Hermitage of the Holy Cross

Holy Cross Monastery was founded in September 1986 by Hieromonk Kallistos (†1992) in House Springs, Missouri. The Hermitage remained in the Missouri area for the next 14 years. During this time the monastery expanded and grew. In 1999 the Hermitage doubled in size and all available rooms for the monastics were filled.

An offer of land was made to the Hermitage and with the blessings of the monastery's Abbot, Archbishop Laurus of Holy Trinity Monastery and the monastery's spiritual father, Igumen George, the brotherhood decided to move the monastery to West Virginia. The move was accomplished on May 25, 2000.

The Hermitage of the Holy Cross is an English speaking monastery under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad and is a dependency of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, New York. The monks support themselves by manufacturing hand rolled incense in the ancient Athonite tradition and through hand painted icons,  homemade soap, wooden icon shelves, analogions (prayer desks) and other liturgical items and products. 

The monk's day at the Hermitage begins with prayer followed by the monk's private prayer rule and work in obedience. Our usual daily schedule is as follows:
 

 
On the eve of Sundays and Great Feasts Vigil service begins at 6:30 p.m., on Sundays and Feast Days Divine Liturgy begins at 8:00 a.m. with breakfast following.

All of our services are in English. Meals are eaten in silence while one of the monks reads from the Lives of the Saints, or other spiritually profitable material.

We hope you enjoy your visit to our web site. We are happy to share our monastic life with visitors and are able to offer overnight accommodations to male guests. However, our guest facilities at present are very limited and we request advance notice for overnight guests. Please contact Fr. Anthony to make arrangements for a visit or stay.
 
For directions to the Monastery click here.