Changes

Jump to: navigation, search

Monastery of Pantanassa (Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales)

2,280 bytes added, 15:51, February 10, 2012
m
link
{{monastery|
name=Monastery of the Holy Mother of God "Pantanassa"|
jurisdiction=[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia|GOA Aus]]|
type=Male Monastery|
founded=1976|
superior=Abbot [[Stephanos Eusebios (Pantanassiotis)|StephanosEusebios]]|size=4 5 monks|
hq=Mangrove, New South Wales, Australia|
language=Greek|
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
feasts=[[November 10|Nov 10]] (Metochion)<br>Bright Saturday (Monastery)|
website=none advertised[http://www.pantanassa.org.au Official Website]
}}
The '''Monastery of the Holy Mother of God [[Panagia Pantanassa|"Pantanassa"]]''' (Queen of All) is a [[monasticism|monastic]] community for [[monk|men]] under the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia]]. The monastery is located in MangroveCreek and Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales (west of Sydney), and was established in 1976 under the [[omophorion]] of His Eminence [[Archbishop]] [[Stylianos (Harkianakis) of Australia|Stylianos of Australia]]. The current [[abbot]] is [[Archimandrite]] [[Stephanos Eusebios (Pantanassiotis)|StephanosEusebios]]; there are currently 2 [[hieromonk|priestmonk]]s (including the abbot), one monk and one [[novice]] three monks in residence.
==TimelineHistory==*In 1976: Holy Monastery of , shortly after the [[Transfiguration]] beginning of our Lord established by [[Archbishop]] [[Stylianos (Harkianakis) of Australia|Stylianos]]. The Brotherhood lives in St Arsenios' [[metochion|House]]tenure, and worships at the Archbishop establishes the Holy Transfiguration Monastery.*1995: Monastery moved from Sydney, New South Wales, to Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales. Holy Transfiguration Monastery becomes a parish, and the brotherhood was given put under the patronage of the Mother [[Transfiguration]] of God "Pantanassa" by Archbishop Stylianos. The Pantanassa brotherhood commenced living in a small monastic complex on the side of the mountain below a 200m (approx. 680 ft) cliff.*1995: The our Lord, with [[Archimandrite]] [[Monastery of the Holy Cross Stephanos (Mangrove, AustraliaPantanassiotis)|Monastery of ]] being the Holy Cross[[abbot]], a female monastery, is established and residing at St Arsenios' [[metochion|House]] with four nuns. Abbot Fr Stephanos is the chaplain.*~2003: The Monastery of the Holy Cross moves resigns from Vicar-General and devotes himself to present location on Mangrove Mountain.*2005 May 27: Pantanassa Monastery began excavation on the monastic site on top of monastery, where he is widely sought out for confession; however, even though the mountain. Archbishop Stylianos announces an Australia-wide fundrasing campaign.*2005 Jul 16: The foundation stone monastery is situated in Earlwood, Sydney, it is a principle of the new monastic church was laid at Pantanassa Monastery by Archbishop Stylianos, assisted by Bishop [[Seraphim (Ginis) of Apollonias|Seraphim]]monastery that no weddings or baptisms are celebrated there.*2005 Aug: Driveway for new monastic complex finished.*2006 Feb: Construction anticipated to begin on first phase.{{orthodoxyinaustralasia}}
[[Image:Logo of Pantanassa Monastery.jpg|left|thumb|<center>"Holy Archdiocese of Australia<br>Holy Monastery Mother of God the Queen of All"</center>]]In the early 1990s, the monastery has its first novices, and Fr Stephanos decides that an inner-city hermitage was no longer the an ideal situation. Building begins at Mangrove Mountain at a temporary site on the side of the mountain, below a 200m (approx. 680ft) cliff; it was anticipated that, once the temporary site was complete, construction would begin at permanent site on top of the mountain. In 1995, the temporary site was complete, and the brotherhood moved from Sydney to Lower Mangrove Creek. This caused Holy Transfiguration Monastery to revert to a parish, and Archbishop Stylianos placed the brotherhood under the patronage of the Mother of God "Pantanassa" ("Queen of All": formed by two Greek words - Πάντα meaning All, Άνασσα meaning Queen) 1995 turned out to be a busy year. In the early 1990s, Fr Stephanos has a number of women who wished to pursue the monastic life; these women were, eventually, sent to a monastery in Greece. However, the desire to lead the monastic life in Australia was, after a few years, accepted by Fr Stephanos, and so these four nuns made up the first sisters of the [[Monastery of the Holy Cross (Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales)|Monastery of the Holy Cross]], who began residence at St Arsenios House with Fr Stephanos as the spiritual father. In 2003, Holy Cross Monastery moves to Mangrove Mountain, 5km from Pantanassa Monastery, and St Arsenios becomes the Sydney metochion for Pantanassa Monastery.