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ST. MILDRED’S ABBEY, MINSTER-IN-THANET KENT, ENGLAND Jan. 23 - Feb. 2, 2015     Divine Office in the Abbey Church

MINSTER Abbey (“Minster-in-Thanet”) is not far from Canterbury, and contains within its walls remnants of the ancient monastery founded in 840 by St. Domneva (Domna Eafe), daughter of Aethelbert, King of Kent. St. Mildred was the daughter of Domneve, and succeeded her mother as abbess of Minster.  After her death St. Mildred's cult flourished throughout Europe and the monastery became an important pilgrimage site, however it was destroyer by the Danes in 840.  It was rebuilt in 1027 by the Benedictine monks of St. Augustine's, Canterbury. During the Reformation the monks were expelled and the monastery became a private home.  The monastery was refounded in 1937 by nuns from St Walburga's Abbey, Eichstätt, Germany, and is a member of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation. 

MONASTERY

“SAXON TOWER” and NORMAN WING	MONASTERY

THE monastery buildings date largely from the medieval refoundation by the monks of St. Augustine in Canterbury during the Eleventh Century, although the "Saxon Tower" is incorporated into the Norman walls of the monastery.

BACK ROW: Sr. Mary Magdalen, Sr. Joanna, Sr. Walburga, Sr. Benedict, Sr. Mary Steven, Sr. Margaret Mary, FRONT ROW: Sr. Mary Bernard, Sr. Patricia, Mother Prioress Nikola, Sr. Aelred, Sr. John Baptist, Absent: Sr. Ancilla

THE nuns of Minster are a contemplative Benedictine community, thus their principal work is  prayer: The Divine Office is celebrated in both English and Latin.  The nuns maintain a retreat house where guests are welcome; they also manage a farm with a flock of sheep and practice a variety of crafts, including icon-painting, poetry, and historical research.

MINSTER ABBEY	CHURCH

THE abbey church was rebuilt following a fire.  The altar and pedestal for the statue of Our Lady Seat of Wisdom are crafted from a tree on the abbey property that was uprooted in a storm.

SEAT of WISDOM by Sr. Concordia Scott (also known as Our Lady of 5th Avenue)	RELIQUARYof ST.MILDRED  by Sr. Concordia Scott

“SAXON TOWER”  and NORMAN WING	“SAXON TOWER”

TYMPANON: CHRIST in MAJESTY	“SAXON TOWER”

THE CHAPEL of ST. MARY Vaulted Norman arches connecting the "Saxon Tower" with the Norman wing of the monastery

THE CHAPEL of ST. MARY	ST.MILDRED by Sr. Concordia Scott

THE nearby Anglican parish church of St. Mary was originally part of the monastery complex. It was built in the eleventh century by the monks of Canterbury

ST. MARY'S CHURCH	NAVE and CHOIR

CHOIR	NAVE and TOWER (over narthex)