Monasteries

[karenfromcali]

I would love to stay in a monastery while on my walk next year. Does anyone know where I can find information regarding which towns/villages have a monastery in which I can stay? Also those that allow pilgrims, are they open (do monasteries close?) year round?
Thanks,
Karen

 

[brawblether]

Given the nature of a monastery it's unlikely you'll be able to stay IN one. Many run albergues for pilgrims. I looked up these up in my guidebook so you can try that. I remember staying with the Cistercian Sisters at the Monastery at Santa Domingo de Calzada and the Benedictine Monks in Rabanal.

 

[mspath]

I would love to stay in a monastery while on my walk next year. Does anyone know where I can find information regarding which towns/villages have a monastery in which I can stay? Also those that allow pilgrims, are they open (do monasteries close?) year round?
Thanks,
Karen

Karen,

Here is my personal inventory of monasteries along the CF which accept pilgrims.

Amongst these examples are successful and poor examples of architectural adaptive re-use, retro fitting and contemporary additions. Much to view and ponder. For location info and basic photos see the Eroski site Etapas and albergues . For more personal comments and /or photos see each location as cited in my Camino Gazetteer. For more info on Benedictine monasteries see here.

Roncevalles, three albergues; the new, the old and the winter, in monastery structures
Trinidad de Arre, in a monastery garden
Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Nuestra Sra. de la Anunciacion, in monastery
Carrion de los Condes, monasterio de Santa Clara, in monastery wing
Carrion de los Condes, albergue Espiritu Santo, in monastery wing
Sahagun, albergue de las Madres Benedictinas, in monastery
Leon, albergue del monasterio de las Benedictinas (Carbajalas), in monastery
Carracedo del Monasterio, albergue, in monastery grounds
Samos, Albergue del Monasterio de Samos, in monastery wing
Sarria, albergue Monasterio de la Magdalena, in monastery wing

Two other monasteries which are not listed on the Eroski cited cite above are
Rabanal del Camino, San Salvador de Monte Irago monastery at this site
and north of Melide, Sobrado dos Monxes, Santa Maria do Sobrado monastery at this site

Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[karenfromcali]

Here is my personal inventory of monasteries along the CF which accept pilgrims.

Margaret.
Wonderful! Thank you. I had heard there is also a monastery where the Vespers (?) can be heard. I will look into the list you have given me and very much pray there will be a monastery that will have me. I feel all the more the longing to start my camino.
Blessings.
Karen

 

[supersullivan]

I stayed in the albergues in Santo Domingo and in Samos, definitely try to include Santo Domingo, the Cistercian nuns also run a hotel which backs onto the garden of the albergue, they have Vespers at 7.30 pm in a small chapel on the 2nd floor of the hotel, a slightly surreal experience but one I have very fond memories of. The albergue the Benedictines run in Samos has a little less atmosphere but the guided tour of the monastery ( €3 ) is well worth the time.

Seamus

 

[mspath]

"Margaret.
Wonderful! Thank you. I had heard there is also a monastery where the Vespers (?) can be heard. I will look into the list you have given me and very much pray there will be a monastery that will have me. I feel all the more the longing to start my camino.
Blessings.
Karen"

Karen,

Evening Vespers may be attended at most of these monasteries. The services are particularly special at Samos and Sobrado dos Monaxes; you can read my blog memories here and here.

Margaret Meredith

 

[scruffy1]

Hi Karen
Santa Maria church in Rabanal has evening Vespers, Gregorian chants sung by monks which can be very moving if they are there-they are sometimes singing elsewhere. If you are up for a two or three day side trip by bus do visit Santo Doming de Silos Abbey 60 kilometers south of Burgos the singing there is raptuous and the abbey is especially beautiful. The Carrion de los Condes albergue Espiritu Santo is a monastary but pilgrims occupy a separate wing, the biggest attraction? Beds, not bunks but real beds. The nuns from the albergue at Santa Maria church in C.d.l.C. offer an evening pilgrims blessing and shared meal which can be moving. Santa Clare also in Carrion is often overcrowded, hot, and not especially hygenic-seems attractive from outside but don't be tempted to stay-do see their collection of nativity scenes brought from around the world.

 

[scruffy1]

PS We are celebrating a minor holiday here in Jerusalem, I wasn't focused up there since guests just walked in. Monastaries are a great idea, they offer history, religion, a "real" pilgrim experience behind great walls of tradition they share a common denominator. I have stayed at the Old Roncesvalles, San Juan de Ortega, Samos, and Santo Domingo, they all were freezing cold at night! Pilgrims woke three or four times in a foetal postiton despite sleeping bags and long underwear, pilgrims such as I who suffer from TLB (tiny little bladder) were up and stumbling in the dark three or four times searching for the rest rooms, very little rest was had.
Samos, you are awakened with music very pleasant and do take the tour of the church, about 1 1/2 hours only in Spanish but it goes through the remaining old parts, up through the reconstructed new part (a huge fire in the 50's of the last century) and ends rather like Hollyeood in their relic room. If you are interested, I can also tell you about the disquised mosque located in Samos as well.

