St. Isaac of Syria Skete (Boscobel, Wisconsin)

St. Isaac of Syria Skete
Jurisdiction	Bulgarian
Type	Male Skete
Founded	1987
Superior	vacant
Approx. size	5 monks
Location	Boscobel, Wisconsin
Liturgical language(s)	English
Music used	Russian Chant
Calendar	Julian
Feastdays celebrated	January 28
Official website	Official website

St. Isaac of Syria Skete is a monastic community for men located in Boscobel, Wisconsin. There are currently four monks and one novice within the monastery.

The community was founded in April 1987, under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), with the arrival of Abbot Simeon Gitlis to the Boscobel area. The skete is an offshoot of Christ of the Hills Monastery (COTH)in Blanco, Texas.

In time, a church, a school and a female monastery were also constructed.

The skete returned its antimens to ROCOR after ROCOR withdrew its antimens from COTH. Some time later the community joined the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia.

In 2009 Gitlis was deposed by the Bulgarians, and the Bulgarian diocese withdrew its antimens from the skete.

The community consists of men living the monastic tradition of a Christ-centered prayer life for the monastic members. The community produces icons, keeps the church and mission structures, and conducts pastoral, charitable and missionary outreach.

After

Timeline

• 1986 Jun - Fr Simeon goes on a retreat to Boscobel, erecting a chapel. People from the surrounding community join him in worship.
• 1987 Apr - St. Isaac of Syria Skete founded; St. Nicholas Orthodox Mission Church founded.
• 1991 Aug - Monastery of St. Silouan founded near the Skete.
• 1994 Sep - St. Isaac's Orthodox School founded.
• 2009 Apr - Fr. Simeon is deposed by Metropolitan Joseph of the Bulgarian Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia, and the antimens is withdrawn

External links

• Website of Monastery
• Letter Deposing Fr. Simeon from the priesthood