About
The Monastery of Saint Panteleimon is a community of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), established under the spiritual Omophorion of His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of ROCOR. The monastery is located in Coconut Creek, FL, and is dedicated to the heavenly patronage of the Holy Great-Martyr and Healer, Saint Panteleimon.
Led by the Abbot Maximos, and supported by the volunteers under his care, the monastery exists first and foremost for the salvation and sanctification of those who have embraced the Christian life. Together with married clergy, laypeople, and pilgrims who gather to worship, the community strives to live a life of continual repentance, prayer, and communion with God.
Daily services follow the traditional Orthodox liturgical cycle, and all are welcome to join in worship. The monastery is home to individuals from both cradle and convert Orthodox backgrounds, reflecting the beautiful diversity of the Orthodox Church across ethnic and linguistic lines.
While grounded in the timeless ascetical life of the Church, the monastery also seeks to share the beauty of Orthodoxy with the surrounding world. Through hospitality, pastoral outreach, and prayerful presence, we invite others to join us in glorifying God, worshiping in the fullness of the Orthodox Faith.
To learn more or to plan a visit, please reach us through our contact form.
Our Patron Saint
Saint Panteleimon, the Great-Martyr and Healer, was a 3rd-century Christian physician known for healing the sick without payment and boldly confessing Christ during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Trained in medicine in Nicomedia, he combined his healing gifts with deep faith, often curing the ill in the name of Jesus Christ. His martyrdom came after miraculous healings and public testimony before Roman officials.
“Heal not only the body but also the soul.”
– Attributed to Saint Panteleimon in Orthodox tradition
Today, he is venerated as a patron Saint of physicians and a spiritual protector of the sick. His legacy of mercy, courage, and divine healing continues to draw pilgrims seeking both physical and spiritual renewal. The Skete dedicated to his name shares this same mission of compassion and healing.
Our Spiritual Father
Archimandrite Maximos (born Lewis J Weimar) is a prominent figure in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), known for his leadership in monastic communities and commitment to Orthodox Christian outreach in the United States.
Born on Long Island, New York, into a family of German, Irish, and Hungarian descent, he later moved to South Carolina. Before embracing monastic life, he worked in the private sector as a movie theater manager. In 1993, he converted to Eastern Orthodoxy and, in 1995, joined the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension in Resaca, Georgia, as a novice. He was tonsured as a monk in 1997, ordained a deacon in 1998, and a priest in 2000. In 2003, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite by Patriarch Irenaios of Jerusalem.
Archimandrite Maximos served as abbot of the Holy Cross Monastery in East Setauket, New York, which was under the Jerusalem Patriarchate until 2010, when it was received into ROCOR. In 2017, due to jurisdictional changes, he led the establishment of the Monastery of St. Dionysios the Areopagite in St. James, New York. He retired as abbot in January 2024 to focus on other monastic responsibilities.
Currently, Archimandrite Maximos oversees multiple monastic communities:
- Holy Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon Skete in Coconut Creek, Florida
- St. John Cassian Chapel in Bessemer, Alabama
Archimandrite Maximos is recognized for his dedication to monastic education, emphasizing the study of the Holy Fathers and theological discussions alongside traditional prayer and liturgical practices. His communities often conduct services in English, with elements in Church Slavonic, Greek, and Romanian, reflecting a commitment to both tradition and accessibility for converts and diverse Orthodox faithful.