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
Address: 7470 McNiven Rd. Campbellville, ON, L0P 1B0
Phone number: 905 878 0043 / 905 878 3438
Parish: Burlington–Milton Parish (served by Fr. Aleksandar Mitrovic)
The Holy Tranfiguration Monastery in Milton, Ontario is the first and, for now, the only Serbian Orthodox monastery in Canada. The monastery is located in the Niagara Escarpment area of exceptional beauty protected by UNESCO. The monastery is located within easy reach of Ontario's largest cities with a significant number of Serbian colonies: a half-hour drive from Toronto to the east, Hamilton to the south, and Kitchener to the west. The monastery church was built on 103 pillars which rest on a natural rocky elevation called Tabor Hill in honour of Mount Tabor.
The aspiration of the Serbian community in Canada to build their own monastery was expressed in the hopes of the holy Bishop Nikolaj (Velimirovic). The realization of these aspirations began with the formation of an independent diocese and the arrival of Bishop of Canada Georgije at the head of the diocese. At the session of the Diocesan Assembly held in Vancouver on December 26, 1987, Bishop Georgije raised the issue of building a monastery in the Diocese of Canada, and the assembled delegates unanimously accepted this proposal. In the spring of 1988, the Diocesan Council learned that a 20-hectare (43-acre) plot of land was being sold in the area of the town of Milton. This information was brought by Gojko Kuzmanovic and Branko Vuckovic, who were the first to see the property and assessed that it was an ideal place for the construction of a monastery. The property at 7470 McNiven Road was purchased on May 2, 1988. Five months later, on October 2, 1988, Bishop Georgije and the assembled clergy consecrated the land. The kumovi for this ceremony were brothers Vlado and Djordje Vuckovic, sons of Branko Vuckovic. Marija Jovin, an architect from Serbia, was commissioned to prepare, on instructions of Bishop Georgije, the monastery plans. The plans were approved at the Diocesan Assembly held in Windsor in 1989. In addition to the aforementioned Marija Jovin, architect Richard Reichard of the Snider Reichard March Architects firm also helped considerably in the building of the monastery church. The main designer of the monastery was engineer Branko Dzeletovic, while construction was also carried out by master builder Ranko Vukosavljevic. The model of the monastery, built by the brother of the Kaona Monastery and the then-secretary of the Diocese of Canada Milutin (Knezevic), was exhibited and presented for the first time on August 12, 1989.
The foundation stone of the future monastery was consecrated by the Serbian Patriarch Pavle on October 21, 1992. The concelebrants were Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, Metropolitan Christopher of Midwestern America, Metropolitan Irinej of Nova Gracanica, Bishop Stefan of Zica, Bishop Irinej of Nis, Bishop Georgije of Canada, and Bishop Mitrofan of Eastern America. On the diocesan estate in Milton, Patriarch Pavle signed a charter that was later incorporated into the foundation stone of the monastery church. The foundation of the monastery church was blessed on May 2, 1993. At the monastery council held from August 7–8, 1993, Bishop Longin of Dalmatia, with the concelebration of Bishop Georgije of Canada, consecrated the Cross of Saint Sava, which was gilded and erected on the monastery's dome on August 25, 1993. Patriarch Pavle also consecrated the monastery church on the day of its completion, June 12, 1994. The concelebrants were Metropolitan Christopher of Midwestern America, Bishop Irinej of Nis, Bishop Lukijan of Slavonia, Bishop Georgije of Canada, Bishop Nikanor of Gornji Karlovac, Bishop Mitrofan of Eastern America, Bishop Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia, and Bishop Vasilije of Mileseva. About twenty thousand people attended and, among the numerous guests from Sweden, Australia, England and other countries, was Prince Tomislav Karadjordjevic.
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. At the entrance of the estate, as an endowment of the monastery's godfather Ilija Rakanovic from Cambridge, Ontario, a beautiful gate open to all nations of goodwill was erected in 2001. That same year, in 2001, a fountain dedicated to the Life-Giving Font was built. The fountain decorates the road leading to the monastery church.
The iconostasis was made by the woodcarver Momcilo Milosevic from Preljina near Cacak. The fresco painting of the church began after its construction and took place in several phases with work being completed on February 10, 2002. The iconography and frescos were the work of Dragomir "Dragan" Marunic and his assistants – deacon Nikola Lubardic and Dragan Stankovic. The magnificent fresco of Christ the Pantocrator on the dome of the church, the compositions of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the Entry into Jerusalem, the Washing of the Feet, the Betrayal of Judas, and the Descent into Hades will 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.
Right next to the monastery church there is a large picnic area with all the accompanying facilities: a summer pavilion, kitchens, fishing, sports fields for football, volleyball and basketball. A youth playground is specifically built for the youngest visitors to enjoy their leisure time. From bare fields, in just a few years, the Serbs of Canada have built a real spiritual oasis.
The most important days on which a large number of people gather in the monastery are the feast of the monastery chapel of the Three Holy Hierarchs (February 12), the feast of the diocesan publishing house (Easter Friday), the Diocesan Day (All Saints Sunday which is the first Sunday after Pentecost), the Monastery Council (the Sunday before the beginning of the Lent), the feast of the Holy Transfiguration Monastery (August 19), and the feast of the Diocese of Canada – the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (October 14).
