What We Do

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Monks and nuns pray for us.  Because of monks and nuns, we are always remembered before God. What a great gift! Monks and nuns live away from the rest of the world in communities called monasteries. 

The most important job of a monk or nun is to pray, both privately and communally by reading the holy Hours, participating in frequent Liturgy, and observing all the other services and feasts in the cycle of the Church. Monks and nuns go to Church several times a day, every day! Monks and nuns pray for us. They pray in our place when we are doing something which keeps us from saying our own prayers, and they pray on our behalf by asking God to grant salvation and health to every Orthodox Christian. They do this every day, even if we don't pray ourselves because we're too young or too sick - or just too lazy. 

Because of monks and nuns, we are always remembered before God. What a great gift! Because monks and nuns spend so much time praying and studying, they have a very special wisdom with which to interpret the world in which we live today. 

Many people call on monastics to ask for advice and guidance, or to learn more about the Orthodox Faith. 

The second job of a monk or nun is to teach the True Faith, Holy Tradition, and an Orthodox lifestyle to all of us, both formally (in sermons, lectures, or writings) and informally, by their example. 

The whole monastic community works together to do God's work. Monks and nuns work toward salvation together, by praying, studying God's Word and teaching it to us and to others, and working hard to support the Church and the monastery where they live.     

We live in the world and pray for the world, We don’t leave it 

Western Christians think that monastics are just those folks who leave the world. And for Western monastics that is correct. Eastern monastics are far more concerned what happens in the world. 

Our first job and only job is to pray for the world, for her salvation, your salvation and our salvation. 

The Monastery of the Holy Martyrs know that praying to end hunger is pointless and without meaning. unless you also feed those who are hungry. So we feed the hungry.  

Put ever more simply, we work hard to follow the example that Christ taught us, lived and expects us to follow. 

If no one shows up, the service is still chanted. They are chanted because we sing it for the world, and for you, and for praise and thanksgiving to Christ. Besides, Orthodox know that the sanctuary is never empty. Christ and all His Saints are always there, making room for one more...you.