Chapels at the Monastery
The Main Church
The main church, dedicated to St. Anthony and St. Nektarios, is a Byzantine-style domed church. St. Anthony the Great, the father of monasticism, lived in Egypt from 251 to 356 AD. Following Christ’s words, “If thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me,” he abandoned his family’s earthly riches at the age of eighteen and retreated into the Egyptian desert, where he mastered the art of prayer and self-denial. Although he never sought disciples, the fame of his holiness drew many to the monastic life and many others to a renewed life dedicated to our Lord Jesus Christ.
“I no longer fear God, but I love him. For perfect love casts out fear.”
– Saint Anthony the Great
St. Nektarios of Aegina was born in 1846. He was consecrated bishop of Pentapolis in 1885. On account of his many virtues and sincere love for his flock in Christ, he was much beloved by the faithful. Other clergymen became jealous of his popularity and accused him of currying favor with the people in order to seat himself upon the patriarchal throne of Alexandria. He was therefore removed from his hierarchal position. The humble servant of Christ bore everything with guilelessness, always returning love and forbearance for the hate he unjustly received. After his repose in 1920, God showed how well-pleased He was with His beloved servant by working innumerable miracles through his holy relics and his intercessions.
“Confession must be performed without embarrassment and reservation, but with boldness and self-reproach, because boldness is an expression of the abandonment of sin and a disposition to expose sin; bashfulness confirms that there exists a lack of courage.”
– Saint Nektarios of Aegina
“Seek the Lord . . ., seek His face continually.”
– Psalm 104:4
“The light of thy countenance, O Lord, has been marked upon us.”
–Psalm 4:7
“He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.”
– 1 Corinthians 6:17
The Chapel of St. Nicholas
This chapel is an exquisite example of Byzantine architecture. St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the protector of sailors and children, is one of the most beloved saints in all Orthodoxy. St. Nicholas is associated with gift-giving, as he continually helped the poor and the sick. One story describes his visits to a poor man who did not have the means to provide dowries for his three daughters. On three separate occasions, St. Nicholas secretly went to their home at night and left a bag of money so that the father could give each of them away in marriage.
The Chapel of St. George
The architecture of this chapel is typical of Romania, but all the furnishings, the intricate hand-carved iconostasis, and all the icons were imported from Greece.
A highly respected member of the Roman army, St. George refused to offer a sacrifice to the Roman gods and therefore he was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ. He was speared in the abdomen, thrown into prison, forced to drink poison, and subjected to various cruel tortures, such as being fitted with shoes lined with nails. But in whatever way they tortured him, each time he was miraculously saved. Beholding these miracles, thousands of people became Christians. Finally, he was beheaded. St. George is the patron saint of soldiers, peasants, working animals, and the poor.
The Chapel of St. Demetrios
The gazebo, the Spanish fountains, and the lush gardens guide you to this rural Russian-style chapel with its golden dome. St. Demetrios was a fourth-century duke of Thessalonica who was martyred for his faith in Christ. His relics pour out a fragrant liquid to this day; thus he is also called “the myrrh-streamer.”
The Chapel of St. Seraphim
“Where there is God, there is no evil. Everything coming from God is peaceful, healthy, and leads a person to the judgment of his own imperfections and to humility.”
― Saint Seraphim of Sarov
The chapel is tucked under the thick vegetation near a large Spanish fountain. This outdoor, Russian village-style chapel is dedicated to the most revered Russian saint of recent times.
St. Seraphim led a solitary life in the woods. On one occasion, he was beaten by robbers and left for dead. He survived, but he was hunched over for the rest of his life, and he is often depicted in icons that way, supporting himself with a staff. When the robbers were arrested and brought to trial, St. Seraphim begged for leniency in their behalf. He is also often depicted kneeling on a rock, because he once spent a thousand days and nights in prayer on a rock.
In 1833 he fell asleep in the Lord kneeling in prayer before an icon of the Virgin Mary.
“Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved.”
― Saint Seraphim of Sarov
The Chapel of St. Panteleimon
A wooden staircase leads to the small, one-room chapel dedicated to St. Panteleimon.
As a physician, St. Panteleimon coupled common medical practices with his strong faith in Christ. Thus, he once healed a blind man by calling upon Christ, and another time he healed a paralytic in the same way. Envied by his colleagues for his gift of healing and for taking their patients, St. Panteleimon was discredited before the impious Emperor Maximian. Because he would not renounce Christ as the true God, he was condemned to death and received a martyr’s crown in 305 AD.
*Entrance into this chapel is not permitted to the general public
The Chapel of the Nativity of St. John The Baptist
*Entrance into this chapel is not permitted to the general public
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he” -Matt 11:11
Nestled in the bell tower of St. George’s chapel is a small chapel dedicated to the birth of St. John the Baptist’s. St. John was born six months before Christ. Leading a very austere life, he preached repentance and announced the coming of Christ.
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the garner, but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
– Matthew 3:11-12
The Chapel of the Holy Prophet Elias
“And Elias cried aloud to the heaven, and said, “Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, answer me, O Lord, answer me this day by fire, and let all this people know that Thou art the Lord, the God of Israel, and I am Thy servant, and for Thy sake I have wrought these works.” -3 Kings 18:36
High above the tree-lined road that leads to St. Anthony’s Monastery stands this blue and white domed chapel, reminiscent of the architecture of the Greek islands.
The Holy Prophet Elias preached against the worship of idols, and God worked many great miracles through him, demonstrating that He alone is the true God.
“ And behold, I will send you Elias the Thesbite before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And he shall turn again the heart of the father to the son, and the heart of a man to his neighbor, lest I come and smite the earth grievously.” -Malachi 4:5-6
*Entrance into this chapel is not permitted to the general public