{{orthodoxyinaustralia}}What was planned to be a temporary site at Mangrove Creek, after numerous administrative setbacks, eventually became more permanent, with an iconography studio, extra cells and storeroom built near the original complex. However, the brotherhood never forgot that it was only supposed to be temporary; finally, on May 27, 2005, having obtained local government permission, Pantanassa Monastery began excavation on the monastic site on top of Mangrove Mountain, and Archbishop Stylianos announced an Australia-wide fundraising campaign. On July 16, 2005, the foundation stone of the main church ('katholikon') was laid by Archbishop Stylianos, assisted by Bishop [[Seraphim (Ginis) of Apollonias|Seraphim]]. Soon after, the driveway for the new monastic complex was finished, making possible the construction of the new complex. The first phase of this construction - the church and first part of the living quarters - was begun in February 2006. Construction continues and will continue for the foreseeable future. Around 2011, Elder Stephanos retired as abbot of the monastery, while remaining at the monastery; Hmk Eusebios succeeded him, being elevated to Archimandrite on [[September 14]] by Bp [[Iakovos (Tsigounis) of Militoupolis]] and subsequently enthroned as Abbot on [[September 17]], 2011.
==Monastic Complex==
After moving to become the Pantanassa Monastery in 1995, the Brotherhood built a small site to live in until they built the complex that would be the monastery. In 2005, the Brotherhood, after numerous difficulties, began excavation at this site, located 50 metres from cliff-face; in 2006, it construction began and is anticipated that construction will beginscheduled to continue through much of the year.
===Current Monastic Complex===
Currently the Brotherhood lives, works and prays at a small monastic complex on the side of Mangrove Mountain, below a 200 metre cliff, where there is a small chapel dedicated to Sts [[Ephrem the Syrian|Ephraim ]] and [[Isaac the Syrian|Isaac]] the Syrians, living quarters sufficient for the monks, an iconography studio (the primary source of income), a [[candle]]-making factory, St. Joseph's joinery workshop. Other structures from the complex include a secluded cabin named after [[Elder]] [[Paisios (Eznepidis)|Paisios the Athonite]] (+1994), a set of beehives, a timber cabin used for confessional and bookshop, an outdoor chapel with a 6 metre timber [[crucifix ]] used during the [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarch]]'s 1996 visit, and a cave dedicated to St. [[Joachim and Anna|Anna]]. There are also numerous dams on the property for water, the largest dam being adjacent to St. [[Patrickof Ireland|Patrick]]'s fields. [[Image:pantanassaicon.jpg|left|thumb|Icon of the Mother of God "Pantanassa"]]
===New Monastic Complex===
Building works started on the new monastic complex site at the top of the mountain on 27 May 2005. The preparatory works began with excavating the mountain to provide three flat levels for buildings to go on, which were completed by the July 2005 foundation ceremony. During further excavation, a 400 metre (~1350 ft) driveway through forest to the building site was constructed and completed in August 2005. There are three stages involved in the construction of the new monastic complex:
# Includes Currently being completed; includes the new chapel and the first section of the living quarters, sufficient for the present number of monks.
# Includes the remainder of the living quarters for the monks and the office.
# Includes the iconography studio and guest accomodation.
The new monastic complex is designed to have the layout and aesthetics of a traditional [[Mount Athos|Athonite]] monastery by having the main church in the middle of a cloistered quadrangle. This formation is intended to have a fortress effect, by appearing solid and uninviting to outsiders, its few openings giving little opportunity for interaction; whereas to those welcomed into the complex, having a softer style of architecture and opening with a continuous arched cloister and details reminiscent of Athonite structures.
==Bibliography and Links==
*Pantanassa Monastery, "The Building of a Monastery", in <i>[http://www.tovema.com.au The Greek Australian VEMA]</i>, June 2005, page 12/30.
*[http://homewww.itgreekorthodox.comnet.au/~jgrapsas/pages/Pantanassa.htm Holy Monastery of PantanassaAppeal Site] (monastery appeal site) ==External links==*[http://homewww.itpantanassa.comorg.au/~jgrapsas/Ikons/model.jpg Model of Monastery (after construction)Official Website
{{AustralianMonasteries}}
[[Category:Orthodoxy in Australia]]
[[Category:Australian Monasteries|Pantanassa]][[Category:Greek Monasteries|Pantanassa]][[Category:Monasteries|Pantanassa]]
16,951
edits

Navigation menu