St. Tikhon was instrumental in the founding of our monastery in 1905.

Chosen by God in a turbulent time, / You glorified God in complete holiness; / And attained greatness through humility / You showed forth the power of God through simplicity and piety; / You laid down your life for the Church and her people, / O Holy Confessor and Patriarch, Father Tikhon, / Pray to Christ God who Whom you were also crucified / That He may save our souls. (Troparion)

From 1898 - 1907 the foundation for a strong Orthodox Church  in the New World was laid  by (then) Archbishop Tikhon, the son of a priest in Pskov, Russia.  Consecrating churches, overseeing the transformation of the American 'mission'' to an Archdiocese, appointing new bishops, shepherding converts (such as St. Alexis Toth) and blessing the founding of St. Tikhon's Monastery. All this and more was just part of the beloved hierarch's work in the New World.  Ten years after his return to Russia was was chosen the first Patriarch since the 18th Century only to have to constantly battle the forces of godless Bolshevism following the 1918 revolution. It was Saint Tikhon who deeply understood the need for a monastery to be established in North America.

St. Tikhon not only gave his blessing for the Founding of our Holy Monastery but even paid half of the purchase price for the monastery land. It was he who carefully over saw its building and establishment and it is he whose vision continues there to this very day.

As we commemorate St. Tikhon on his Feastday,  let us remember two quotes that are very applicable to today:

A gentle manner adorned You / You showed kindness and compassion to those who repented / You were firm and unbending in confessing the Orthodox Faith / And zealous in loving the Lord / O Holy Hierarch of Christ and Confessor Tikhon / Pray for us that we may not be separated from the love of God / Which is of Christ Jesus, our King and Lord.  (Kontakion)

Homily For Founder's Day 2014