 

[karenfromcali]

Thank you both so very much. Your information is much appreciated as I hope to stay in monasteries, churches and other houses of faith as part of my camino. Margaret I have been reading and enjoying your blog.
scruffy1, the side trip also sounds lovely and just what I am looking for. I hope if time allows I will be able to see it. Thank you for taking the time to answer.

 

[karenfromcali]

PS We are celebrating a minor holiday here in Jerusalem, I wasn't focused up there since guests just walked in. Monastaries are a great idea, they offer history, religion, a "real" pilgrim experience behind great walls of tradition they share a common denominator. I have stayed at the Old Roncesvalles, San Juan de Ortega, Samos, and Santo Domingo, they all were freezing cold at night! Pilgrims woke three or four times in a foetal postiton despite sleeping bags and long underwear, pilgrims such as I who suffer from TLB (tiny little bladder) were up and stumbling in the dark three or four times searching for the rest rooms, very little rest was had.
Samos, you are awakened with music very pleasant and do take the tour of the church, about 1 1/2 hours only in Spanish but it goes through the remaining old parts, up through the reconstructed new part (a huge fire in the 50's of the last century) and ends rather like Hollyeood in their relic room. If you are interested, I can also tell you about the disquised mosque located in Samos as well.

I must have missed your second post. I love both history and especially the history of religion and look forward to staying or visiting so many of these places. Looks like I better prepare for a few cold nights if I stay! I would like to know where the mosque is so I can visit there also.
I looked up the holidays for Jerusalem. Is the holiday sukkot? I wish you much joy at this celebration.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The best vespers is at monastery in Santo Domingo de Silos, but it takes a one-day (or two-day, if you want to see the cloisters as well) side trip from Burgos. You can buy their CD and avoid the detour.

Vespers with the Cistercian nuns in Santo Domingo is interesting because they sing from the side nave of the chapel, and you cannot hear or see them. Cloistered is as cloistered does!

I walked with a French woman who had a list from her church of all the religious gites on the Chemin du Puy, almost none of which were public knowledge. That is not much use on the Camino Frances, but it makes me believe that there are a lot more places than you find in the guidebooks.

 

[karenfromcali]

The best vespers is at monastery in Santo Domingo de Silos, but it takes a one-day (or two-day, if you want to see the cloisters as well) side trip from Burgos. You can buy their CD and avoid the detour.

Vespers with the Cistercian nuns in Santo Domingo is interesting because they sing from the side nave of the chapel, and you cannot hear or see them. Cloistered is as cloistered does!

I walked with a French woman who had a list from her church of all the religious gites on the Chemin du Puy, almost none of which were public knowledge. That is not much use on the Camino Frances, but it makes me believe that there are a lot more places than you find in the guidebooks.

Thanks Falcon. I will look into Santa Domingo de Silos and hope I will be able to visit. Visiting a monastery is something I have wanted to do for a long time since a friend told me of the kindness of two monks who took care of her during a very difficult time. (Not on the camino). I also love to listen to Gregorian chants and am looking forward to hearing vespers.
Very curious that one cannot hear or see the Cistercian nuns. I don't know anything about cloistering so it will be interesting to look it up

 

[karenfromcali]

Given the nature of a monastery it's unlikely you'll be able to stay IN one. Many run albergues for pilgrims. I looked up these up in my guidebook so you can try that. I remember staying with the Cistercian Sisters at the Monastery at Santa Domingo de Calzada and the Benedictine Monks in Rabanal.

Hi Brawblether. I think I somehow managed to miss your post. (Eyes are getting old. LOL) I appreciate you informing me of this as I had thought perhaps I could stay IN one. Thanks for the heads up as I would have been disappointed once I got there.

 

[Bajaracer]

http://en.monteirago.org/monastery/monastic-hospitality/how-much-does-it-cost-and-how-to-contact-us

 

[brawblether]

That's ok. Not being able to stay in one and to be cloistered are related so when you look up cloistered you'll gain a better understanding. In a nutshell, monasteries are for monks and nuns who live (not together!) a life dedicated to prayer; who, for the most part, are shut off from the world to undertake this and to do works to support themselves in this life. They are "enclosed" within the monastery, inside which there is a cloister and so they are "cloistered"). Some are semi-cloistered and interact personally with the outside world as part of their work - for example the Benedictine monks at Rabanal who tend to pilgrims.

