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Published by the
Orthodox Church in America,
March 9, 2005
Appeal for SS. Mary and
Martha Monastery, Grabarka, Poland from
Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and Metropolitan
Herman |
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March 1, 2005
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Tens of thousands of crosses, brought to the
monastery by pilgrims, surround the SS. Martha
and Mary Monastery Church and grounds in
Grabarka, Poland. |
To
the Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy, Venerable
Monastics, and Beloved Faithful of the Orthodox
Church in America
Dearly Beloved in Christ:
In September 2003, I had the honor of visiting the
autocephalous Orthodox Church of Poland at the
invitation of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Sawa of
Warsaw. The visit held very special meaning for
me, as it had been many years since I had visited
Poland, and I was deeply impressed by the vibrancy
of the life of the Church there after the fall of
communism some 15 years ago.
I was especially struck by the work of the nuns at
the Monastery of Saints Martha and Mary on the
Holy Mount of Grabarka northeast of Warsaw, and by
the growing number of homes for the elderly that
the Church was struggling to establish. During my
visit to Grabarka, Metropolitan Sawa made a
special request of the Orthodox Church in America,
asking that we sponsor an appeal to provide
financial assistance for the work of restoring the
monastery and supporting its important work.
History records that, while Orthodox monastics had
inhabited the vicinity of Grabarka since the 13th
century, it was not until 1947 that the present
women's monastery was established. The present
sisterhood consists of many young nuns who have
devoted themselves to the work of expanding the
monastery, ministering to the needy, and offering
hospitality to the tens of thousands of pilgrims
who find solace and spiritual comfort on the holy
mount. In many ways, the Saints Martha and Mary
Monastery is to the Church in Poland what our own
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery is to our
Orthodox Church in America. Passing through the
Grabarka monastery's gates, I immediately felt the
same blessings that all of us have felt so many
times when passing through the arch of our own
beloved monastery.
The social ministry of the Church of Poland has
become an example to other Orthodox Churches
throughout the world. With countless elderly
individuals living on or below the poverty line,
often without family to tend to their needs, the
faithful have opened their hearts to establish a
number of centers to house and care for them. The
Bethany Home in Stanislawowo, near Warsaw, has
distinguished itself in a special way, offering a
place where the elderly can live in safety and the
dignity which they justly deserve.
During Great Lent, we are called not only to fast
and pray, but to give alms to help "the least of
the brethren." And with this in mind, I humbly
request that each of our parishes set aside a
portion of their lenten almsgiving to benefit
these two rapidly growing institutions in their
quest to share the joy of the Kingdom of God to
those who otherwise might not experience it.
Recently, I was pleased to learn that a single,
generous parish in the Diocese of the Midwest had
already raised nearly $4,000.00 to assist the
monastery in Grabarka during the Nativity Fast,
and I am confident that other parishes also will
consider devoting a portion of their almsgiving
efforts during Great Lent for the same worthy
causes.
In an effort to bring these worthy needs to the
attention of our faithful, an interesting article
on the holy mount of Grabarka is being featured in
the March 2005 issue of "The Orthodox Church,"
while photos and additional information also
appear on our newly redesigned and upgraded web
site at www.oca.org.
Donations may be sent to the:
OCA Grabarka Fund
PO Box 675
Syosset, NY 11791
Finally, I would like to suggest that students in
our parish Church schools consider writing letters
and sending photographs to the residents at the
Bethany Home as a way to brighten the lives of its
residents. Letters and photographs, especially
those depicting the life of your parish, may be
sent to the:
OCA Office of Communications
One Wheaton Center 912
Wheaton, IL 60187
The children's letters and photographs will be
delivered personally at the home after Pascha.
Wishing you a spiritually profitable fast, and
remembering you in my daily prayers, I remain
With love in Christ,
+ HERMAN
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
Click
here for photos of Metropolitan Herman's
official visit to the Church of Poland in
September, 2003.
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