Who We Are
Saint Anthony the Great Orthodox Monastery was founded in 1983 as a monastery for men, with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Nektary of Seattle (Vicar Bishop to St John Maximovich and later to Archbishop Anthony of San Francisco). The monastery is located in central Phoenix Arizona and is custodian of the miracle-working "Phoenix-Bogorodskoe" Icon of the Theotokos. Many precious relics are housed in the monastery including portions of St Equal-to-the-Apostles, Helen the Empress Mother of Saint Constantine the Great, St Therapontos of Cyprus (attended 1st Council of Nicea), St Joseph of Arimathea, Holy Forerunner and Baptist John, New Martyrs of St Sava Monastery in Judea, New Martyr of St Theodosius Monastery (between Jerusalem and Bethlehem), and New Martyr of St George Hozebite monastery. Also preserved here is a Gospel (in Japanese) belonging to St Nikolai of Tokyo, and other antiquities of the Holy Orthodox Faith. The current abbot, Schemahegumen Anthony, is a spiritual son of blessed Father Seraphim of Platina (Rose). Hieromonk Sylvester is a graduate of the Theological Seminary and the Theological Academy in Moscow, Russia, and served many years in the Chinese Mission of the Patriarchate of Moscow. There are also 2 subdeacons and 1 Reader (the ponomar) attached. The monastery also maintains the Kellion (Podvorie) of St Anthony the Great, a hermitage in the desert of southern New Mexico. For more information about the Kellion, contact Abbot, Schemahegumen Anthony.