Western Rite Orthodoxy in Rhode Island

Last updated on: July 8, 2005 at 1:44 am by Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

Western Rite Orthodoxy in Rhode Island 2005-07-08T01:44:00-05:00 Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

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Christminster is a western-rite monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), established in Rhode Island in 1993 with the blessing of Bishop Hilarion, then Bishop of Manhattan, who authorized Dom James M. Deschene (formerly the Prior of the Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Royal) to continue the western-rite mission of Mount Royal under the title of Christ the Saviour Monastery – or Christminster.

Founded as a Benedictine monastic community in 1910, Mount Royal’s mission and work continued as an independent body until 1962. In that year the community was received into the patriarchal Russian Orthodox Church by its American exarch, Bishop Dositheus Ivanchenko of New York. For several years, the monks of Mount Royal staffed a western-rite chapel in the Russian Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Manhattan, later moving to Woodstock, New York. Bishop Dositheus’ successor, Archbishop John Wendland, blessed and confirmed the western-rite observance and mission of Mount Royal and the leadership of its Abbot, Dom Augustine Whitfield.

In 1975, under Abbot Augustine, the monastery was received into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia by Archbishop Nikon Rklitzsky, who again authorized and blessed its mission and observances. In 1993, upon the retirement of Abbot Augustine, Christminster was founded with the blessing of Bishop Hilarion of Manhattan to carry on the work of western-rite Orthodoxy in the ROCOR Synod.

From its beginnings, this work and mission have been guided by the spirit of Saint Benedict and his Holy Rule- the sixth-century foundation document of Orthodox monasticism in the west. It was the vision of Mount Royal’s founders – a vision firmly adhered to under Abbot Augustine and lovingly maintained at Christminster – to preserve the contemplative and eremitical dimension of the monastic life as much as possible. Thus one goal of its mission – still awaiting fulfillment – is the acquisition of a suitable, secluded property ensuring tranquillity and silence, and providing hermitages for monks and guests, with common room, refectory, library, office and work space, and a monastic church in which the Liturgy of the Mass and the Hours are celebrated in full on behalf of and for the whole Church.

In the meantime, Christminster remains committed to maintaining the fullness and purity of the Orthodox faith in its western-rite tradition. On one occasion, Abbot Augustine had confided to then Bishop – now Saint – John Maximovitch some of the hardships of promoting western-rite Orthodoxy. Saint John’s response was a vehement and memorable one: “Never, never, never let anyone tell you that, in order to be Orthodox, you must also be eastern. The West was Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable liturgy is far older than any of her heresies.”

Encouraged and inspired by these words, Christminster lovingly maintains the western Orthodox rite, each day celebrating the Mass according to the ancient rite dating from the time when the west was still firmly Orthodox in its faith and observance. The Hours of the Divine Office are celebrated as set forth in the Rule of Saint Benedict. The ancient chants of the western church are used in all services, sung in traditional, liturgical English, and occasionally in Latin.

To all Orthodox believers seeking to recover and maintain the ancient Orthodox tradition of the west – the tradition that nurtured such familiar saints as Benedict, Bede, Ambrose, Boniface, Bridget, Aidan, Patrick, Augustine, Monica and Columba , and a thousand more – Christminster offers its prayers, its services and its welcome.

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