On February 11th, 2012, we set out for a short 20 mile trip to Florence. Florence is a historic old western town.
Just outside of town is St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastary. The landscaping on the Monastary grounds was nothing short of spectacular. As you can see from the photos, we were asked to dress conservatively out of respect for the religious surroundings. They actually provide the necessary clothing for you to wear.
Here are a few photos from our trip:
Welcome to St. Anthony's Monastery Web Site (Kalos Orisate!)
In the summer of 1995 six monks arrived in the southern Arizona desert to establish St. Anthony’s Monastery, carrying with them the sacred, millennial heritage of the Holy Mountain, Athos. Since early Christian history, this steep and rocky peninsula in northern Greece proved to be a haven for ancient Egyptian, Cappadocian, and Constantinopolitan monastics. Thus, it enjoyed a direct link with the greatest monastic establishments of ancient Christianity, preserving intact the wisdom of the holy fathers and the sacred tradition of the ancient Church. Today, the Holy Mountain consists of 20 independent monasteries, and numerous sketes and hermitages, housing Orthodox Christian monks from all over the world.
Elder Ephraim, a disciple of Elder Joseph the Hesychast, having restored and repopulated four Mt. Athos monasteries and having established several men’s and women’s monastic communities throughout Greece and North America, transferred six Athonite monks to the Sonoran Desert to start a new monastery. Upon their arrival the fathers began with the necessary construction work, building first the main church, living quarters for the monks, the dining hall, and guest facilities. A vegetable garden, a small vineyard, citrus orchards, and an olive grove dot the landscape. An elaborate system of gardens, pathways, and gazebos with Spanish fountains truly render the monastery and its extensive grounds an oasis in the desert.
The monastery is dedicated to St. Anthony the Great, the father of monasticism, the renowned 3rd century anchorite. There are chapels dedicated to Saints Seraphim of Sarov, Demetrios of Thessalonica, John the Baptist, George the Great Martyr, Nicholas the Wonderworker, and Panteleimon the Healer. The main church is dedicated to Saints Anthony and Nectarios the Wonderworker.
The monastery follows the coenobitic rule of monastic life: a brotherhood of monks and novices holding all things in common follow a daily schedule of prayer and work under obedience to the abbot, their spiritual father. The monks’ daily program begins at midnight with personal prayer time and spiritual reading, followed by the cycle of morning prayers and the Divine Liturgy. After a light breakfast and a rest period, the monks begin their work day, attending to prayer and their tasks till evening. Tasks include, among others, construction, groundskeeping, vinedressing, gardening, woodworking, publishing, food preparation, and offering hospitality. The day ends with evening Vespers followed by dinner and Compline.
† May our Lord Jesus Christ bless you!
Florence
"Elevation 1493 feet. One of the first settlments in Pinal County. County seat. Levi Ruggles settled here, 1866, as Indian Agent. Elliot Says: "Charles G. Mason built the first house, 1866. Town named by Governor Safford in honor of his sister, Florence." Hinton says: "Regular stages leave here for Silver City, Pioneer, Globe, San Carlos, Camp Apaceh; also East Phoenix, Wickenburg, and Prescott." Of Florence, Poston writes: "Fair Florence Wreathed in Green, A City yet to be, I ween For here, e'en more than at Tucson It's always, always afternoon."
Barnes, Will C. Arizona Place Names. University of Arizona Press 1997
p. 164
"Levi Ruggles (b. Ohio), who came to Arizona as an Indian ageny in 1866, patented land from which he transferred title for the town of Florence on October 30, 1875. The first house had already been built in 1866 and the town was firmly established by 1869. Ruggles had three daughters, whose names were Cynthia, Flora, and Florence, and having deeded the land, he named the town to honor at least two of them. According to another story, Governor Richard McCormick, asked to name the town, did so after his wife. Others belive that Anson Pacely Kileen Safford named it for his sister. In 1921 completion of the Ashurst-Hayden Diversion Dam made irrigation water available and the town developed into an agricultural center. Florence became Pinal County seat on February 1, 1875. P.O. Est Aug 19, 1869, Thomas R Ewing pm."
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