Holy Ascension Monastery, Orthodox monastery in Bearsville, New York, United States
Holy Ascension Monastery is an Orthodox monastic community in the Catskill Mountains containing residential quarters, a candle-making workshop, and a church building. The complex sits on a forested hillside and functions as a spiritual center for its community.
The monastery was founded in 1999 by Metropolitan Pavlos as a spiritual center for the Church of Genuine Orthodox Christians of America. This establishment brought Orthodox Christian monastic life to the Catskill region.
The monastery practices Byzantine liturgy with services sung in English, Greek, and sometimes Church Slavonic using traditional chanting methods. These customs connect Eastern Orthodox traditions to the surrounding Catskill community.
Visitors can purchase hand-dipped beeswax candles made by the monks, which support the community's main income. Access is available but check ahead for visiting hours since this is an active monastery with regular prayer times.
Since 2011 a new church building has been under construction on the grounds, designed as a scaled replica of Constantinople's Hagia Sophia but reduced to one-fifth the original size. This ambitious project brings Byzantine architectural heritage into a contemporary monastic setting.
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