© 2026 Michigan State University Board of Trustees
Public Media from Michigan State University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Jam-making monks find home in remote UP monastery

picture of bakery
Holy Transfiguration Skete monastery

Current State learns more about the Holy Transfiguration Skete monastery in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula from Detroit Free Press reporter John Carlisle, who recently paid it a visit.

As a Michigander, you’ve probably used your hands to show someone your hometown a time or two. If you were from the Keweenaw Peninsula, you’d have to point to the tip of the thumb on your left hand. The strip of land jutting into Lake Superior is the northernmost point of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. And it’s home to some of the state’s most beautiful hiking trails and nature preserves. 

But among all the wildlife and scenic waterfalls is something you might not expect to see in such a remote location: a Catholic monastery. To learn more about the Holy Transfiguration Skete monastery and the men who call it home, Current State talks to Detroit Free Press reporter John Carlisle.
  
 

Related Content
With federal funding eliminated, WKAR relies more than ever on community support to sustain essential services that remain freely available to everyone in mid-Michigan. Your support helps shape what comes next for public media in our region. The best way to support WKAR is by becoming a sustaining member today or by upgrading your current gift. Support WKAR TV Here | Support WKAR Radio Here.