaps, do not know that prayers for them and for all of us are being raised to the Lord. The nuns pray for all believers and those who have fallen away from the holy Orthodox faith, for people. in existing prisons and on sick beds, for those for whom there is no one to pray, and through their prayers the surrounding world, mired in sins, is saved... The words of the sacred English language sound amazing, but everything is completely clear... From time to time familiar Church Slavonic prayers are heard, and my soul becomes especially warm. And the point is not only that the soul is touched by the sounds of the native language, but mainly because the heart feels special respect and love for us, unworthy, praying in this distant land...
Paradise
I can’t help but remember how once in Idaho we entered a half-empty Greek temple and the priest, coming out of the altar and asking where we were from, proclaimed the ecintia in Church Slavonic, and although he had an incredible accent. but my heart trembled in a special way... When the early monastic service ended, we were given the opportunity to rest a little. and it was simply wonderful, because a fabulous dawn rose over the desert, shining with a variety of incredibly bright colors... Then the Divine Liturgy began. after which, towards noon, the sisters went in procession to a meal, where they invited us too.
After the end of the liturgy
The food was so varied and tasty that we wanted to try everything and in the end we overdid it.
Pilgrims and pilgrims
After lunch we went on a tour of the monastery. The sisters spoke in detail about the shrines of the temple and about the incredible efforts it took to build it. To their surprise, they discovered that in the monastery, in addition to the usual monastic life of hardworking nuns, there was another. Teenage children study here, so on the territory you can see cute models of deer and other living creatures, and desert insects live in a glass jar to console the children. This touches to the core.
The jar contains a representative of the local fauna: a huge tarantula
It seems that staying here is especially useful for pilgrims with children. Everywhere on the territory there are toy animals: deer, bunnies, birds...
Staying here for pilgrims with children is especially useful
They showed us the monastery cemetery with special reverence. It was felt that the deceased sisters were still dear to the nuns of the monastery, and they continued to pray for them.
Monastery Cemetery
We were especially shocked by the lonely children's grave with a modest Orthodox cross - standing at the grave of Katya Polishchuk, we, moved to tears, listened to the story about this amazing 9-year-old girl, to whom the Lord gave a very short life, full of suffering and joy. The girl was terminally ill and was slowly dying in distant Oregon. No one heard the slightest murmur from her lips, no one saw the sorrow in her eyes. her soul was already here on earth, was in the heavenly abodes and was striving for them... One day, a mother, realizing that her daughter had very little time left to live, asked what she could do for her. And a nine year old girl. looking up at her with a meek gaze, she humbly replied that she would like to die as a nun.
Katya Polishchuk's grave
The ways of God's Providence are incomprehensible, but always immutable. The Lord did not allow her to live in a monastery, having tasted the sweetness of monasticism, perhaps because the path to Heaven through monasticism is the closest and most faithful, but she, having lived such a short but bright life, was already ripe for the Heavenly granary, having reached the measure of perfection required by God.
The example of her life and death brought not only her own family to God, but also many employees of the hospital where Katya spent the last time of her life. I would like to believe that the soul of this courageous girl has rested in the Kingdom of Heaven, and at the throne of the Lord she prays not only for the monastics, but for all of us.
Then we visited the first church of the monastery, small but very cozy.
The first monastery church
The first temple of the monastery
With its internal structure, it reminded me of the Trinity Church in California's Fort Ross and the Assumption Church in Calistoga, and my soul felt especially warm.
The interior of the temple is distinguished by asceticism
A warm impression was left by the monastery shop, where one could buy icons of saints revered in the monastery, rosaries woven or made from wood by nuns, bags for storing prosphora and much more. When it's time to part. it was very sad...
This unforgettable trip left an indelible mark on the souls of many pilgrims. Already many days after returning, one could notice how much many participants in the trip missed the small, modest monastery in the Arizona desert. God bless you, dear sisters! Your love, care and prayers have changed us for the better.
