If you would like to see and read about how Orthodox monks are made go here (scroll down to just below the schedule of services). [Note: A fuller pdf file is here.]
With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop TIKHON of San Francisco, His Grace, Bishop BENJAMIN of Berkeley tonsured four monks at the Monastery of St John on the Feast of St Sergius of Radonezh, July 5/18. Three monks were tonsured into the Small Schema or stavrophore: Fathers John, Martin and Dimitri. One novice was tonsured as a Rasophore, Father Elijah.
The Monastery of St John has nine brothers, under the spiritual direction of Abbot Jonah (Paffhausen). It was established by the blessing of Bishop TIKHON in October, 1996, at St Eugene’s Hermitage in Point Reyes Station, Marin County, near San Francisco. It is the only monastery for men in the Diocese of the West of the Orthodox Church in America. At the Monastery are the Abbot, a hiero-schemamonk visiting for an extended period, four stavrophores, two rasophores and one novice. There are several other men who are intending to join the brotherhood in the immediate future, space permitting.
The remainder of the site gives pictures and liturgical text of the ceremony.
Glory to God! America desparately needs more monasteries. To the newly tonsured: Many years! May God bring the increase of monasticism!
