Shannonbridge, Ireland, December 23, 2019
Photo: Basilica News Agency
The Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Southern and Western Europe has acquired the property where it intends to open a new monastery in Ireland.
It was reported in August that the Metropolis published an appeal for prayers and funds towards purchasing the property in the village of Shannonbridge, just a few miles away from where St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise had labored in asceticism in the 6th century. The property was formerly a retreat center belonging to the Catholic Order of Ursulines.
The purchase agreement was signed on December 12, the day of St. Spyridon and the Irish native St. Finnian of Clonard on the New Calendar, the Metropolis informed the Basilica News Agency.
The monastery is dedicated to the Life-Giving Spring of the Mother of God, celebrated annually on Bright Friday, and will have a secondary feast in honor of the Prophet Daniel, as the small initial group of nuns took over the property on his feast day, December 17.
"We thank all those who have so far helped to buy the settlement and we ask all those who have the opportunity to continue to do so, until the total payment of the amount due—200,000 euros—to be paid before the end of 2020,” said Mother Iosifa, one of the inhabitants of the new monastery.
The famous Orthodox actor Jonathan Jackson made an appeal on behalf of the monastery in September:
Donations can be made via GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/an-orthodox-monastery-in-ireland?fbclid=IwAR39_3qMFQ90-4Uo5nGDnPImulXxhsUrHkc74BV4ivABIf4N2mngGb8WvHI
or by using the following account details:
Beneficiary: Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland
Address of the beneficiary: St. John the Baptist Missionary Centre, Drimnagh Castle, Long Mile Road, Dublin 12
Bank: Bank of Ireland
Bank address: 6 Lower O’Connell Street, Dublin 1
IBAN: IE98BOFI 9000 3324 4356 07
BIC: BOFIIE2D
Contact: sr. Iosifia ( m.iosifia@yahoo.co.uk; Tel: 00353894831802)
