A Virtual Retreat with the Statues of Mepkin Abbey

I find myself longing for quiet, longing for peace. I want to return to Mepkin Abbey, but I know this time of year it wouldn't be the Mepkin of my memory. In short, it's too hot to wander the Lowcountry grounds. So, I thought I'd make a virtual retreat, with my photos of statues as a sort of meditation object.

You may not be able to read the inscription on this statue below. It says, "Our Lady of Mepkin, pray for us."



There was a big storm somewhere around 2002 or so, and a huge tree fell over. Rather than pay the astronomical sum it would take to have the tree hauled away, a woodcarver came in to create this, the flight to Egypt.

As you wander around the grounds, you're likely to come across many statues. Some are big, like the one below.

Some are small, perched at the base of trees:

Some have that weathered look:

Mepkin Abbey has all sorts of statues, all sorts of gardens, all sorts of beautiful architectural features. Of course, there are similar sorts of things, closer to my current South Florida home. Perhaps I'll explore them in the time between now and my autumnal return to Mepkin.