St Tikhon's Monastery

Possibly one of the better kept "secrets" of the road is "America's Holy Mountain"--St. Tikhon's Monastery and Seminary. Actually the oldest Orthodox Monastery in the United States, unless you happen to be Orthodox, you probably aren't aware that it's even there. And how would you be? It's a good 10 miles from Scranton off of I-84 and (though well signed) is pretty remote in its setting. It is, however, an incredible site and well worth a visit (even if you aren't Orthodox).

Picture courtesy of 9stmaryrd.com

The grounds of the monastery are rather small, though there are a couple of lakes and ponds as well as well-paved roads to walk along and enjoy the quiet of the afternoon. The bookstore/cafe are open every day to the public and contain a great collection of books, icons, music, and vestments. The cafe brews Starbucks Coffee, but don't hold that against them. It's only a dollar and was well needed after leaving the house with very little coffee early in the morning! The bookstore is run by monks and seminarians, and the people are truly wonderful: easy to talk with, intelligent, and genuinely friendly.

The highlight of the trip was the museum of Orthodoxy in America containing everything from Alaskan pieces to vestments worn by St Nikolai of Ochrid and the chalice, panagia, and vestments worn by St Innocent of Alaska! It's also a treasure trove of Orthodox icons and family life collected from families of immigrants over thecourse of the last couple of centuries! A truly amazing collection of items with historic and religious significance. Tip: if you want to see the museum, best to call ahead and set up an appointment so that one of the brothers can lead you through.

It was a well-spent two hours on site, and not nearly the time we would have liked. We definitely plan to return again for a longer visit!