New Clairvaux Abbey Gets Chapter House

Cistercian Monks in Vina, California, Rebuild an Old Monastery

Apr 24, 2009 Monika Fuchs

The cistercian monks of the New Clairvaux Abbey in Vina, California reconstruct the chapter house of an 800-year-old monastery from Ovila in Spain.

In Vina, California, a truly unusual building project is taking place. The monks of the local abbey are rebuilding an original monastery building on their own grounds - with building material that comes from Europe and is hundreds of years old.

The Chapter House of the New Clairvaux Abbey - a Monumental Task for the Cistercian Monks

The cistercian monks of the New Clairvaux Abbey in Vina have started their own "holy" project. They are reconstructing an 800-year-old chapter house which was part of the a monastery in Ovila, Spain.

The stones that originally comprised the building have gone through many different hands and once belonged to the Californian press mogul William Randolph Hearst. He later sold the stones to the city of San Francisco, where they were used for different urban projects.

The Cistercians have long petitioned the city administration to release the stones into their care. Finally the San Francisco politicians and administrators relented and deeded the stones to the New Clairvaux Abbey. A number of craftsmen, most of which came directly from Europe, have worked together to reconstruct every architectural detail in its original form. Three of the stone arches have been finished, and the Californian abbey thus owns the only true gothic cistercian cloister portal in North America.

Cistercian Monks in Vina, California

The cistercian monks of New Clairvaux still uphold the monastic way of life. They follow the rule of St. Benedict which requires a life of work and prayer.

Seven times a day the monks meet for prayer and mass. The rest of the day is spent in work and contemplation. And their labor today concentrates on the making of wine and the production of pottery.

New Clairvaux Winery

Since 1881 wine has been produced on the property, started by Leland Stanford. The monks decided to keep up this tradition and bring the original buildings, the winery among them, to good use again.

The monks are experimenting with different varieties of grapes, both red and white, in order to find the finest for their land and talent.

New Clairvaux Pottery

Father Anthony, one of the monks of the cistercian monastery, specialises in the production of pottery. Every pot he creates is a unique work and whenever pots are finished they are available in the Abbey Gift Shop for sale.

Traditional Monastic Life in the Cistercian Monastery of New Clairvaux

Thus the monks in Vina, California, are leading a quiet and fulfilling life at the monastery of New Clairvaux, full of satisfying labor, deep faith expressed in common prayer and contemplation.

Further information on New Clairvaux Abbey can be found online.

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