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Holy Cross Abbey

901 Cool Spring Lane Berryville, Virginia 22611

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For 1500 years monks have prayed the Liturgy of the Hours. Join us in continuing this monastic tradition.

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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

Wishing all a Blessed Easter of Joy and Peace

July 5, 2023

Christ our Life is Risen, Alleluia!

As the Easter Season progresses towards Pentecost, we are happy that our Monastery Chapel remains open to the general public. However, please be aware that in the interests of protecting the health of our elderly and vulnerable monks, we will not be offering the chalice to our guests at communion—we thank you for your understanding. Given the unpredictable nature of this Covid pandemic, these arrangements will be periodically reviewed and adjusted, if necessary.

We are also happy to announce that the Gift Shop has reopened—though only on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, from 2.15 until 4.15. On Saturdays the Gift Shop is open from 10.00 – 12.00 Noon, and again from 2.15 until 4.15. BOTH THE SMALL FRUITCAKES AND THE LARGE FRUITCAKES ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT THE GIFT SHOP, and we are happy to assure you that our popular creamed honeys are also readily available.

In the meantime, however, 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.

MONASTERY FRUITCAKES AND THE GIFT SHOP

Fruit Cakes, Creamed Honeys, and Monastery Truffles can still be purchased online at: www.monasteryfruitcake.org but fruitcakes are now SOLD OUT at the Monastery Gift Shop.

News

Retreat House vacancies:

September 20, 2023

Due to several cancellations, there are five rooms available at the Retreat House this weekend—Sept 22-24.  Please call 540-955-4383 or e-mail information@hcava.org  asap if you would like to come on retreat this weekend. … Continue Reading

  • A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
  • Holy Mass Time-Changes

Liturgy

Fr. James’ Homily for the 25th Sunday of the Year

September 24, 2023

Twenty-Fifth Sunday, YR A, 24 September, 2023: Isaiah 55:6-9; Philippians 1:20-24, 27a; Matthew 20:1-16 Today’s Gospel could address our culture afflicted with entitlement. Or should I suggest that the laborers hired at the beginning of the day might rejoice in the good fortune of those hired in the late afternoon? Well, I believe that’s easier said than done for any of us. From another … Continue Reading

  • Abbot Joseph’s Homily for the Exaltation of the Cross
  • Fr. James’ Homily for the 23rd Sunday

...more liturgy posts

From the Abbot’s Lectio Notebook

September 26, 2023

Much of our growth in self-knowledge, and understanding the full extent of our estrangement from God, comes from our daily interactions with one another in the give-and-take of community life. And whereas the self-knowledge hereby acquired certainly includes positive and noble aspects of our identity, it more frequently reveals what is negative, sinful, unflattering, and humbling. Little wonder, … 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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