• Royal Monastic Princess — front cover
  • Royal Monastic Princess — back cover
1 2

Bev Cooke

Royal Monastic Princess

Royal Monastic Princess

$40.00
$40.00
Sale Sold out
Taxes included.

The life of a princess is not all glamour, handsome princes, and beautiful clothes. It is also devotion to duty, sacrifice for your people, and a lot of just plain hard work. And if your country happens to suffer two world wars and a communist takeover in your lifetime, it means danger and suffering, exile and heartache as well. Princess Ileana of Romania endured all this and more. But her deeply rooted Orthodox faith saw her through it all, and eventually led her in her later years to the peaceful repose of monasticism. But that life included sacrifice and hard work as well, because as Mother Alexandra she was called to build the first English-language Orthodox women's monastery in the United States: the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania. Princess Ileana's story is a thrilling tale of love and loss, danger and rescue, sacrifice and reward. Her inspiring life stands as a beacon of faith and holiness for young women of all times and nations to follow.

From the Lychnos review

An editorial quotation from Lychnos magazine, Lychnos Apr 2016/ May 2016. This is not a customer review.

Royal Monastic: Princess Ileana of Romania

Show more Show less
Royal Monastic: Princess Ileana of Romania

**Royal Monastic: Princess Ileana of Romania
by Bev Cooke. Published by Conciliar Press (2008).**

*Royal Monastic: Princess Ileana of Romania* is not only an account of the life of an Orthodox Romanian Princess and her intense spiritual struggles, but a thorough history book.
The book documents her life from her birth as Princess Ileana, to her death as Mother Alexandra, and at every moment she continuously practiced her Orthodox Faith and expressed her love for God. The book begins with a recount of the Princess’ highly anticipated birth, vividly highlighting the overwhelming love and respect she received from her country, Romania. As she grew up, she powerfully reciprocated those feelings and had an undying connection to her people, evident in her commitment to charity work and hospital visits from as young as 7 years old. As Princess Ileana grew older, her spiritual struggles also grew in size. She was forced to live under Nazi and Communist rule for almost 20 years, and when the connection to her people was finally severed, she said she was “as one dead”. Princess Ileana eventually found peace in monastic life, and was soon a sister in the Monastery of the Protection of the Veil of the Mother of God in Bussy-en-Othe, Burgundy, France. Sister Ileana lived on to become Mother Alexandra, and in 1991, finally slept in the Lord.
This book easily stood out to me when I saw that it was about the life of a Princess. It is interesting to see God’s role in her life, and you are left in awe with how faithful she was to have been able to see angels from such a young age. Her emotional struggles with her family and country are uplifting, and the confidence she possesses towards her faith is astounding. *Royal Monastic* is a book that I would definitely recommend to any Orthodox Christian and is something all should look to for inspiration.
“*My last prayer is that the Lord God let the light of His face shine upon and bestow upon you the joy that no man can take from you, Amen.*” – Mother Alexandra.

*Source:April – May2016 Lychnos Edition*
View full details