St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery

About

St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery brings ancient tradition to Arizona. In 1995, Elder Ephraim, a former abbot of the 1000-year-old Philotheou Monastery in Greece, sent six monks to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona to establish a new monastery. The monks built the main church, living quarters, dining hall, and guest facilities themselves. They also seeded a vegetable garden, a small vineyard, citrus orchards, and an olive grove in the arid landscape. Since then, the monastic community has grown to over 40 predominantly Greek and Greek-American brothers, and they’ve also created a beautiful network of gardens, pathways, and gazebos with Spanish fountains. Visitors are welcomed to come enjoy the fruits of their labor and see a very different style of religious art and architecture, with traditional Eastern-style buildings and a church full of gilded icons. Please note: conservative dress is required.