Assumption Abbey, Trappist monastery in Ava, Missouri, United States.
Assumption Abbey is a Trappist monastery in Ava, Missouri, featuring a chapel, guest quarters, and farm buildings spread across wooded grounds in the Ozarks. The monastery operates as a working religious community centered on prayer and agricultural pursuits.
The monastery was established in 1950 when monks from New Melleray Abbey in Iowa founded this religious community. Ownership passed to Vietnamese Cistercian monks in 2019, who continued the monastic mission and practices.
The monks follow Trappist traditions with daily prayers, manual work, and periods of silence that structure their shared life together. This way of living shapes the rhythm of each day within this religious community nestled in the Ozarks.
Guests can stay at the monastery's visitor accommodations and take part in the daily prayer schedule with the community. Plan to move slowly and respect the quiet atmosphere, as silence is central to the monastic routine.
The monastery became known for handmade fruitcakes produced and shipped by the monks as a way to support the community. This craft tradition continues under the Vietnamese leadership that took over in 2019.
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