On the left is a meadow, pond and the white walls of Blutenburg Castle. On the right are quaint German houses of Pasing. Between them is the Monastery of St Job of Pochaev, which adheres to the Mt Athos monastic rule.
The monastery was founded in 1945 by former residents of Pochaev Monastery in Czechoslovakia, who lived there during wartime years and decided to move to Allied territory to escape the Soviets. In its better years, the monastery had 40 residents, but by 1980, only the retired Archbishop Nathanael and a reader remained.
Everything changed in 1980, when Bishop Mark (Arndt) arrived (now Archbishop of Berlin and Germany). Vladyka had before then made many visits to the monasteries of the Holy Mountain and Serbia. He and a few other enthusiasts founded a monastic community following the Athos rule. In the Monastery of St Job of Pochaev, Vladyka Mark also established the same practices of the Holy Mountain of Athos. But the spirit of Pochaev lives on, both in the obediences, the priority of publishing work, and also in singing.
Fr Joseph even takes photos on the kliros. Photo: Novice Seraphim reads the hours.