The year 1880 is considered to be the beginning of Romanian immigration to North America. In time, the Romanian communities have grown larger and stronger to the extent of establishing parishes and building churches ready to fulfill their spiritual needs.

    Thus, in 1902 was built the first Romanian Orthodox church in Regina, Canada. The Metropolitan of Moldova sent a hieromonk from the Neamt Monastery to serve.

    In 1904, the Romanians in Cleveland founded the first Orthodox parish in United States and built Saint Mary Church, requesting the Metropolitan of Transylvania to send them a priest. In this way was inaugurated a great missionary activity with new parishes to be established.

    In 1918 there were 30 Romanian Orthodox parishes in United States and Canada and by 1929 there were about 35 churches. This great amount of parishes required a unitary organization, an episcopate under the authority of a bishop.

    On April 25-28 1929, 20 priests and 24 laymen representing 22 parishes met in Detroit during a Church Congress and decided to create the Romanian Orthodox Missionary Episcopate in America. A committee was appointed to work on the By-Laws of the new Episcopate and fulfill the decisions of the Congress. This committee drew up the new By-Laws, which they subsequently sent to the Romanian Patriarchate along with a request for a bishop to be sent from Romania.

    His Beatitude Patriarch Miron Cristea begun working on this request but it was only in 1935 when finally a decision was only in 1935 when finally a decision was made. So the Congress of July 4th appointed Bishop Policarp Morusca at St. George Cathedral in Detroit, while 1,500 people were attending. Following the event of election, the 4th Church Congress was held for two days hosting 57 delegates from 32 parishes.

    Bishop Policarp started then to organize the Episcopate. He introduced Sunday schools into parishes, established the women’s associations and youth groups, begun publishing the annual calendar Solia, which later proved to be of great importance in the life of the episcopate.

    The greatest project Bishop Policarp was dreaming of was establishing a monastery. Right in the very first issue of the Solia Calendar of 1936, in an article entitled “We need a monastery,” bishop Policarp provided the reasons of his project including a list of the major goals such a monastery would fulfill: “a monastery would be a place for pilgrimage and mission. It could include shelters for the poor, old people and orphans; also it could constitute a recreational center for school children and host religious summer camps. It could harbor a candle factory for some profit. It would be like a pulpit for the Episcopate… a place for a printing shop and a center for publications…” This wish Bishop Policarp had was so intense and his plan was communicated so strongly to the faithful that the efforts of bringing it to reality were almost simultaneous with his arrival.

    The times were opposing him and without his will Bishop Policarp was removed and kept far away from his spiritual flock from America, because after the Church Congress held in July 4th 1939 at Vatra Romaneasca – the farm called Grey Tower in the small city of Jackson, State of Michigan – the bishop decided to leave for Romania in order to obtain financial support for his missionary purposes. He left without knowing that he will never come back alive.

    Today, at 70 years since the idea was born, with the help of God, a monastery with Romanian Orthodox monks is founded on the North American Continent.

MONASTERY BACKGROUND The monastic community of the Holy Ascension Monastery is under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (OCA) under the omophorion of His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit. It was established on the date when the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Hierarch Policarp of Smyrna (on February 23, 2001). This date is significant for the Romanian Episcopate, because St. Policarp of Smyrna was the patron saint of the first Romanian Orthodox bishop in North America, His Grace Bishop Policarp Morusca, who dreamt of establishing a monastery for monks, seventy years ago, but at that time it was not to possible. However, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel, the dream of the late blessed Bishop Policarp came true, exactly on his patron saint day, when eight monks from Romania, from Brancoveanu Monastery, county of Brasov, arrived in Detroit. The monastery had established its location in St Andrew’s Center for Orthodox Christian Studies in Detroit and as abbot was named Very Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Irineu Duvlea, former abbot of Brancoveanu Monastery in Romania, thus fulfilling the wish of our Archpastor Policarp, “to bring the light of the Romanian Orthodox monastic life in North America.”

    The newly established monastery brought to the Romanian and American Orthodox Community a new place of spirituality, with monks living in modern times the traditional and exemplary life of the Gospel, the same lifestyle of the ancient hermits living during the first centuries of Christianity. This was accomplished “through the will and mercies of our Lord for his Holy Church in North America.”

