How the three monks live in the unique Byzantine monastery of South America

ABRA DEL HINOJO.- Three Byzantine monks live for thirteen years alone in an isolated monastery, the only one in South America of this creed, in the calm of the mountains of Curamalal, in the Saavedra Party, in the province of Buenos Aires. They follow the monastic norms that Teodoro Estudista established in the 9th century, without any modification. They are governed by the Julian calendar, which is thirteen days of ours, the Gregorian. They pray looking east ("Christ said he was going back"), they feed on their own garden and heal themselves using the "medicine of God", with herbs medicinal found in the mountains.

They are part of one of the 24 Eastern Catholic churches and, although they respond to the Vatican, their "pope" is the patriarch of Kiev, his Beatitude, Svyatoslav Shevchuk. "We use Castilian, but our language is liturgical Slavic," says Hieromonje (monk and priest) Dionysus. Separated from the Roman church since 1054, the Byzantine Monastery of the Transfiguration is a spiritual treasure, open to the community. His bedside readings are the books left by the hermits of the first years of our era. "We are a communicating reality and our tranqueras are always open", adds this monk.

"We must understand that everything that is oriental is related to Islam," says monk Dionysus (Diego Flamini is his civil name, 49 years old) when he refers to the ancient Christian tradition from the East. In 451, at the Council of Chalcedon, five patriarchies are recognized, only one is Western, the Roman. "Argentina has a lot of influence on Eastern Christianity," he says. The Lebanese and Syrians who were part of the flow of immigration who arrived in our country were followers of this cult. Slavs, Ukrainians and Russians would later complete the Byzantine family in our country. There are currently one million practitioners in this church in Argentina. The highest authority is the Byzantine Catholic Eparca, Mgr Daniel Kozelinski.

The only reference to reach the monastery is a cross with three crossbars (Byzantine or Orthodox cross), one – the closest to the ground – inclined. The lonely symbol is next to the dirt road that leads to the Abra del Fennel. The first crossbar corresponds to the location of the INRI inscription, the second where Jesus was nailed to the arms and the third (tilted) to the feet, the diagonal pointing upward represents the thief who repented of his sins and went to heaven. the one from below, to the other thief who showed no regret and marks the location of Hell.

L & # 39; s history

"At that time, Cardinal Bergoglio had given us his approval," recalls Father Sergio (54 year old David Argibay) of the time they dreamed of building the monastery. Both were seminarians in La Plata. The council of what is today Pope Francis has enlightened the way. They were a few years in Los Cardales, but they did not feel it like the place chosen. "I knew we had to be in an isolated place, but not inaccessible, near the mountains," confesses Dionisio. Pigué and its beautiful region constituted the ideal space.

In 2006, they started to build it. They were supported by the Archdiocese of Bahía Blanca. Until 2013, Dionisio and Sergio were present, until the arrival of Jonathan (nicknamed Garbalena, 28 years old), who is currently in a monastery in Ukraine where he completes his training. The monks change their name as they go up in their formation, during a ceremony called "monastic vow". The name of the monastery refers to the luminous transformation that Jesus had before his disciples on Mount Tabor. It is celebrated every August 6th.

The entrance to the monastery is a few kilometers from the road. A curtain of trees hides the buildings, the silence is total. The set of buildings is presented with a series of covered wooden benches for pilgrims who approach. Opposite is a huge wooden house that serves as shelter and housing. There, they also give lectures and courses on natural medicine, wood carving or Byzantine faith itself. In diagonal and facing east is the small chapel. Inside, on Sunday, is held the Divine Liturgy (Mbad) and the second Saturday of each month, the Molaben (supplication) addressed to the sick. The interior of the chapel is filled with paintings of saints, angels and images of the virgin.

"The Byzantine church is based on icons, which are windows through which the saints have the power to make us eyes," Dionysus said. "In modern language, they are a shortcut for them," he concludes. The icons are flat, two-dimensional, as is the orthodox tradition. Women who want to witness the crowds should do so with long skirts and men with elegant clothes. The monastery has electricity, gas and internet.

All kinds of plants, shrubs and stones – the place is very rocky – protect the paths that lead to the different rooms. The architecture follows the patterns of Ukrainian monasteries. This monastery appeared as part of the Russian Catholic mission of Buenos Aires, but today it depends on the bishop (Eparca) Ukrainian Catholics of Argentina. Much of the food is extracted from their garden and the rest by donations. "We have planned everything in fifty years, each tree is placed in a place previously studied," said Dionisio softly. Among their projects, it is planned to create a convent for the Byzantine nuns. "And we dream of creating a village where we all live in harmony," he concludes.

The schism of the year 1054 marks the break of the Roman church from that of the east. The Western Roman Empire is weakening and reborn in Constantinople, today in Istanbul, the old Byzantium. This is why the Eastern Roman Empire took the name of Byzantine and remained it a thousand years. The Roman church had its official language, Latin, second, Greek. The first answered the Pope of Rome, the Byzantine – without this figure – focused on the monastic life. It was only in the 16th century that the two churches united, but the Byzantine retained its monastic matrix. From where the so-called Orthodox churches, without communion with the pope and Eastern Catholics, such as the Byzantines, in papal communion.

Activities

The monastery of the Transfiguration is "idiorhythmic", that is to say that the three monks perform their tasks according to their needs. The activity, on weekdays, begins before sunrise. They pray in two teams, one morning and one evening. They do not use musical instruments, but Gregorian songs. They then look for firewood, study, collect donations and shop in Pigüé, about ten kilometers away.

They meet at lunch and at dinner, which they bless by singing the Our Father looking east. On Saturdays and Sundays, they open the monastery to the public. In a radius of 150 km, the faithful approach different mbades and activities. After the Divine Liturgy, an agape – of apostolic origin – called "Trápeza" is offered, where an introduction is made "to the mysteries of life", sharing a ritual meal. Christmas Eve and Christmas, they celebrate January 6 and 7 according to the Julian calendar. "Everyone can come celebrate them, in real time with the East."

An element that unites them is the Filocalia or prayer in the name of Jesus. It is a prayer that they practice several times a day, alone or in company: "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, sinner." The monastery is run by a Higumen, or higher. In this case, Father Sergio, also an iconographer and a phytotherapist. Dionysus is an economist and botanist. Translate Slavic Slavic texts into Spanish. Both are monks of the great angelic habit (solitary life and retreat).

For his part, Jonathan is a craftsman and photographer, as well as a monk of the Phosphorus rank (he retains his civil name, he is looking for his salvation through asceticism and obedience). Father Sergio prepares natural potions and highly requested remedies. Their recipes are drawn from ancient hermetic treatises. "My only problem is agrochemicals, which kill the herbs," he says.

"Sometimes we need a map to shield us from the influence of negative energy," suggests Dionisio. They advise and comfort, welcome sick people, families with problems or people doing research internally. They also do spiritual retreats. "Nature responds to habits, if it is not respected, you can live altered.The forces of evil are seen in growing selfishness," concludes the monk, who spends his days meditating on the loneliness of the mountains Curamalal .

Pictures: Ricardo Pristupluk

Photographic edition: Fernanda Corbani