Saint Kosmas Aitolos Monastery

A Brief History

For many years, the Orthodox faithful in Ontario had wanted to have a monastery nearby. In 1993, with the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios of Canada and our Spiritual Father, †Elder Ephraim of blessed memory, Mother Superior Alexia and a Sister immigrated from Greece to make that dream a reality.

Together, they established St. Kosmas Aitolos Greek Orthodox Monastery, a religious organization within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada. St. Kosmas Monastery follows the Cenobitic way of monastic life (“Cenobitic” is derived from the Greek word “Keenovio” which means “common way of life”) therefore consisting of common work, common meals, and common rest periods. The presence of an Orthodox Monastery is a valuable asset to any area because it not only provides an exemplary way of living the Christian virtues, but also acts as a window from the past for all those who wish to see Christianity as it was practiced in the days of the Apostles.