St. Tikhon's Monastery, located in northeastern Pennsylvania, has introduced an online virtual tour, allowing visitors to explore the historic site from the comfort of their homes. The tour includes panoramic views of the monastery’s key locations, such as the monastery church, which houses the relics of St. Alexis (Toth), the cemetery, bell tower, bookstore, museum, chapels, and the iconography workshop. The monastery church, where Divine Liturgy is celebrated daily, is also featured in the tour, accompanied by audio recordings of the monastery choir, providing a deeply immersive experience of monastic life.

Founded in 1905 with the blessing of Archbishop Tikhon (Belavin), who would later become the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, St. Tikhon's Monastery is the oldest Orthodox monastery in America. It was established with donations from Eastern European immigrants, many of whom came to work in Pennsylvania's coal and iron mines. In 1938, St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary was opened on the monastery grounds. This year marks the 120th anniversary of both the monastery and the seminary, a milestone celebrated by the Orthodox Church in America.

The virtual tour of St. Tikhon's Monastery is available on the website orthodox360.com, where visitors can also explore other Orthodox sites across the United States, including St. Nicholas Cathedral in San Francisco and St. Vladimir's Church in Trenton.

Photo: orthodox360.com