Mepkin Abbey is a community of Roman Catholic monks established in 1949 on the site of the historic Mepkin Plantation located on the Cooper River, north of Charleston, South Carolina. Founded by the monks of Gethsemani in Kentucky, the brothers of Mepkin belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance popularly known as Trappist. Following The Rule of St. Benedict, the monks at Mepkin Abbey devote their lives to prayer, spiritual study, work and hospitality. Living by the work of their hands, the monks provide a livelihood for themselves and the poor.
Notification About Closure
We are happy to announce that beginning Tuesday, May 19 Mepkin Abbey Gardens and Gift Shop will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The front gate will be monitored to allow a few cars in at a time to preserve social distancing in the Gardens and Gift Shop. The Gift shop will allow three persons at a time and masks will be required to enter the store.
Each car will be able to stay for one hour at the Abbey. No tours of the monastery are being given at this time.
The Monastery, Church, and Retreat Center continue to be closed to all visitors. We have taken this very difficult action on the advice of professionals in order to protect both the monks and our visitors from the COVID-19 virus. As we continue to navigate these very difficult times, please know that our friends, neighbors, benefactors and the community are in our daily prayers. If you have specific prayer requests, please send them to me at frjoetedesco@gmail.com and I will put your request on our prayer list.
While Mepkin now has only limited access to visitors, we want to support our friends and benefactors, many of whom find their horizons reduced to the confines of their living spaces, by providing some reflections and ideas to help you navigate these very trying times. The first is “Reflection on Contemplative Confinement for the Layperson.” We add reflections on a regular basis, so, please visit our web site often.
Fr. Joe Tedesco
Superior, Mepkin Abbey
