St. Tikhon's Monastery Publishes Powerful New Video On Monastery Life
America's oldest Orthodox monastery showcases the faith of the first century, using twenty-first century technology.
SOUTH CANAAN — A powerful new cinematic production offers viewers a rare and immersive glimpse into the sacred rhythm of life at St. Tikhon's Monastery, the oldest Orthodox monastic community in the United States. Set against the backdrop of Pennsylvania’s rolling hills and cloaked in the quiet beauty of the monastery’s grounds, the film captures the richness of Orthodox spiritual tradition with stunning visual artistry.
Through carefully framed shots of liturgical services, daily obediences, and the serene natural environment, the documentary offers viewers an immerse but passing glance at the silence, prayer, and labor that define monastic life. Interviews with key figures—including Archimandrite Sergius (the monastery’s abbot and spiritual father), Archbishop Alexei of Sitka and Alaska, and several of the resident monks—offer heartfelt reflections on the meaning of asceticism, obedience, and communion with God in the monastic vocation. Their voices, grounded in lived experience and spiritual depth, provide an authentic narrative of both the challenges and the profound joys of life dedicated wholly to Christ. The result is a window into the living tradition of Orthodox Christianity in North America, rendered with reverence, beauty, and contemplative insight.
The video was posted to the St. Tikhon's Monastery YouTube page on July 7, 2025.
