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)

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Fr. James’ Homily for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17 When we celebrated the blessing of the new altar, the Preface referred to the altar of the Cross. At the same time, neither the altar nor the Cross was identified as an object but as a place; in Latin, locus. Latin is a very abstract, conceptual language--as opposed to English which is descriptive, or Biblical Hebrew, which is … Continue Reading

From the Abbot’s Lectio Notebook

This short prayer of thanksgiving by Saint Augustine could easily have been on the lips of Saint Peter after being rescued from drowning beneath the waves of the stormy sea.

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Retreat House

Welcome to Holy Cross Abbey’s Retreat House. This ministry is a way to share a taste of our monastic life with you by sharing our silence and solitude, the natural beauty of this setting and the monastic liturgy throughout the day. The monks think of the Retreat House as our guest house; unfortunately that term has specific connotations in our world and this is not just a place for an overnight stay. Rather our Retreat House is specifically for those who need time to reflect on their lives, pray or refresh themselves spiritually. Staying with us in the Retreat House is a commitment to maintaining the silence contemplative environment of the place for all the guests.

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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 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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