Jordanville, New York, July 19, 2019
Photo: jordanville.org
Two men were tonsured into monasticism at Holy Trinity Monastery, the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, in Jordanville, New York, on July 8, the feast of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
According to the monastery’s report, tonsures are usually done during Great Lent, though they can be done during any of the fasting periods—the Holy Apostles’ Fast ends on July 12 on the Old Calendar. The tonsures were celebrated by the abbot His Grace Bishop Luke of Syracuse.
As OrthoChristian reported, three monks were tonsured into the schema at Holy Trinity in April during the Great Fast.
Having spent many years at the monastery as a worker, then a novice, then a riassaphore, Monk Victor (Nosov) was tonsured into the small schema with the name Boniface. Fr. Boniface takes care of the church lamps, works in the kitchen, and has taken care of the monastics’ graves for many years.
Novice James (Hazen), who lived in Russia for many years, was then tonsured as a riassaphore monk. His obediences are on the kliros, working in the monastery bookstore, and running the snack bar.
Photo: jordanville.org
At the end of the service, Bp. Luke offered words of encouragement, reminding them to hold onto the grace imparted by the rite of tonsuring and asked them to pray for all.
The rite of monastic tonsuring is often considered a Sacrament of the Church. His Eminence Metropolitan Jeremiah of Gortynos and Megalopolis comments on the service: “Thus, the monastic tonsure is, above all, a repeating of our baptismal vows… but not only that. We can also speak of the monastic tonsure as a marriage. The soul of a monk or nun enters into marriage with Christ, and the angels are present at this moment and bear witness to the sacredness and indissolubility of this union.”
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