DIOCESE OF EASTERN AMERICA AND NEW YORK: May 27, 2009 
Holy Cross Monastery Elects a New Abbot

Following the announcement of the decision by the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on May 7 that Holy Cross Monastery in Wayne, WV, shall be attached to the Diocese of Eastern America and New York, a meeting of the brethren was held at that monastery to elect a new abbot.

Standing before an icon of the Mother of God in the monastery library, the monks opened their meeting with the singing of the troparia to the Cross, to Great Martyr Panteleimon, St Job of Pochaev and the Icon of the Mother of God of Port Arthur.

His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield was elected abbot of Holy Cross Monastery. The meeting concluded with the singing of Many Years to the new Abbot, and the Paschal zadostoinik Shine, Shine O Jerusalem.”

Since Bishop George is also a Vicar Bishop of the Diocese, a large portion of the administrative work at the monastery will be assumed by Hegumen Seraphim, who headed the monastery when it was a podvorie (dependency) of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY.

Holy Cross Monastery is the largest English-language monastery in the Russian Church Abroad. It was founded in 1986 by Hieromonk Kallistos (Pazalos, +1992) in House Springs, MO. In 2000, having received a gift of a parcel of land from Maurice and Nadezhda Sill, the monastery moved to Wayne, WV.