JORDANVILLE: January 10, 2008
Holy Trinity Monastery Named a Historical Landmark of New York State

Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, was named a historic landmark of the State of New York. The monastery has recently come under threat of extinction, reports ITAR-TASS. The awarding of this status was announced by the Preservation League of New York State. Established in 1974, this organization makes an annual list of seven important historic buildings, regions and landscapes in New York State which are in need of urgent protection.

"Holy Trinity Monastery has exceptional historical, religious and cultural significance, but it is now under threat from the construction of commercial wind turbines," said League President Jay DiLorenzo. This plan envisions the erection of several dozen wind turbines in Mohawk, in northern New York State, not far from the Orthodox monastery.

"It is impossible to measure the importance of Holy Trinity Monastery, which is the spiritual center of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia," said Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), prior of the monastery. "It is not only the residence of the present Primate of ROCOR, Metropolitan Laurus, but also houses a publishing concern, a seminary, which prepares the future clergymen of the Church, and a Russian cemetery, where hundreds of faithful are buried. Jordanville has become a destination for Orthodox pilgrims from throughout the world."

The wind turbines would have a "catastrophic effect on the monastery," said the League's regional representative, Tanya Verbitsky. "The calm and spiritual peace sought after by the monks and pilgrims here will literally be carried away in the wind," she said.

Holy Trinity Monastery was founded in 1928 by Archimandrite Panteleimon. The main church was dedicated to the Holy Trinity, the lower church to St Job of Pochaev, the cemetery church to the Dormition of the Most-Holy Mother of God, and the chapel on the lake to the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia and St John of Rila. In addition to publishing work and the seminary, the monastery is home to an icon-painting studio, library and history museum. The main holy icon of the monastery is a revered copy of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, reports Patriarchia.ru.

The monastery cemetery holds the remains of Metropolitan Anastassy; Metropolitan Philaret; Archbishop Tikhon (Troitsky); Archbishop Apollinary (Koshevoi); Archbishop Anthony (Medvedev); Hegumen Filimon (Nikitin) of Valaam; the iconographer Archimandrite Kyprian and the keeper of the Myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, Brother Jose Munoz.