    On June 28, 2002, at the Annual Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, the abbot of the Holy Ascension Monastery, Very Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Irineu Duvlea, was elected to the episcopal office as bishop of Dearborn Heights and Auxiliary Bishop of the Romanian Episcopate. His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, consecrated him to episcopacy on November 1- 2, 2002 along with eight other hierarchs at St. George Romanian Orthodox Cathedral in Southfield, Michigan.

    Besides his hierarchal duties, His Grace Bishop Irineu kept his responsibilities as the abbot of the Holy Ascension Monastery until July 2003, when he called upon the monastic community to elect a new abbot.

    On July 8, 2003, the monastic community of the Holy Ascension elected its new abbot in the person of Very Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Mihail Filimon. The election was confirm and blessed by His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel on July 24, 2003.

    On Sunday, July 27, 2003, the new abbot, Archimandrite Mihail was introduced to the community and to the faithful present at the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy by His Grace Bishop Irineu, with the blessing of His Eminence Nathaniel.

     In 2004 the monks managed to buy the candle factory, which has been used to serve the needs of most of the Romanian parishes within the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, in this way fulfilling another project of Bishop Policarp Morusca.

    In 2005 the monastic community, helped by Dr. Michael Ronnett from Chicago, managed to purchase the property from St. Andrew Center for Christian Studies. The acquisition proposal was made at Vatra Romanesca by the great benefactor and founder, Dr. Ronnett and the abbot, Very Rev. Fr. Archimandrite Mihail Filimon, in the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel and His Grace Bishop Irineu. The board of trustees of St. Andrew Center agreed to sell the property to The Holy Ascension Monastery. Following the discussions and negotiations, on June 8th 2005, on the Eve of the Patron Feast of the Holy Ascension, the Real Estate Purchase Agreement was signed.

    On August 25th 2005, the two parties signed the Land Contract, the monastery becoming the sole proprietor. By this event, the Holy Ascension Orthodox Christian Monastery was founded.

    The monastery has two patron feasts days: the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Protection of the Mother of God. Another great acquisition was the replacing of the old iconostasis in the church of the Holy Ascension Monastery. The new iconostasis was donated by the Sorin and Octavia Cismas family from California.

    On January 2008 the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate called and elected Very Reverend Mihail Filimon as bishop for the romanian community of Australia. On the same month His Eminence Nathaniel, elected as Egumen of the Monastery in the person of Rev. Fr. Hieromonk Dionisie Rodila.

    The community of the Holy Ascension Monastery serves everyday the divine services at its current location, where many Orthodox faithful of different nationalities find their spiritual peace and joy, and come in the fear of God with love and hope to praise and give thanks to the Lord for the blessings He bestowed upon them and to implore His great mercy for their path in life.

                            

   

    Anul 1880 poate fi considerat inceputul emigrarii romane pe continentul Nord American. Cu timpul comunitatile de romani au devenit destul de mari si puternice pentru a incepe infiintarea de parohii si construirea de biserici care sa le implineasca nevoile spirituale.

    Astfel in anul 1902 a fost construita prima biserica ortodoxa romana la Regina in Canada. Aici va sluji un ieromonah de la manastirea Neamt trimis de Mitropolitul Moldovei.

    In anul 1904, romanii din Cleveland infiinteaza prima parohie ortodoxa din Statele Unite si contruiesc biserica Sfanta Maria, solicitand Mitropolitului Ardealului sa le trimita un preot. Astfel incepe o larga actiune misionara, care are ca urmare infiintarea de noi parohii.

    In anul 1918, existau 30 de parohii ortodoxe romanesti in Statele Unite si Canada iar in anul 1929 erau 35 de biserici. La acest numar mare de parohii se simtea nevoia unei organizari unitare, a unei Episcopii sub autoritatea unui episcop.

    La 25-28 aprilie 1929, 20 de preoti si 24 de mireni reprezentand 22 de parohii s-au intalnit la Detroit intr-un Congres Bisericesc cand au hotarat infiintarea Episcopiei Ortodoxe Romane Misionare din America. O comisie de lucru a fost aleasa pentru a intocmi un Statut al noii Episcopii si pentru a duce la bun sfarsit hotararile Congresului. Comisia a intocmit noul Statut pe care l-a trimis la Patriarhia Romana impreuna cu cererea de a se trimite un Episcop din tara.

