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Holy Cross Abbey

901 Cool Spring Lane Berryville, Virginia 22611

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Welcome to Our Lady of the Holy Cross Abbey

The monastery is a school of the Lord's service where Christ is formed in the hearts of the brothers and where in solitude and silence they aspire to that interior quiet in which wisdom is born. By generous hospitality they share with their fellow pilgrims the peace and hope which Christ has freely given.
(Constitutions of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance 3:2-3)

Read more about our life

Upcoming Chant Retreat in the New Year

May 6, 2025

A Special “Chant Retreat” is planned for the second week of August 2025

(More information can be found by clicking on the Retreat House Tab above)

Our Monastery Chapel is, once again, open to the public for Daily Holy Mass and all the Divine Offices.

The Gift Shop is also open again and the hours are Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, from 2.15 until 4.15. On Saturdays the Gift Shop is also open from 10.00 – 12.00 Noon, and again from 2.15 until 4.15. PLEASE NOTE: Our Fruitcakes are again available in the Gift Shop—both the large round cakes and the smaller loaf cakes. Barring unforeseen circumstances, these fruitcakes will be available in the Gift Shop from now until just before Christmas, when they are usually sold out.

Also, our Chocolate-covered fruitcake slices are once again available in the Gift Shop—both individual slices and boxed

Our Retreat House is open but until further notice, access to the confessor/counselor will be very limited and not always guaranteed. For more information on safety measures being implemented in our Retreat House and for making a reservation, please email Carol Hensley at information@hcava.org Also, we will continue to livestream daily mass and the main offices of the day: Lauds and Mass at 7.00 a.m. (Sunday Mass at 10.00 a.m.); Vespers at 5.30 p.m. and Compline at 7.30 p.m. (Please be aware that the quality of both image and sound is far less than ideal because of technical limitations)

  • Anyone wishing participate virtually in our liturgies need simply Click Here to be redirected to our livestreaming page.

ONLINE SALES OF SOME OF OUR PRODUCTS

Fruit Cakes, (through our friends at DeFluri’s) Creamed Honeys, and Monastery Truffles can still be purchased online at: www.monasteryfruitcake.org

News

Covid at the Monastery Update

May 6, 2025

Some good news is that the Covid outbreak appears to have run its course—with no further positive cases in the monastery. So, both the Monastery Chapel and the Gift Shop are now open again. We thank you for your concern, and for your prayers during this most recent Covid event. … Continue Reading

  • GIFT SHOP ANNOUNCEMENT
  • Fr. James’ Homily for Easter Sunday

Liturgy

Fr. James’ Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter

May 4, 2025

4 May, 2025, Third Sunday of Easter, Year C: Acts 5:27-32. 40b-41; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19I draw your attention to Jesus’ question to Peter: Do you love me?For several weeks we’ve celebrated a pageant of betrayal, misunderstanding, suffering, injustice, cruelty, fidelity of the few—and the unexpected miracle of resurrection. Isn’t it so easy to forget that all of this shapes the story of … Continue Reading

  • Abbot Joseph’s Homily for the Easter Vigil
  • Abbot Joseph’s Homily for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper

...more liturgy posts

From the Abbot’s Lectio Notebook

May 17, 2025

Certain spiritualities tend towards associating the so-called God of the Old Testament with God the Father—a God who often depicted as wrathful and punishing. And, in contrast, we have Christ as revealed in the gospels—one who is merciful and forgiving and who, as it were, stays the vengeful hand of God the Father. However, in today’s gospel Jesus clearly contradicts this kind of spirituality; and … Continue Reading

Retreat House

Staying a few days at the Abbey's Retreat House is the primary way guests can get a taste of our monastic life, by entering into silence and solitude, the natural beauty of the setting, and the monastic liturgy throughout the day. Retreat House guests commit to maintaining the silence and contemplative environment of the place.

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Gift Shop

The first building many of our guests visit when they come to the monastery is the Gift Shop/Porter’s Cottage located at the end of the entrance road to the monastery.

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Bakery Products

If you’re local or able to make a trip to visit us, we would appreciate a visit the monastery in person and you can get your fruitcake at the best price directly from the Gift Shop.

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Donation

We must be intentional in making sure the ongoing financial support needed to keep the Abbey running is acquired. You can make a one time gift or, better yet, you can become a Sustainer.

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Cool Spring Natural Cemetery

Cool Spring Natural Cemetery is maintained and managed by the Cistercian Monks of Holy Cross Abbey where, for over sixty years, monks have lived on land made sacred by their lives of worship, prayer, and hospitality offered to all who visit. The cemetery thus constitutes a tangible extension of the monks’ life of worship, prayer, and their long tradition of hospitality.

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Holy Cross Abbey

901 Cool Spring Lane
Berryville, Virginia 22611-2700
Phone: (540) 955-4383

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