We have truly found and preserved in our hearts an imperishable treasure that warms the soul, which pleases only because you exist and our world is better for it, which serves as an example for us and helps us, amidst temptations, to act as worthy Christians.
The Lord deigned to visit here several more times, and we sincerely rejoiced at the changes taking place in it. The territory was improved, landscaped, new icons appeared in churches. And yet the first impression turned out to be the most vivid. God willing, we will return to this hospitable abode again. Forever yours Tatiana Lazarenko and Alexander Krivenko
To be continued
Author:
Tatiana
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Youth and preparation for monastic life
Of course, Arseny’s unusual behavior was not hidden from his peers and classmates at school. However, no one teased him; on the contrary, everyone respected him for his good disposition and willingness to quickly respond to the needs of any person.
Having graduated from primary school with a high score, the future elder did not go further to study, since there was no gymnasium nearby. Arseny decided to master the profession of a carpenter, following the example of our Lord Jesus Christ himself. Working with his master and teacher, the talented young man quickly learned all the intricacies of the craft and became a famous carpenter in his area. He made any wood products, for example:
- iconostases;
- shelves for icons;
- any furniture;
- coffins.
For the latter, he never took payment, thereby showing sympathy for human misfortune. Working as a carpenter allowed Arseny to have everything he needed for life, as well as help those in need.
At the age of fifteen, young Arseny was tempted in faith. His brother’s friend tried to divert the ascetic’s thoughts from faith and prove to him Darwin’s theory of evolution. Then Arseny retired for a long prayer, believing that the Lord would enlighten him in one way or another. And after a long, heartfelt prayer, the young man was privileged to behold Christ himself. The vision was very bright, surrounded by blinding light. Having thus become convinced of the truth of his faith, the future ascetic never wavered again.
After this vision, Arseny began to seriously think about how he could quickly become a monk. The church authorities to whom he turned refused to tonsure him at such a young age, and the young man began painstakingly preparing himself for the future monastic path.
Photos of Paisiya
It is noteworthy that the future saint did not have to persuade and exhort his relatives. Knowing the kind of life their son led, they understood perfectly well that he would not agree to any other path in life other than monasticism.
Important. The future monk was very strict about fasting.
In order not to spoil himself with delicious food, he ate the simplest food, which, in addition, did not add salt. Severe dietary restrictions more than once brought the young man to the point of fainting. In addition, while working in the fields, he often took off his shoes and walked barefoot on the mown stubble. At the same time, the legs became wounded into blood by sharp beveled stems. In this way, Arseny taught himself to endure pain and any restrictions, like the holy martyrs for Christ.
About the lives of other ascetics:
- Life of Epiphanius the Wise
- Life of Saint Anastasia the Pattern Maker
- Life of the Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessalonica
Of course, having such ardent faith, Arseny could not help but try to convey the Truth to the people around him. The young man had a special influence on young people and children. Thus, several of his friends expressed a desire to also go to the monastery, and the future elder supported another one when deciding on the path of the priesthood.
Venerable Paisius of Svyatogorsk
Prayers to St. Paisius the Holy Mountain
Troparion, tone 5
Receiving the Divine fire of love, / you were all God in a superior feat, / and you were a consolation to many people, / you punished with divine words, / you worked miracles with prayers, / Paisie B ogonose, / and now you pray unceasingly // for the whole world, Reverend.
Translation: Having accepted the fire of Divine love, by an exceptional feat he entrusted himself entirely to God and was a consolation for many people, admonishing with Divine teachings, performing miracles with prayers, Paisius the God-bearing, and now you pray without ceasing for the whole world, Rev.
Kontakion, tone 8
Living like an angel on earth, / you shone with love, like Paisius, / the great affirmation of the monks, / the leader of those faithful to the life of the saint, / the sweetest consolation of the universe appeared, / with For his sake we call you: // Rejoice, universal father.
Translation: Like an angel who lived on earth, you shone with love, Venerable Paisius, great power for monks, a guide for believers to a holy life, and you appeared as the sweetest consolation to the universe, therefore we cry to you: “Rejoice, Father revered by the whole world.”
