Coroiești, Hunedoara County, Romania, August 11, 2021
Photo: wp.com
A new skete is under construction in western Romania in honor of one of the greatest saints of the 20th century.
On Sunday, August 8, His Grace Bishop Gurie of Deva and Hunedoara and his vicar Bishop Nestor celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the site of the future Skete of St. Joseph the Hesychast in Coroiești, Hunedoara County, the diocese reports.
The monastic habitation will also be dedicated to the Brâncoveanu Martyrs—Prince St. Constantine and his sons Constantine, Stephan, Radu, Matthew, and his counsellor Ianache, who were martyred in Constantinople in 1714 for refusing to convert to Islam.
St. Joseph the Hesychast was formally canonized by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in March last year, with his feast set as August 16/29.
He is known as a great teacher of noetic prayer who attained to exalted spiritual heights. His spiritual children helped repopulate the dwindling Athonite monasteries in the 20th century, and his spiritual child Elder Ephraim is known as a great builder of monasteries in America and Canada and a holy elder in his own right.
A Church of St. Joseph the Hesychast was consecrated in Tbilisi in July last year, and the Church of St. Joseph at Madagascar’s first male monastery was consecrated in June of this year.
The full text of the Vigil and Divine Liturgy for the feast of St. Joseph is available in English here.
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