Our Lady of Solitude Cloister and Retreat  - Updated 06/08/2007

Founded during the Great Jubilee Year 2000 of the Holy Incarnation of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Holy Annunciation Monastic Community seeks to live a life of detachment from the things of this world, while keeping a prayerful vigil with the Lord.

Steeped in the ascetic life of the Eastern Church, the Monastic Community professes the Evangelical Counsels of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience in the context of an austere and simple lifestyle.  Silence and solitude form an important part of the daily seeking of God's Presence.

In early Spring of 2004, Bishop John Elya approved the presence of the Community in the Eparchy of Newton, which is presently situated on a forty acre farm in the Endless Mountain section of Pennsylvania.  Since coming to this area, the monks have established and continue to renovate a Monastic Cloister, Retreat facility, Byzantine chapel, Religious Book and Gift Shop, Farm (with both livestock and crops) and Conference Center.

To support itself, the Community makes avaialble various dairy products, honey from its hives, berries and fine milk-based goat soap. The Book and Gift Shop makes numerous religious items available (on-site and through the mail) including the finest hand-finished Greek and Russian Icons.

Holy Annunciation Monastic Community was particularly founded to pray for and support the spiritual health of the family and to uphold the inviolability of the life in the womb and those whose lives are otherwise vulnerable to a culture of death. As such, families are invited to visit and benefit from the Community's offerings.

As our Lady of Solitude Cloister and Retreat relies upon the generosity of benefactors to continue its work in the heart of the Church, please consider assisting this foundation. God Bless you!

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