The monastery endowment funders are Olga Acimov, Gojko and Evgenija Kuzmanovic, the Holy Trinity Church and School Congregation in Regina, Ilija Rakanovic, and Dragomir Karic while major benefactors are Nedeljko and Nada Vujic, Milena Protic, Rados Maric, and the Diocesan Circle of Serbian Sisters.
Monastery residence/Episcopal palace
In the Episcopal Palace, located in the immediate vicinity of the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration of the Lord in Milton, is the seat of the Diocese of Canada, headed by Metropolitan Mitrofan of Canada. The architect of the building was Marija Jovin with the assistance of the chief designer Branko Dzeletovic and the master builder Branko Bursac. The palace facade, in addition to the symbiosis of modern and Byzantine architectural and decorative elements, also took on elements of Serbian medieval monasteries such as the bifora and trifora windows. On the roof of the palace there is a Cross of Saint Sava. Construction of the palace began on March 1, 1993. The three-floor palace was consecrated by Metropolitan Nikolaj of Dabar-Bosnia on August 7, 1994. The construction of the palace was completed in early February 1995. The godfather of the palace was Ilija Rakanovic.
After construction, the Chapel of the Three Holy Hierarchs was moved from the original palace to the new palace, where it is now located on the upper floor of the building. The chapel was consecrated on the day of the chapel's celebration, the Three Holy Hierarchs, on February 12, 1995. The act of consecration was performed by Bishop Georgije of Canada, Bishop Mitrofan of Eastern America, and Bishop Jovan of Western America. The godfather of the chapel was Branko Pajic from Vancouver. The frescos of the chapel are the work of Dragomir "Dragan" Marunic and his son Nemanja Marunic. Work on the fresco painting was completed in early 2006. The frescos painted by hieromonk Pavle Kalanj on the drywall of the old palace were also preserved and transferred.
On the main floor of the palace, in addition to the reception area, the monastery dining room, and separate diocesan offices, there is a small meeting room that can easily be converted into an exhibition space. In the lower part of the palace there is a large hall, which is cared for by the monastery's Circle of Serbian Sisters. The hall hosts memorial services, as well as numerous cultural events organized by the diocesan publishing house Istocnik. The palace also houses a bookstore.
In front of the palace there is a memorial fountain dedicated to Nikola Tesla, erected on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his birth and inaugurated on Diocesan Day on June 16, 2006. The fountain, designed to resemble Tesla's patent 1113716 from 1914, was built thanks to contributions from the faithful of the Diocese of Canada. The fountain was consecrated by Bishop Georgije at the Monastery Council on August 12, 2007. On that occasion, Bishop Justin of Timok was a guest and gave a sermon.
The palace was renovated in early 2017 thanks to Rebecca MacDonald who was awarded the title of monastery ktetor on that occasion.
Monastery library
The Holy Transfiguration Serbian Library is located within the monastery grounds. The building also serves as a museum and archive of the Diocese of Canada. The library's collection includes over ten thousand books.
The original monastery library was established by Mirjana Tomicic on April 2, 1995. The library was located in the episcopal palace and its initial collection was created thanks to gifts and bequests. After obtaining the appropriate permits, construction of the library building began in April 2009. The cornerstone was consecrated by Bishop Georgije of Canada on April 28, 2009. On the occasion of the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the independence of the Diocese of Canada, on October 17, 2009, a diocesan museum, archive and library was built right next to the episcopal palace. The newly built stone building replaced the old dilapidated house, which was the last building left by the previous owners of the property. The celebration began that day with the Holy Hierarchical Liturgy, which was served by Bishop Georgije of Canada, Bishop Lukijan of Buda, and Bishop Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia, with the concelebration of all the priests of the Diocese of Canada. The building was consecrated by Bishop Dositej of Britain and Scandinavia.
The building was built by mechanical engineers Blagoje Savic and Slobodan Gojkovic, representing the Savic Homes company from Kitchener. The special doors at the entrance were a gift from the owner of the Lockwood company Ljubisa Milic, the windows were donated by priest Ivan Radovic from Toronto, and the facade was done by brothers Radislav and Milomir Rakanovic. The interior design of the library was done by designer Nenad Strbac from Vancouver and woodcarver Djordje Ignjatic from Ottawa. The godfather of the library was Jovan Vujasinovic.
Monastery cemetery
Part of the property also houses the first Serbian cemetery in Canada with over 350 graves. The land for the cemetery was blessed on October 9, 1994. Until the construction of the monastery, Serbs were mostly buried in sections of municipal cemeteries set aside for Orthodox burials, such as Woodland Cemetery in Hamilton, Lundy's Lane Cemetery in Niagara Falls or York Cemetery in Toronto because provincial laws did not allow the establishment of cemeteries in churchyards in the 20th century (churches that had them could continue to use them but these were mostly very old Anglican, Catholic or Protestant churches). Towards the end of the 20th century the laws changed and, at the time of the monastery's construction, the municipality decided that the land in question was large enough in the rural municipality and the cemetery was approved. Many well-known fixtures of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada as well as the Serbian diaspora in Canada in general are buried in the cemetery. May God rest their souls!
