Daily service schedule at the monastery
Weekdays:
Matins at 7:00 am
Vespers at 5:00 pm
Saturdays:
Matins at 8:00 am immediately followed by Divine Liturgy
Sundays:
Matins at 9:00 am immediately followed by Divine Liturgy
Holy Tranfiguration Monastery in Milton, Ontario, is the first, and for now only, Serbian Orthodox monastery in Canada.
The long awaited wish of the Serbs of this area, launched by the likes of St. Nicholai (Velimirovich) of Zhicha, saw realization with the formation of the Diocese of Canada and the enthronement of its first bishop, Georgije (Djokich).
The land on which the future monastery would be built was purchased in 1984. It was blessed in 1988. The cornerstone of the future monastery was consecrated by His Holiness Pavle, the Serbian Patriarch, on October 21, 1992. The first hierarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church would also consecrate the completed monastery temple on June 12, 1994.
The painting of the frescoes started immediately after construction and was completed in several phases. Completed in 2002, it is the work of famous Belgrade painter Dragan Marunich. The grande frescoes of Christ the Pantocrator in the central dome, the transfiguration of the Lord, entrance into Jerusalem, the washing of the apostles’ feet, the betrayal of Judas, the descent into Hades and others will bear eternal witness of the real image of the Serbian Orthodox people during a decade which saw much smearing and degradation of our character.
Our only monastery in Canada is also renowned on the North American continent because it guards the incorrupt relics of great Christian saints from the early centuries of Christendom, as well as recent times: St. Basil the Great, St. Ignatius the God-bearer, St. Athanasius the Great, St. Policarp of Smyrna, St. Panteleimon, St. Charalampius, St. Nektarius of Aegea, St. Irene, and St. Nektarius of Optina.
From bare fields, in only a few years, the Serbs of Canada erected a real spiritual oasis spanning 43 acres (20 hectares). Besides the central monastery church the residence also hosts a chapel dedicated to the Holy Three Hierarchs, and a large hall for fellowship. Fall off 2009 saw the consecration of another beautiful addition to the monastery grounds; the monastery library and museum boasts a collection of over ten thousand books.
A portion of the property is dedicated to the first Serbian cemetery in Canada. The grounds are also home to a large picnic area consisting of a summer pavilion, kitchens, BBQs, sports fields for basketball, soccer, and volleyball. A youth playground is specifically built for the youngest visitors to enjoy their leisure time.
The monastery was blessed, due to its capacity to host many visitors and sheer beauty, to host the central celebration of two millenniums of Christianity on a pan-orthodox level in Canada on June 24, 2000.
