Instagram Story Save

☀️🏊‍♂️ Splash into summer — the Shrine Mont pool is opening this weekend for our guests!

Recently resurfaced as part of our Living Stones campaign, the pool is renewed and ready for a season of rest, recreation, and mountain views. This work helps preserve and care for our shared mountain home for generations to come.

Pack your sunscreen, grab your towel, and get ready to enjoy the sunshine poolside! 💦

Just a daily reminder: be kind — to others, to yourself, and to the world around you. 💛

#BeKind #KindnessMatters #DailyReminder #ShrineMontMoments

"I was first introduced to Shrine Mont when I was 13 years old. I was a part of my church's EYC (Episcopal Young Churchmen) and we came to Shrine Mont for a weekend retreat. That weekend really touched me and from then on, I was hooked. Over the course of three summers in my late teens and early 20's, I worked as a dishwasher. This was my first real job. Those summers were easily some of the best times in my life.

Over the years I have stayed connected to Shrine Mont. I formed a close friendship with Kevin Moomaw and his family during the summers I worked there. And I continue to consider them part of my family. But also, there was a deep connection for me spiritually. If life got in the way and it was a long time between visits to Shrine Mont, I would have an empty feeling. I affectionately called Shrine Mont my "Rosebud."

I married, had a son, and worked as a school teacher for 30 years in Fairfax County. As I approached retirement, my wife and I bought a house at nearby Bryce Resort. We would come up on weekends and short stints until we finally decided to leave Northern Virginia and move to Bryce full time. We moved to Bryce in April of 2023 and could not be happier. I currently work part time in the kitchen at Tucker when needed as a dishwasher. My wife also works for Shrine Mont in the bookstore. She too has developed the deep connection to the place. My love for Shrine Mont started 46 years ago and grows each day. So the first job in my life was as a dish washer at Shrine Mont and it might very well be my last job.

I was flattered to be asked to be a part of this committee. I would like to provide some useful contributions so we can do what is necessary for Shrine Mont to thrive another 100 years. Hopefully people we be exposed to this wonderful, spiritual place and have it touch their lives like it has touched mine. Happy 100th Shrine Mont!"

- John "Rocky" Duffy

These are just a few of the many Shrine Mont stories. Help ensure there are many more to come—support the Living Stones Campaign today: https://f.mtr.cool/kqkhjwwcda

#livingstonescampaign #shrinemont #donatetoday #visitvirginia

📚 Calling all readers! We’ve got TONS of antique books just waiting for you to discover. Grab one, find a cozy spot on a porch, or settle in around the grounds, and let yourself get lost in a good story. 🌿✨

#ShrineMont #AntiqueBooks #ReadingNook #BookLoversParadise #PorchReads #LiteraryEscape #visitvirginia #getaway #retreat #weekendretreat #shenandoahvalley #virginia #blueridgemountains #natureretreat #familyvacation #weekendgetaway #reconnect #allinclusive #retreatcenter #virginiaisforlovers #mountain

One week from today…the pool opens! Just one more reason to book your stay at Shrine Mont—another refreshing amenity for our guests to enjoy all summer long!

Who’s ready to dive in? 💦☀️🏊‍♀️

#visitvirginia #getaway #retreat #weekendretreat #shenandoahvalley #virginia #blueridgemountains #natureretreat #familyvacation #weekendgetaway #reconnectwithnature #shrine #summervacation #allinclusive #vacation #summer #relax #peaceful #mountainretreat #pool

"There is a keystone in the rough-hewn rock arch above the Cathedral Shrine’s altar. For me, it represents how foundational, how essential, Shrine Mont has been for hundreds of us who travel this faith journey together.

“It has been my experience to note that folks who rest or worship or sing or walk in this mountain Place Apart … that those folks return to the valleys of their lives refreshed, yes, but also filled with a new gratitude for God the Creator, God the companion and redeemer, and God the animator who enlivens and binds us all together.”

