Mount St. Benedict:
The Abbey of Our Lady of Exile, Mount St. Benedict is one of Trinidad’s more famous tourist attractions.
Nestled six hundred feet above sea-level in the hills of lush flora and fauna, it provides spiritual guidance to many.
The Abbey of Mount St Benedict celebrated its one hundredth anniversary in October 2012.
Into this microcosm came the monks from the ancient abbey of São Bento in Bahia, Brazil, in the year 1912.
They were fleeing religious persecution. On their arrival at Tunapuna, they dedicated the land to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of “Our Lady of Exile”, as the account from the Gospel of Matthew reminded them of their own flight.
Under the astute leadership of Dom Mayeul de Caigny and Dom Hugh van der Sanden, the monastery of Mount St Benedict flourished and soon became part of the spiritual landscape of Trinidad and the wider Caribbean.
Inspired by the open spirituality of the Rule of St Benedict, the monks opened the ears of their hearts and their monastery to the diverse peoples inhabiting these lands. Read More
The Abbey of Our Lady of Exile, Mount St Benedict, Trinidad, is the home of the Benedictine monks who live and work in Trinidad and Tobago.
It is a place where people of all faiths and of no faith are welcome, where the Way of St Benedict is lived and offered to all those who visit.
Mt. Tabor:
Once a vibrant location that accommodated young monks studying theology, and others seeking seclusion from the influx of daily visitors.
By 1922 Mt. Tabor contained fifteen rooms, a chapel, a large hall and two towers 40 feet high
However, the difficulty to climb the high mountain and bring supplies caused the property to be abandoned.
Today all that is left of this majestic structure is some concrete ruins of the Tapia Castle now destroyed by the rugged elements of nature.
Over the years, the hilltops that surround Mt. St Benedict were venerable to bush fires and to preserve the forest the forestry division replanted pine trees.
The uphill walk to the Pines where Mt Tabor is situated will take 40 minutes.
The grandeur of the pine trees, peaceful atmosphere and cool breeze blowing across the mountain, creates a relaxing sensation.
There are breath-taking views of the surrounding Maracas St. Joseph country-side, the East–West Corridor and the Central Plains.