Most, especially Benedictines, have guest quarters which are outside the cloistered area and it is in these that you would typically stay. The Cistercian monastery in Santa Domingo that I mentioned I had stayed at has an albergue attached but not actually inside. The monastery in Rabanal has a guest house over the road.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Acogida Christiana en el Camino is a network of places along the caminos that offer a particularly Christian approach to pilgrim hospitality. The group includes most of the monastic houses mentioned above, as well as some non-albergue pilgrim outreach services and some un-publicized private homes. The website is www.acogidacristianaenelcamino.es and the listing is on the right side of the home page.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

BTW, the Poor Clares in Carrion de los Condes may not have the nicest albergue, but if you stay around for their morning Mass at 8:45 a.m. you can hear them sing Matins and the psalms and responses. They have a skilled organist these days... a bit of a rarity in these parts.
Their chapel is beautiful, their voices are crystalline. Mass is THE classic way to start a day's walk on the camino. I can recommend it.

 

[brawblether]

That's a handy website to know, thanks Rebekah.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Very curious that one cannot hear or see the Cistercian nuns.

You can hear them because the singing comes around the corner, but you cannot see them. You can hear them rustling in, then the vespers begin. Then the singing ends. You hear them shuffle out. All without introduction or farewell. I commented to a very urbane pilgrim, "It makes you wish you had paid more attention in Latin class." He responded, "It wouldn't help. They were singing in Spanish." Such is my monolinguality.

Only men can stay with the monks in Santo Domingo de Silos, and only by prior arrangement and approval. They provide a libretto for the psalms sung that day, and they ARE in Latin...

 

[karenfromcali]

http://en.monteirago.org/monastery/monastic-hospitality/how-much-does-it-cost-and-how-to-contact-us

This is a great link. I love the spiritual interaction of staying in this monastery hospital. I like the opportunity of volunteering to assist other pilgrims too. Much strength and healing can often be gained by taking our mind off ourselves and assisting others.
Many thanks.

 

[karenfromcali]

That's ok. Not being able to stay in one and to be cloistered are related so when you look up cloistered you'll gain a better understanding. In a nutshell, monasteries are for monks and nuns who live (not together!) a life dedicated to prayer; who, for the most part, are shut off from the world to undertake this and to do works to support themselves in this life. They are "enclosed" within the monastery, inside which there is a cloister and so they are "cloistered"). Some are semi-cloistered and interact personally with the outside world as part of their work - for example the Benedictine monks at Rabanal who tend to pilgrims.

Most, especially Benedictines, have guest quarters which are outside the cloistered area and it is in these that you would typically stay. The Cistercian monastery in Santa Domingo that I mentioned I had stayed at has an albergue attached but not actually inside. The monastery in Rabanal has a guest house over the road.

Thanks for the info. I did look up cloistered and have a better understanding now.
Thanks for taking the time to reply

 

[karenfromcali]

Acogida Christiana en el Camino is a network of places along the caminos that offer a particularly Christian approach to pilgrim hospitality. The group includes most of the monastic houses mentioned above, as well as some non-albergue pilgrim outreach services and some un-publicized private homes. The website is www.acogidacristianaenelcamino.es and the listing is on the right side of the home page.

Thanks for the link Rebekah

 

[karenfromcali]

"It makes you wish you had paid more attention in Latin class." He responded, "It wouldn't help. They were singing in Spanish." Such is my monolinguality.

Such is mine also! LOL. Thanks Falcon

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I did look up cloistered and have a better understanding now.

At the convent on the "secret" list in Figeac, which had a separate downstairs room and shower for men, I asked the nun who greeted us for a restaurant recommendation. She replied that she did not have one; she had never eaten outside the convent! She had been there for nearly twenty years. I was a little chagrined.

A handful of nuns still operate a huge monastery in Vaylats, France. Pilgrims dine with them in the evening, but sit at separate tables. The residents are rather aged, two in wheelchairs, so lay volunteers come for reception, gite, and kitchen duty, some from as far as Paris. One of the gite buildings is the old bakery with the ovens still installed downstairs. When the monastery was filled with monks, it had a big baking business. When the Church ran out of monks, the nuns took over. Now the nuns need the laity to keep the place open.

The monastery in St. Come d'Olt has just had a multimillion-Euro renovation, so is one of the most modern gites on the Chemin with two-person rooms. Nuns and volunteers operate the reception and the meals. The nuns are a bit more agile than at Vaylats, but a couple of them also are in wheelchairs. They said that the income is sufficient to maintain the place, but certainly not enough to have restored it. That took Church and historic preservation money.

