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Holy Cross Abbey

901 Cool Spring Lane Berryville, Virginia 22611

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Pray With Us

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 and peace-filled New Year.

January 12, 2023

The Beginning of another year

As we begin another year and enter back into “Ordinary Time” 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 request that those attending Holy Mass and the other services, continue to wear masks. In the attempt to maintain some degree of social distancing, the monks will continue to remain in their choir stalls throughout Holy Mass. This means that the priest will celebrate Holy Mass with his back to the Guests. Also, until further notice, and as an additional precaution, 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. Please be aware that we are still in the process of reacquiring merchandise but are happy to announce that the famous Trappist Preserves, Jams, and Jellies are back on our shelves. ALL OUR FRUITCAKES AT THE GIFT SHOP ARE SOLD OUT. However, we are happy to reassure you that our popular creamed honeys are readily available.

In the meantime, however, our Retreat House is open but does require that retreatants be vaccinated. 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

Monastery Remains Closed because of Covid (Update)

January 29, 2023

It is almost a week since the first brother tested positive for Covid. Since then, all but one of us, has become ill with Covid. Most of us are well on the road to full recovery, but two of us are still in the earlier stages of Covid. Later this week we will do another round of testing, and when all test negative we will begin reopening. So, until then, the Chapel and Gift Shop remain closed so as … Continue Reading

  • Solemnity of Our Cistercian Founders
  • A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers

Liturgy

Fr. James’ Reflection for Monday, Week 2

January 17, 2023

Monday of the 2nd WK of the Year: Hebrews 5:1-10; Mark 2:18-22       In a country like ours, with no compelling sense of restraint or self-mortification, fasting for no good reason could wake us up to our habit of self-appeasement. The attempt could actually generate a solid motivation for the practice.       Fasting is never profitably … Continue Reading

  • Fr. James’ Homily for the 2nd Sunday of the Year
  • Fr. James’ Reflection for Thursday January 12

...more liturgy posts

From the Abbot’s Lectio Notebook

January 21, 2023

Investing money in a business you know is doomed to fail, makes no economic sense. Similarly, donating money to a charity known to misappropriate its funds is foolhardy. Yet, that is what God seems to do with us when it comes to his love, grace, and choice. Given God’s foreknowledge, we may wonder why Judas was chosen to be one of the Twelve Apostles—he certainly wasn’t a sound investment! 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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