www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Tonsuring of 2 more Stavrophore nuns at Holy Theophany Monastery

Tonsures at Holy Theophany Monastery!

Our sister community in Olympia, WA is Holy Theophany Monastery. Father Abbot Nicholas, in addition to his spiritual care of our monastery, is also spiritual father and ecclesiastical ordinary for the sisterhood of Holy Theophany. It is with great joy, then, that our monastic family announces the upcoming tonsures of three of the sisters of that community this Thursday, 28 June, by the hand of His Grace Bishop John Michael. The following events will take place at Holy Theophany Monastery in Olympia this week:

Thursday, 28 June at 7:00 PM: tonsure of Sister Katherine into the Rason, followed by Great Vespers for the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul and then the tonsure into the Little Schema of Sisters Irene and Johanna (afterwards addressed as Mother instead of Sister). This will be followed by a reception in the Monastery.

Friday, 29 June at 8:00 AM: Matins for the feast.

At 10:00 AM: Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated by Bishop John Michael, assisted by Abbot Nicholas in the presence of His Excellency the Most Rev. Alexander Brunnett, Archbishop of Seattle and the Right Rev. Abbot Neal Roth, O.S.B., of St. Martin's Abbey and numerous other clergy from the Catholic and Orthodox Churches as well as other friends of the sisterhood.

Holy Theophany Monastery is located at 10220 66th Avenue, SE, Olympia, WA 98513 and can be contacted at (360) 491-8233, email htheophany@earthlink.net .

May God grant to Mother Anastasia and to the soon-to-be tonsured nuns many blessed years in His service!

http://www.hrmonline.org/

God be praised - many years to Sisters Katherine, Irene and Johanna and all of the dear sisters.

Eis polla eti, Despota, to Bishop John-Michael!

Fr. Serge

What a blessing! The growth of the traditional eastern monastic witness and a bishop that fosters the spiritual growth of his diocese. What a God-send to this diocese.

God grant many years to this inspired hierarch and his diocese.

Many years to the new monastics, their abbot and hierarch.

In IC XC,
Father Anthony+

Slava Isusu Khrestu

Mnohaja i Blahaja Lita!

Z Bohom
Nycholaij

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The new stavrophores, Mother Irene and Mother Johanna

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The new Rassaphore nun Sister Katherine with Bishop John Michael

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The whole sisterhood at our 2006 pilgrimage with Bishop John Michael

Sister Kathrine is from our church, St Georges. Just an awesome woman on God.

Any photos of Mother Katherine?

Above are photos of Mother Anastasia, Mother Irene, Mother Johanna, and Sister Katherine. That's the entire sisterhood.

Here is one where Sr. Katherine is hugging her nephew:
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And here's another of Sister Katherine putting on the rasson at the tonsuring:
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Becoming a rassophore, or one who wears a rasson, does not involve any vows. In most traditions, Novices and Rassophores are called brother or sister, not mother or father. For the same reason, the men's monastery has four fathers and a brother. While novices are free to leave the monastery at any time, a rassophore wishing to leave and marry must have the permission of the bishop to do so.

At the tonsuring, Mothers Irene and Johanna became stavrophores, or cross-bearers, being tonsured into the lesser schema, and they took vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and possibly stability. It was at that time that they also went from the title of sister to that of mother.

Many years to each of them and to their superior, Mother Anastasia!