About the Holy Monastery of
Saint Paraskevi

"...Whenever He should come to be glorified in His Saints, and to be marvelled at in all those who believe..."

God loves humankind and works for our salvation through His Saints. Saint Paraskevi of Rome, venerated as a Christian Holy Virgin Martyr of the second century, is one of these Saints. With a heart burning with love for God and for people, Saint Paraskevi dedicated her earthly life to preaching God's word and converting the unbelievers to the true faith.

A nun and missionary, Saint Paraskevi left Rome at age 30 and traveled to various cities and villages proclaiming Our Lord Jesus Christ as God and Savior. Imitating Christ, she preached through self-sacrifice-even unto death-for the glory of God and the salvation of her fellowmen. She was repeatedly arrested and tortured by pagan emperors who inflicted tremendous suffering upon her.

Saint Paraskevi bravely endured these tortures, maintaining unwavering faith and love for God until her martyrdom in 180 AD, when she was beheaded. Witnessing her astounding endurance, thousands came to believe in Jesus Christ and were baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity.

She also performed many miracles, including the restoration of Emperor Antoninus the Pious's eyesight (138-161 AD). The emperor, converted and baptized, halted all persecutions of Christians in gratitude. In light of this healing, Saint Paraskevi is venerated as the patron Saint of the blind.

Continuing her missionary work nearly two thousand years after her martyrdom, Saint Paraskevi requested a monastic community be established in her name in the United States. This request was received by the Reverend Elder Ephraim (†2019) of Philotheou and Arizona who, with God's help and the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, founded the Monastery of Saint Paraskevi in Washington, TX, in June 2004.

The monastery is one of 17 that Reverend Elder Ephraim established across the United States and Canada through many labors and prayers before his blessed repose on December 7, 2019.

Like Saint Paraskevi, Elder Ephraim left the Holy Mountain of Athos-where he had lived as a monk for over 50 years-to embark on his apostolic mission to North America after receiving a divine calling. A disciple of Saint Joseph the Hesychast, Elder Ephraim introduced to North America the hesychastic tradition of ancient Christian monasticism.

Following the teachings of Reverend Elder Ephraim, the Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi strives to foster a hesychastic, prayerful environment for the Sisters dedicated to Christ and for pious Christians seeking spiritual growth and salvation.

Elder Ephraim envisioned monasteries as "beacons, as Orthodox gathering places, as spiritual oases where Christians will resort to feed ...and refresh themselves spiritually and be saved." This vision continues in the peace and quietness of the monastery, where the experience of stillness ("hesychia") leads to deeper communion with God through prayer and worship.

• June 2004: Monastery founded by Elder Ephraim on June 2, 2004, following the Feast of Pentecost.
• Dec 2004 -July 2008: Construction of the Katholikon of Saint Paraskevi (main church).
• 2009 - 2012: Barn converted into workshops.
• Feb 2012 - July 2014: Construction of the Trapeza (formal dining hall) completed.
• July 26, 2014: Consecration of the Katholikon by His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver.
• July 2018: Completion of the Chapel of the Holy Trinity inside the Trapeza building.
• Dec 2020 - July 2022: Expansion of vegetable gardens and addition of greenhouses.
• Mar - July 2023: Expansion of the cemetery and paving of the parking lot (Phase I).
• Jan 2024 - present: Ongoing construction of a 3-story dormitory, including a chapel dedicated to Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker, Bishop of Trimythous.