St. Simeon Skete, Taylorsville Kentucky USA

With St. Simeon, the God receiver, as our patron, the skete seeks to practice the ideals found in our Rule, The Thousand Day Nazareth. In simplicity and poverty, the skete embraces the struggle of inner life through the practice of the Prayer Rope.

See our website at www.nazarethhouseap.org

Donations should be addressed to: Nazareth House Apostolate, 185 Captains Cove Drive, Taylorsville, Kentucky 40071.

Important Notice: All writings, posts, graphics & photographs in this blog are the copyrighted property of (unless otherwise indicated) Nazareth House Media, a division of Nazareth House Apostolate and cannot be copied, printed or used without written permission from NHA Media, Taylorsville, KY.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Here, There and Everywhere - The 18th Annual NHA Rosary Convocation and Pilgrimage


The Nazareth House Apostolate Rosary Convocation is held every year in May.  At St. Simeon Skete, The Feast of the Holy Rosary is always celebrated on the second Sunday in May.  The Convocation takes place on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday preceding the Rosary Feast Day. On the Saturday of the Convocation we make the Rosary Pilgrimage.  We've been doing this now at NHA for 18 years.  


This past Saturday, we again made the pilgrimage which entails a journey from various area shrines, saying the Rosary Mysteries at specific stops along the way.  


It is our wish that everyone could join us.  Although we've had people partaking of the event with us, sometimes large crowds, sometimes small, not everyone who wants to be here for the Convocation can make it to Taylorsville.  

And so, in solidarity with the NHA Convocation, people make their own pilgrimage from where they are.  Whether its a pilgrimage from one religious shrine to another,  from one serene spot to another in a park, from one icon to another in your home, or from one village landmark to another - the point is the journey - 

Glorianna strapped in her carseat, begins the journey 

...the journey made praying the Life of Christ in the Rosary.  


One of things that is so unique about Nazareth House Apostolate is the fellowship and unity that is such a big part of it.  People are together whether they are able to physically touch each other or not, there is a bound of love, peace and unity.  That monumental prayer of the beloved Pa Barrie - his unceasing prayer of Love, Peace and Unity thrives today in NHA.  ...and I believe he is still praying that prayer from paradise. 

On Saturday, Charles, Christina and Glorianna Lynn set out to be in unity with Nazareth House Apostolate, St. Simeon Skete by joining with us in the Rosary Pilgrimage from Chico, California. 


Together as a family, they prayed each Mystery of the Rosary at different spots of peaceful beauty at 


Mendocino National Forest.  

Christina and Glorianna Lynn.  NHA Rosary Pilgrimage, California 


The beauty witnessed by the Lynns as they made their NHA Rosary Pilgrimage

The beauty witnessed by the Lynns as they made their NHA Rosary Pilgrimage

Charles Lynn.  NHA Rosary Pilgrimage, California   
And while Jeff Lowry in Alabama prayed his rosary with us from his home, Geordy Geddings made his own journey in South Carolina - others were making a Rosary Pilgrimage in union with all of us throughout the USA and even from across the ocean.  


James in Kabala, Sierra Leone, with Albert and some of the NHA Students from our school made a journey, 


praying the Life of Jesus throughout their village neighborhood.  


They began at the front door of the school and journeyed from place to place 


Because of their joy in the abundant supply of food, they prayed the Joyous Mysteries under the mango tree 






 They prayed the Mysteries of Light around the well at the NHA Compound.


 (The revealing - Jn. 4:4-30; 1Cor. 10:4).


They prayed at area churches, 


they prayed the rosary on top of the mountain, 


they prayed on children's playground gyms,  



they prayed in war-torn abandoned buildings. 



 They continued the prayer, 


they continued the journey.  


NHA united in prayer, 


a continuous circle of love 


wherever we are, 

whatever the need, 


we are one body under One God.  


From St. Simeon Skete we began our intro prayers to the Rosary at the Ohio River, the divider between Kentucky and Indiana.










From the river we got back in our cars


and traveled through the woods


to our next stop along the way

Journeying over bridges



and through tranquil beauty.


Journeying over farmland


and vistas



Its the journey,


The journey is part of the prayer, its that journey that makes the pilgrimage.



Arriving at Leopold, we prepare for the first set of Mysteries.


The Joyous Mysteries are said in St. Augustine Parish of Leopold, Indiana.


A donation is left for the candle and it is used to begin the Mysteries.


Tomorrow I'll put up more about the 18th Annual Rosary Convocation with lots more photographs.