Piedmont, Oklahoma, November 30, 2020
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The Georgian Orthodox Church has opened a new monastery in America.
In a video posted on the Facebook page of His Grace Bishop Saba (Intskirveli), the Georgian Orthodox hierarch serving in America, a monk gives a tour of the new Monastery of St. James-New Studion Monastery at 20000 N. County Line Rd Piedmont, Oklahoma 73012.
Bp. Sava hands the abbot his abbatial staff. Photo: Facebook
Another post shows that Bp. Saba served at the monastery recently, with about 45 people present, including clergy, monastics, and laity.
The buildings and territory, about a 20-30 minute drive north of Oklahoma City, formerly belonged to a Catholic Carmelite Monastery, and thus are already well-equipped to house an Orthodox monastery, though there is still work to be done. In particular, the church will need an iconostasis and icons and other familiar features of an Orthodox church.
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The plot on which the monastery buildings sit is about 40 acres, while there is another adjacent 80-acre property also belonging to the monastery.
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The building housing the church, library, 27 cells, infirmary, kitchens, trapeza, reception area, and several spacious rooms that could be used for various art studios is 48,000 sq. ft. in size, built in 1985 by the Carmelite sisters.
There is also a courtyard and a large pond on the territory.
Watch the full video tour below:
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