A Furnace of God's Love

The Fathers of the Church compare a person who prays to an iron rod placed in a blazing furnace of fire. By surrendering her life totally to God, a nun seeks to remain constantly in this furnace of God's love, and allow Him to transform her into Himself. What does this look like? What do nuns do? This video, produced by the nuns of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery for their benefit dinner in November 2016, gives a glimpse into the joys and struggles of monastic life and its purpose in the world.

[@sunaccent255]

Their voices are so gentle and angelic. Bless these beautiful nuns! The passion and happiness radiates through their faces and voices.

[@crushtheserpent]

Beautiful 💚 Pints With Aquinas sent me 😊

[@QuestforaMeaningfulLife]

A spiritual "power plant": great way to describe it, supporting the whole Church with its work

[@jillsirignano9676]

This is the write-up on their community. Our History In January of 2008, Bishop John Kudrick outlined his vision for the foundation of a monastery in the Eparchy of Parma as a response to Pope John Paul II's call for the revitalization of Eastern Monasticism in the United States in the Pope's apostolic letter Orientale Lumen (Light of the East). We responded to that call. We were blessed with a house and property in Burton, Ohio, from the Social Mission Sisters who formerly resided there, and in the process of renovations undertaken with the help of many volunteers, we moved in on April 3, 2009. On March 29, 2010, Bishop John received our community into the eparchy. Mother Theodora was tonsured as our first stavrophore ("cross bearer"/life-professed) nun on November 20, 2011. On August 2, 2015, we were established by Bishop John as a Public Association of the Faithful. We continue to work towards full canonical establishment as a monastery. Our Identity We are a Byzantine Catholic monastic community of women in the Eparchy of Parma dedicated to a vigilant life of prayer and hospitality according to the traditions of the Christian East. Laying down our lives in imitation of the Bridegroom, we joyfully embrace the monastic virtues of poverty, chastity and obedience. We participate in the dynamic love of the Trinity by sharing a life of prayer, work and recreation at our monastery. Meditating on Scripture, especially the Song of Songs, and immersing ourselves in a life of personal and liturgical prayer, we enter into a spousal relationship with Christ the Bridegroom. Looking to the Theotokos as our model, we open ourselves to the Divine life of the Holy Spirit, bearing forth fruit for the Church and the world. Our monastery provides a spiritual garden and a bridal chamber in which we draw others into this same life-giving relationship with Christ the Bridegroom. The Icon of Christ the Bridegroom The icon of Christ the Bridegroom portrays the selfless love of Christ for His Bride, the Church (Isaiah 54). He is dressed in royal colors as the betrothed King, corresponding with Sacred Scripture’s account of His mockery by the Roman guards before His crucifixion. The crown is a symbol of His marriage to the Church; the rope, a symbol of the bondage to sin, death and corruption which Jesus untied by His death on the Cross; the reed, a symbol of His humility.

[@MadMax31577]

These girls are adorable. God bless them.

[@CherubimCreations]

Praise God! Pray for us.

[@jillsirignano9676]

They are not Orthodox Nuns, they are Uniate Nuns or Eastern Catholic Nuns....

[@vyvoomvoom9641]

God Bless you all. Orthodox or not.. still a beautiful Nun & Monastery

[@DF_UniatePapist]

This is a Catholic monastery

[@megatheron8692]

Kirye Eleison! God bless you Orthodox Brothers and Sisters!

[@ayonio5723]

Glory to God

[@Fruitdelight123]

very Beautiful :)

[@mitchellchapman5900]

AMEN

[@jakebarrett6175]

Amen! 🙏🏻

[@andrewblakes1697]

They are Awesome! Apart from Christ they are nothing. Buy the Truth and Sell it Not! The Spirit of Truth The Holy Spirit Lord willing I will bring my Daughter there along with other young woman from a House of Prayer the Lord will establish here in this region. Intercession comes in and is performed in and only in I Unity with the Holy Spirit. Totally yielded. Sumbmitted and in Total Obedience. The Powerful Ones are the Hidden Ones. Amen

[@frricklawrenceangaleria7942]

Hello Mothers, Christ is in our midst, what Orthodox jurisdiction this monastery belong to? Please include me in your prayers unworthy servant Fr Laurence.

[@daisyviluck7932]

05:39 really? This kids watch too much television 🤨. I was in Catholic school in the 70s and corporal punishment was already in the rear view mirror 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@catherinezurmuenl6454]

Is this a Orthodox monastery ?

[@Veganlife21]

Catherine Lisa zurmuenl yes

[@angelomitchell31]

No, a eastern Catholic Monostary

[@lmtt123]

Byzantine

[@b_ks]

Byzantine catholic

[@nikkarel515]

This has nothing to do with Eastern Orthodoxy..nothing at all!

[@michaelcaza-schonberger9282]

Nik Karel who told you it did? It’s clearly Byzantine Catholic, and nowhere in the video description does it mention “orthodoxy”.

[@Isaakios82]

Can’t we just pray for them and rejoice that they’re struggling to unite themselves to Christ without condemning? They’re clearly not the sort of Uniates that killed and condemned the Orthodox-- they’re even citing St Seraphim of Sarov as an example.

[@daisyviluck7932]

They never claimed they did

[@tlstgrlnthwrld]

Hm, weird... Orthodox monastery, Orthodox crosses and nun outfits, pictures with Catholic nuns, letter from Pope Francis, Catholic "Jesus is my spouse" language... I'm confused.

[@elizabethturpin2562]

Emma I was too until I visited the website.

[@70AD-user45]

It's an eastern rite Catholic monastery. They follow the Eastern Orthodox liturgical services/traditions but they make the mistake of following the Pope who split from the true Apostolic church in the east in 1054.

[@krishyyfan5153]

@ 70 AD Eastern orthodox is dead....Schism 2018....bye bye...

[@lmtt123]

Ignorance is no excuse.

[@pipsasqeak820]

@@70AD-user45 You mean they made the wise and true choice to come back to Rome.

[@danhesko]

Orthodox or uniate??

[@ketrinc3913]

Uniate

[@lmtt123]

Byzantine

[@jillsirignano4566]

Uniate