    Patriarhul Miron Cristea incepe rezolvarea cazului dar finalizarea lui are loc doar in anul 1935. La Congresul din 4 iulie este instalat Episcopul Policarp Morusca, la biserica Sfantul Gheorghe din Detroit, participand peste 1500 de persone. Dupa instalare s-a tinut timp de doua zile cel de al 4-lea Congres bisericesc la care au participat 32 de parohii cu 57 de delegati.

    Episcopul Policarp incepe organizarea Episcopiei. Introduce in parohii scolile duminicale pentru copiii, infiinteaza organizatia de femei si cea de tineret, incepe editarea Calendarului Anual Solia care va juca un rol de seama in viata Episcopiei.

    Proiectul cel mai mare al Episcopului Policarp era infiintarea unei manastiri. Chiar in primul numar al Calendarului Solia din 1936, intr-un articol intitulat “Avem nevoie de Manastire”, Episcopul Policarp si-a argumentat proiectul sau, dand o lista cu cateva teluri majore care ar sluji la o astfel de ctitorie monahala: “o manastire ar fi un loc de pelerinaje religioase si misiuni. Poate sa cuprinda adaposturi pentru saraci, batrani si pentru orfani; poate prevedea un loc de recreere pentru scolari si programe religioase de vara. Va adaposti o fabrica de lumanari care sa aduca si ceva venit. Va fi un amvon pentru Episcopie…, un loc de infiintare a unei prese de tiparire si un centru de publicatii…” Atat de intens isi dorea Episcopul Policarp o astfel de institutie si atat de adanc a reusit sa isi comunice planul credinciosilor sai, incat eforturile pentru a-l aduce la realitate au inceput aproape simultan cu venirea sa.

    Vremurile insa i-au fost potrivnice si fara voia sa a fost indepartat si tinut departe de turma sa cea duhovniceasca din America, deoarece dupa Congresul din 4 iulie 1939 pe care l-a tinut la Vatra Romaneasca – ferma numita Grey Tower de langa orasul Jackson, statul Michigan – decide sa plece in Romania pentru a obtine sprijin financiar in vederea indeplinirii scopurilor sale misionare. A plecat fara sa stie ca nu se va mai intoarce niciodata in viata.

    Acum, dupa 70 de ani de cand s-a nascut idea, cu ajutorul lui Dumnezeu, se ctitoreste Manastirea de monahi ortodocsi romani, pe continentul nord American.      ISTORICUL MANASTIRII Obstea monahala de la Manastirea Inaltarea Domnului se afla sub jurisdictia Episcopiei Ortodoxe Romane a Americii (OCA), sub omoforul Inalt Prea Sfintiei Sale Inalt Prea Sfintitul Arhiepiscop Nathaniel, Arhiepiscop de Detroit si al Episcopiei Ortodoxe Romane din America si Canada. Manastirea a fost infiintata la data cand Biserica Oortodoxa sarbatoreste pe Sfantul Policarp al Smirnei (23 Februarie, 2001). Aceasta data este semnificativa pentru Episcopia Romana deoarece Sfantul Policarp al Smirnei a fost sfantul protector al primului episcop ortodox roman din America de Nord. Episcopul Policarp Morusca, dorea cu saptezeci de ani in urma sa infiinteze o manastire de calugari, desi la acea vreme nu a fost posibil. Totusi, cu binecuvantarea Prea Sfintiei Sale Nathaniel, visul fericitului intru adormire episcop Policarp a devenit realitate, chiar cu ocazia sarbatoririi sfantului sau protector, cand opt calugari din Romania, de la manastirea Brancoveanu, judetul Brasov, au sosit in Detroit. Manastirea si-a stabilit sediul in cadrul Centrului de Studii Crestin-Ortodoxe Sfantul Andrei din Detroit iar ca staret a fost numit Preacuviosul Arhimandrit Irineu Duvlea, fostul staret al Manastirii Brancoveanu din Romania, astfel implinindu-se visul Arhipastorului nostru Policarp de “a aduce lumina vietii monahale ortodoxe romane in America de Nord.”

