Notre-Dame de Sion, Roman Catholic monastery in Ein Kerem, Israel
Notre-Dame de Sion monastery sits on the outskirts of Jerusalem with stone buildings arranged around gardens of native plants and mature trees. The complex includes a chapel, residential quarters, and guesthouses, all set within landscaped grounds with fruit-bearing trees.
Founded in 1860 by Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne, a French Jewish convert to Catholicism, the monastery became home to the Congregation of Notre-Dame de Sion. This religious order grew out of a movement dedicated to supporting and protecting Jewish communities.
The chapel here welcomes people from different religions to take part in spiritual gatherings and moments of quiet reflection. Visitors notice how locals and pilgrims come to pray and meditate within its walls.
The guesthouse offers rooms with air conditioning, heating, private bathrooms, and wireless internet for those staying overnight. Modern comforts make it convenient for extended visits or pilgrimages to the site.
The monastery maintains a garden with cedars of Lebanon over 150 years old that provide shade and connect visitors to the site's deep history. Fruit trees on the grounds grow pomegranates, citrus, grapes, and figs that appear on the tables of residents and guests.
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