The monastic life does not seem to be thriving, instead hanging on by its fingernails. See it while you can. It won't be available forever.

 

[freescot]

I've stayed in quite a few monasteries and the most inclusive I have found was Oseiro. Morning prayers are very early but worth it.
Reading what others say here, I may have maligned the singing in Samos in my blog. Can anyone tell me about its beginnings which I have heard were pretty bloody.
More in this post: http://www.the-raft-of-corks.com/blog/pain-body-love-camino-de-santiago-samos-camino-frances/

 

[santiago_67]

Most people take the short cut leaving Triacastela and avoid Samos. Yep, I missed the short cut and ended up going through Samos. The monastery is incredible! So glad I walked the extra kilometers.

 

[Simon]

in Burgos, the Sisters of Emmaus who run the friendly comfortable Hostel Emaus in c/Mateo Cerezo offer night prayer after dinner. Recommended.

 

[Phillypilgrim]

Also, to add to the above, the fairly new (April 2013) albergue in Zabaldika run by the "Sisters of the Sacred Heart". Communal meal, Mass and Pilgrim discussion group following dinner run by these lovely Nuns. I recommend this stop just 7 miles before Pamplona.

 

[waveprof]

I would love to stay in a monastery while on my walk next year. Does anyone know where I can find information regarding which towns/villages have a monastery in which I can stay? Also those that allow pilgrims, are they open (do monasteries close?) year round?
Thanks,
Karen

Avoid the monastery at San Juan de Ortega. The monks aren't very involved with it anymore, the famous garlic soup is ancient history, the people that do run it are rude, and the entire place incredibly damp and cold. I didn't meet anyone last year who said they were happy they stayed. In fact, some people who were the last to complain about ANYthing did plenty of complaining about SJdO

 

[SYates]

Lol waveprof, the monks left San Juan de Ortega in 1835 ;-) The garlic soup kind of 'died' with the last parish priest and yes, this place needs a good hospitaler@. If I ever win the lottery, this would be the place I would like to buy and restore as a true pilgrims refuge ... One woman can dream ... SY

 

[karenfromcali]

Avoid the monastery at San Juan de Ortega. The monks aren't very involved with it anymore, the famous garlic soup is ancient history, the people that do run it are rude, and the entire place incredibly damp and cold. I didn't meet anyone last year who said they were happy they stayed. In fact, some people who were the last to complain about ANYthing did plenty of complaining about SJdO

That's too bad. Thanks for the heads up though.

 

[KentuckyJay]

PS We are celebrating a minor holiday here in Jerusalem, I wasn't focused up there since guests just walked in. Monastaries are a great idea, they offer history, religion, a "real" pilgrim experience behind great walls of tradition they share a common denominator. I have stayed at the Old Roncesvalles, San Juan de Ortega, Samos, and Santo Domingo, they all were freezing cold at night! Pilgrims woke three or four times in a foetal postiton despite sleeping bags and long underwear, pilgrims such as I who suffer from TLB (tiny little bladder) were up and stumbling in the dark three or four times searching for the rest rooms, very little rest was had.
Samos, you are awakened with music very pleasant and do take the tour of the church, about 1 1/2 hours only in Spanish but it goes through the remaining old parts, up through the reconstructed new part (a huge fire in the 50's of the last century) and ends rather like Hollyeood in their relic room. If you are interested, I can also tell you about the disquised mosque located in Samos as well.

Also with a TLB (isn't aging grand) what time of year were the nights so frigid?

 

[Peronel]

The bar at San Juan de Ortega is fab. Try the morcilla.

 

[Freetogo]

Hi Karen
Santa Maria church in Rabanal has evening Vespers, Gregorian chants sung by monks which can be very moving if they are there-they are sometimes singing elsewhere. If you are up for a two or three day side trip by bus do visit Santo Doming de Silos Abbey 60 kilometers south of Burgos the singing there is raptuous and the abbey is especially beautiful. The Carrion de los Condes albergue Espiritu Santo is a monastary but pilgrims occupy a separate wing, the biggest attraction? Beds, not bunks but real beds. The nuns from the albergue at Santa Maria church in C.d.l.C. offer an evening pilgrims blessing and shared meal which can be moving. Santa Clare also in Carrion is often overcrowded, hot, and not especially hygenic-seems attractive from outside but don't be tempted to stay-do see their collection of nativity scenes brought from around the world.

Hi Karen! I stayed there in 2013 - the beds had REAL matching bedspreads and every woman entering the room exhaled a joyous " wow"! A special place, as well as Carrion d.l.c! Hope you had a wonderful camino!

 

[SYates]

This thread is ten years old, things have changed since then. Perhaps a moderator could close it?
BC SY