The Flickr Abbeyofourladyofgethsemani Image Generatr

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This page simply reformats the Flickr public Atom feed for purposes of finding inspiration through random exploration. These images are not being copied or stored in any way by this website, nor are any links to them or any metadata about them. All images are © their owners unless otherwise specified.

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Wild spiderlily, Abbey of Gethsemani woodland by sniggie

Wild spiderlily, Abbey of Gethsemani woodland

Trappist Monks of the Abbey of Gethsemani by sniggie

Trappist Monks of the Abbey of Gethsemani

Prayer recitals at the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani near New Haven, Kentucky

Trappist monks recite noon prayers by sniggie

Trappist monks recite noon prayers

Kentucky's freedom of religion and deep religious tolerance

Founded in 1848, this Catholic monastery, the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, is not only the first abbey of Trappist monks in Kentucky but also in America. Its first monks immigrated from Europe to found the abbey. It sits alone, surrounded by woodland, hills, and farms in Nelson County, Kentucky.

Why did Kentucky historian Thomas Clark put Nelson County's Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani as one of the state's top eleven treasures for Kentuckians to visit? Whether one is Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Taoist, Zoroastrian, atheist, agnostic, or something entirely else, Dr. Clark felt that all Kentuckians should visit and be familiar with the abbey in order to more deeply appreciate their state. But why?

One guide answered me that it is because this ground is such a holy place. I understand that Catholic believers would visit this site for that reason and would feel that slice of heaven here in Kentucky. But for the rest of us, is the answer that this place shows Kentucky's early and deep commitment to freedom of religion?!? Or maybe the answer is as simple as to have each Kentuckian appreciate its history of when there was a large influx of Catholic immigrants to the Bluegrass State. I don't know.

I do know that the 1850s were the heyday for the Know Nothing Party in Kentucky, whose members thought Catholics were conspiring to overturn the U.S. government and to follow the Pope. During all of that, the foreign Trappists were welcome to immigrate, settle, and establish a monastery in Central Kentucky. The monastery thrived while the Know Nothing Party faded into oblivion.

The book Dr. Thomas Clark's Kentucky Treasures points out why Nelson County seemed like a good place for the immigrating Trappists, especially after an initial attempt at an abbey in Marion County in 1804 did not succeed. But their second attempt looked solid. "Their chances for success seemed good. Nelson County already was a center of Roman Catholic settlement, the nation's first inland Catholic diocese having been established at Bardstown in 1808. Indeed, the Abbey of Gethsemani has flourished since its founding."

St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Trappist saint at a Kentucky treasure by sniggie

St. Bernard of Clairvaux: Trappist saint at a Kentucky treasure

Kentucky's freedom of religion and deep religious tolerance

This is a bronze statue of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th Century founding Trappist abbot from Burgundy, France. The statue stands outside the gift shop of the Abbey of Gethsemani. Founded in 1848, this Catholic monastery, the Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, is not only the first abbey of Trappist monks in Kentucky but also in America. Its first monks immigrated from Europe to found the abbey. It sits alone, surrounded by woodland, hills, and farms in rural Nelson County, Kentucky.

Why did Kentucky historian Thomas Clark put Nelson County's Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani as one of the state's top eleven treasures? Whether one is Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Zoroastrian, atheist, agnostic, or something entirely else, Dr. Clark felt that all Kentuckians should visit and be familiar with the abbey in order to more deeply appreciate their state. But why?

One guide told me that it is because this ground is such a holy place. No, that cannot be the answer. What about the rest of us who are not Catholic? Is the answer that this place shows Kentucky's early and deep commitment to freedom of religion?!? Or maybe the answer is as simple as to have each Kentuckian appreciate its history of when there was a large influx of Catholic immigrants to the Bluegrass State. I don't know. I do know that the 1850s were the heyday for the Know Nothing Party in Kentucky, whose members thought Catholics were conspiring to overturn the U.S. government and to follow the Pope. During all of that, the foreign Trappists were welcome to immigrate, settle, and establish a monastery in Central Kentucky. They thrived while the Know Nothing Party faded away.

The book Dr. Thomas Clark's Kentucky Treasures points out why Nelson County seemed like a good place for the European immigrating Trappists, especially after an initial attempt at an abbey in Marion County in 1804 did not succeed. But their second attempt looked solid. "Their chances for success seemed good. Nelson County already was a center of Roman Catholic settlement, the nation's first inland Catholic diocese having been established at Bardstown in 1808. Indeed, the Abbey of Gethsemani has flourished since its founding."

Sanctuary by EmperorNorton47

© EmperorNorton47, all rights reserved.

Sanctuary

We arrived just before the monks assembled to chant. After I took this picture, I felt a little ashamed because of the noise my camera made.

Sign of Silence by EmperorNorton47

© EmperorNorton47, all rights reserved.

Sign of Silence

Gethsemani Cemetary by EmperorNorton47

© EmperorNorton47, all rights reserved.

Gethsemani Cemetary

Abbey Church at Gethsemani by EmperorNorton47

© EmperorNorton47, all rights reserved.

Abbey Church at Gethsemani

Trappist Saint by EmperorNorton47

© EmperorNorton47, all rights reserved.

Trappist Saint

Clouds over Kentucky by sniggie

Clouds over Kentucky

JOURNEY by HaY'All Farm

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JOURNEY

11/12 "JOURNEY"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

DENSITY by HaY'All Farm

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DENSITY

01/12 "DENSITY"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

DESTINY by HaY'All Farm

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DESTINY

12/12 "DESTINY"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

SOLITUDE by HaY'All Farm

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SOLITUDE

04/12 "SOLITUDE"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

TENSION by HaY'All Farm

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TENSION

05/12 "TENSION"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

PAX by HaY'All Farm

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PAX

08/12 "PAX"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

PASSAGE by HaY'All Farm

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PASSAGE

10/12 "PASSAGE"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

ENLIGHTENMENT by HaY'All Farm

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ENLIGHTENMENT

09/12 "ENLIGHTENMENT"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

LIFE by HaY'All Farm

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LIFE

07/12 "LIFE"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017

HOPE by HaY'All Farm

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HOPE

06/12 "HOPE"
Photo Essay (c) Steve Hoffman, 2017