renameuser, Administrators
5,600
edits
Changes
no edit summary
===Monk Guri===
On [[October 5]], 1960, Monk [[Guri (Demidov)]] arrived in Australia as a refugee from Harbin, China. He took up residence at St John the Baptist Skete. Living in a small, one room tin hut surrounded by thick bush he became its first, and only, monastic inhabitant. Fr Guri was devoted to prayer and craved solitude, and found both in the 18 hectare grounds of the skete, often attending daily services at the nearby [[Monastery of Our Lady of Kazan (Kentlyn, Australia)|Convent of Our Lady of Kazan]].
Over the succeeding years Father Guri laboured with Michael Sorokhin, together with volunteers from the Russian Orthodox community in Sydney, to erect a small brick building containing six monastic cells surrounding a large central room that was intended to be part of a large monastic church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. It was not to be completed. He waited alone, praying that others would join him.
Old age eventually forced Father Guri to move from his beloved isolation at the Skete to a small hut in the Convent grounds, and finally to the Saint Sergius Nursing Home, Cabramatta. He died in deep old age at 98 years on the 23rd of August 1992. This faithful monk is buried in Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney.
===Without a monastic===While the nearby Diocesan workshop and the candle factory continued to function, the unfinished Skete building was used for a time as a printing facility, finally being abandoned . Uninhabited for over a decade the building fell derelict, a nesting place for birds, a home for possums and vermin, damaged by vandals and in a serious state of disrepair.
===A New BeginningHmk Joachim===In 1999 Hieromonk Joachim received a canonical release from the [[Serbian Orthodox Dioceses of Australia and New Zealand|Serbian Orthodox Church ]] to the ROCOR. He was invited by the current diocesan bishop, Archbishop [[Hilarion(Kapral) of Sydney]], to rebuild the Kentlyn Skete and restore coenobitic monastic life, as well as providing to provide a base for missionary work amongst English speaking anglophonic Australians.
With the help of a very small group of faithful volunteers, the past early 2000s saw four and a half years have seen of work to clear the neglected grounds cleared of decades of rubbish and undergrowth, and the Skete building secured and made temporarily habitable and weatherproof. There is now modest accommodation, an office, dining room and, most importantly, a prayer room or chapel where the monastic labour of the Hours of prayer according to the typicon of the Orthodox Church are said daily.
Father Guri’s small cave, scene of his many hidden vigils and spiritual struggles, has been cleaned of the dirt and rubbish accumulated since his departure. A floor has been laid, overhanging rock walls strengthened, and icons and a burning lampada installed. Sanctified by Father Guri’s prayers and tears, this sandstone cleft, the Skete’s first ’church’, has become a place of pilgrimage and quiet prayer for growing numbers of visitors to the Skete.
====Following Father Guri’s Example====Where Father Guri would record by hand in exercise books the results of his prayerful reading, the Skete now publishes an English language monthly journal - ‘The Voice’ - using the benefits of contemporary computer technology and desktop publishing. Following Father Guri's example, it is a modest attempt to make the treasures of the Orthodox faith available in English to Australian Orthodox Christians and enquirers. ====Our Goal - Rebuilding the Skete==Future plans==
The first priority when Father Joachim arrived at Kentlyn was to make the Skete habitable, remove tons of accumulated rubbish and clearing the surrounding bush to reduce the threat of bushfires. While cautious and economical expense has been used to make the old building liveable - the main endeavour has always been to raise funds to rebuild.
Orthodox Christians who value traditional Orthodox monastic life and the vital importance in plays in the life of the church are invited to help Hieromonk Joachim rebuild the Skete, and complete what Father Guri began 46 years ago. If Orthodox monasticism is to grow and flourish in Australia then there must be Orthodox monasteries.
In helping to rebuild Saint John the Baptist Skete, you will also be participating its missionary endeavours. His Grace Archbishop Hilarion is convinced of the necessity for Orthodox Christian evangelism in Australia. With his blessing Saint John the Baptist Skete hopes to provide a place of silence, worship, prayer, pilgrimage, retreat, hospitality, and counsel. There All Orthodox Christians of good will are plans asked to expand the Skete’s publishing activities. Currently the Skete publishes 'The Voice', a monthly Orthodox journal, costing $18/yeargenerously contribute and support our efforts.
==Schedule of Services==
All services in English.
*Sunday, 8:30am: Hours and Divine Liturgy.
*Tuesday, 6:30pm: Molieben and Akathist to the Theotokos.
*Saturday, 8:30am: Panikhida (Memorial service)
*Saturday, 5:30pm: Vigil (reader's service) and confessions.
==Superiors of the Skete==
#Hieromonk [[Dimitry (Obuhoff)]], 1956-1959.
#Monk [[Guri (Demidov)]], 1960-~1990
#Hieromonk [[Joachim (Ross)]], 1999-present.
==Contact Details==
Visitors to the Skete and Father Guri’s cave are always welcome. Please phone ahead of your arrival.
*Superior: Hieromonk Joachim (Ross).
*Phone: 02 4626 3945