    Nou-infiintata manastire a devenit pentru comunitatea romaneasca ortodoxa din America un centru de spiritualitate cu calugari, ducand in timpuri moderne o viata monahala traditionala, conforma cu spiritul Evangheliei, viata asemanatoare celei duse de eremitii primelor secole ale crestinismului. Acest lucru a fost posibil numai “datorita vointei si milei lui Dumnezeu revarsata peste Sfanta Sa Biserica de pe taramul Nord American.”

    La 28 iunie 2002, la sedinta Congresului Anual al Episicopiei Ortodoxe Romane din America, staretul Manastirii Inaltarea Domnului, Preacuviosul Arhimandrit Irineu Duvlea, a fost ales episcop vicar al Episcopiei Ortodoxe Romane cu titlul de Episcop de Dearborn Heights. La 1-2 noiembrie 2002, Prea Fericirea Sa Herman, Mitropolitul Primat al Bisericii Ortodoxe din America, l-a hirotonit ca episcop, alaturi de inca opt ierarhi, la Catedrala Ortodoxa Sfantul Gheorghe din Southfield, Michigan.

    Pe langa atributiile sale arhieresti, Prea Sfintitul Irineu si-a indeplinit in continuare si obligatiile de staret al manastirii Inaltarea Domnului pana in iulie 2003, cand a cerut obstii monahale sa aleaga un nou staret.

    La 8 iulie 2003, obstea a ales un nou staret in persoana Preacuviosului Arhimandrit Dr. Mihail Filimon. Alegerea a fost confirmata prin binecuvantarea Inalt Prea Sfintitului Arhiepiscop Nathaniel, la 24 iulie 2003. Duminica, 27 iulie 2003, noul staret, Arhimandritul Mihail, a fost prezentat obstii monahale si credinciosilor prezenti la Sfanta Liturghie, de catre Prea Sfintitul Irineu, cu binecuvantarea Arhiepiscopului Nathaniel.

    In anul 2004, calugarii au achizitionat fabrica de lumanari care a inceput sa deserveasca nevoile majoritatii parohiilor romanesti din Episcopia Ortodoxa Romana a Americii. In acest fel s-a implinit inca unul din proiectele Prea Sfintitului Policarp Morusca.

    In anul 2005 obstea monahala, ajutata de Dr. Michael Ronnett din Chicago, a reusit sa cumpere proprietatea Centrului de Studii Crestin-Ortodoxe Sf. Andrei. Propunerea de cumparare a fost facuta la Vatra Romaneasca de catre marele ctitor si binefacator, Domnul Dr. Ronnett si staretul Arhimandrit Mihail, in prezenta Inalt Prea Sfintitului Arhiepiscop Nathaniel si a Prea Sfintitului Irineu. Comitetul Director al Centrului Sf. Andrei a acceptat sa vanda proprietatea catre Manastirea Inaltarea Domnului. In urma discutiilor si a negocierilor, pe 8 iunie 2005, in ajunul hramului manastirii Inaltarea Domnului, a fost semnat precontractul.

    In 25 August 2005, cele doua parti au semnat contractul de cumparare a proprietatii prin care manastirea a devenit proprietar de drept . Cu ocazia acestui eveniment, a fost fondata Manastirea Inaltarea Domnului.

    Manastirea are doua hramuri: Inaltarea Domnului si Acoperamantul Maicii Domnului. O alta achizitie importanta a fost infaptuita prin inlocuirea vechiului iconostas din biserica manastirii. Noul iconostas a fost cumparat din donatiile facute de Familia Sorin si Octavia Cismas din California, de domnul Dr. Ronnett si de credinciosii care frecventeaza manastirea.

    In luna Ianuarie 2008 Patriarhia Orthodoxa Romana, chama pe Preacuviosul Arhimandrit Mihail la inalta treapta a arhieriei pentru comunitatea romana din Australia. Intru aceasi luna Inalt Prea Sfintitul Nathaniel, numeste egumen al manastirii pe Preacuviosul Ieromonah Dionisie Rodila.

    Comunitatea monahala celebreaza zilnic slujbele religioase, unde credinciosii de diferite nationalitati isi gasesc pacea si bucuria spirituala, venind cu frica de Dumnezeu, cu credinta si cu dragoste sa-I dea slava pentru darurile Sale revarsate asupra lor si sa ceara mare mila Sa.