"All guests are to be received as Christ ... "
The monastery is a house of the Order of the Holy Cross – an Anglican Benedictine community
of men. Individuals and groups may come for a retreat throughout the year. There is a
reasonable charge for staying with us, but no one has ever been turned away for the lack
of ability to pay.
Three guest houses sit on about 50 hectares of hillside. Paths for walking are cleared and you
can meander through the beauty of the Eastern Cape. Bird life is varied and abounding.
The monks pray the Divine Office five times a day, to which the public is invited. The Eucharist
is celebrated with the Divine Office of Lauds at 8:00 AM on weekdays. On Sunday, the
community gathers for the Eucharist at nine o’clock.
THE GUESTHOUSE
Benedictine monasteries are never without guests,
and the guesthouse at Mariya uMama weThemba
Monastery continues a Benedictine tradition
centuries old of offering hospitality to both
individuals and groups. We can sleep 23 people in
15 rooms contained in three different guesthouse
buildings. We invite individuals and groups of all
faiths to come for retreat, or bed and breakfast
or self-catering.
