Hermitage
Hermitage
“And when God gave me brothers, no one showed me what I should do, but the Most Highrevealed to me that I should live according to the form of the holy Gospel”.
(from the Testament of St. Francis)
The Hermitage of Gethsemane provides possibility for private prayers in a solitaryretreat, following Jesus’ example, who on the night in the Gethsemane Garden, right here,stayed all alone in private solitude with the Father.Based on the comprehension of this holy Place, we strongly encourage every pilgrimthat visits the Garden to have the greatest respect and understanding for the Hermitage,ensuring an atmosphere of silence and peace, so that everyone can encounter our Lord, whowants to talk to his children.
Please note that the Hermitage was exclusively put together andestablished with the intention of providing a solitary retreat for private prayers and solitude.It was never intended to be a tourist resort or attraction, and does not provideaccommodation for tourists visiting the Holy Land.The Hermitage welcomes everyone: men, women, priests, religious and lay persons,respecting each member’s vocation and spiritual path.
We do not have a communal kitchen for our guests, but we make available privateretreats providing room and cooking facilities. Please note that retreat ants can convenientlybuy food and beverages downtown. All guests are required to maintain a contemplativereserved inward and outward disposition to favour prayer, concentration and meditation. Pilgrims are also asked not to receive or accommodate guests in theirprivate retreats.
We have 9 private retreats available. We also welcome small groups up to 15 people.
For information and reservations we ask you to usethis e-mail address: romitaggio@custodia.org
Purpose of the Place
Of all the Holy Places that one can visit only a few have the peculiarity of offering pilgrims a break, silence and prayer. Among these ones the most striking, charming and unique one is Gethsemane: a Place of Gospel memory.
''Stay'' with the Lord
Here our Lord invited his disciples to remain with Him, closely at His side, and pray: “Remain here, and stay awake with me (…) stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial!” (Mt 26,38.41).
Our Hermitage was established with the specific purpose of staying within the boundaries of love that the Lord revealed during his lifetime and above all in his Passion.
