Introduction to Mother Alexandra by Fr. Andrew Harrison

Mother Alexandra was the founder of Transfiguration Monastery when I was Rector of Holy Trinity Parish in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania in 1970. She regularly attended the Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity because a priest had not yet been assigned to the monastery. She invited me to help with the daily liturgical cycle. For about two years I had the privilege of serving daily Matins with Mother Alexandra as my altar server with two nuns as the chanters. Mother Alexandria was former Princess Ileana of Romania. The lasting impression she has left with me was a certain regalness, her deep spirituality and commitment to the mission of the Orthodox Church in America. She saw the need for this new Orthodox Church in America to have a flourishing monastic component. She dedicated the last years of her life to this purpose. She fell asleep in the Lord on July 21, 1991. May her memory be eternal! During her life time she wrote a number of pamphlets on Orthodox Spirituality and numerous other articles. In posting several of these I pray they will reach those who want to deepen their prayer life and possibly enter the monastic life. Mother Alexandria would be pleased to see her work continue.