-Roger Bowen,

Help preserve and strengthen Shrine Mont for the next 100 years. Join the Living Stones Campaign with a gift today: https://f.mtr.cool/bsuosnogss

#shrinemont #shenandoahvalley #donate #livingstonescampaign

Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, grandmothers, mother figures, and nurturers of every kind. 💐
Today we celebrate your love, strength, and the quiet ways you make the world more beautiful — just like a walk through Shrine Mont in spring. 🌿💕

#MothersDay #ShrineMontLove #CelebrateMoms #GratitudeAndGrace #SpringAtShrineMont #visitvirginia #getaway #retreat #weekendretreat #virginia #shenandoahvalley

No cooking, no dishes, just good food and good company. 🥞🍽️

Three meals a day are included in your stay at Shrine Mont — and yes, seconds are encouraged. 😋

#visitvirginia #getaway #retreat #weekendretreat #shenandoahvalley #virginia #familyvacation #weekendgetaway #summervacation #summer #relax #mountainretreat #mealtime #

No cooking, no dishes, just good food and good company. 🥞🍽️

Three meals a day are included in your stay at Shrine Mont — and yes, seconds are encouraged. 😋

#visitvirginia #getaway #retreat #weekendretreat #shenandoahvalley #virginia #familyvacation #weekendgetaway #summervacation #summer #relax #mountainretreat #mealtime #

No cooking, no dishes, just good food and good company. 🥞🍽️

Three meals a day are included in your stay at Shrine Mont — and yes, seconds are encouraged. 😋

#visitvirginia #getaway #retreat #weekendretreat #shenandoahvalley #virginia #familyvacation #weekendgetaway #summervacation #summer #relax #mountainretreat #mealtime #

No cooking, no dishes, just good food and good company. 🥞🍽️

Three meals a day are included in your stay at Shrine Mont — and yes, seconds are encouraged. 😋

#visitvirginia #getaway #retreat #weekendretreat #shenandoahvalley #virginia #familyvacation #weekendgetaway #summervacation #summer #relax #mountainretreat #mealtime #

For over 100 years, the The Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration has stood as the heart of Shrine Mont — a sacred open-air cathedral built stone by stone by the hands of local people and pulled from the very mountain that surrounds it. Since its consecration in 1925, thousands have gathered here for worship, reflection, and community.

Today, through our Living Stones Campaign, you can help preserve this holy place for generations to come. Your gift supports the ongoing care, restoration, and future of this historic sanctuary and the mission it continues to serve.

Become part of the story. Become a Living Stone.

Donate today with link in our bio!

#shrinemont #cathedralshrine #cathedralshrine100 #shenandoahvalley #shrine

"My family has been coming to Shrine Mont for the same week in August, with the same group of friends and relations, since I was seven, in 1973. Back then, the candy store was in the post office, the tennis courts were in the woods, and every day we nearly died in the frigid waters of the ancient pool.

Over the years, some things have changed. Our reunion group has evolved with the addition of husbands, wives, children, and new friends, and with the loss of parents and grandparents. But mostly, Shrine Mont is the same. The bell always rings, the porch doors slap, sacred rituals repeat: North Mountain, Happy Valley, Seven Springs, the Cross, fried chicken, butt buns, meatloaf. We come back year after year for the natural beauty, the peaceful rhythm, and above all, for each other. For me, there’s no place quite like it.

One hundred years after the consecration of the shrine, and as my daughter Hattie prepares to marry Andrew in that splendid and humble cathedral three days after its reconsecration, I am totally committed to making sure that Shrine Mont thrives for generations to come. It is an honor and a joy to serve as co-chair of the centennial capital campaign with Helen and David."

- Kathleen Hobson

Support the Living Stones Campaign and help ensure Shrine Mont continues to be a place apart for generations to come. Give today at https://f.mtr.cool/vbbspxvcqn

#shrinemont #livingstonescampaign #donate #testimony #visitvirginia

Get ready to hit the court and have some fun! 🎾

Join us at Shrine Mont from May 15–17 for a pickleball workshop perfect for beginners and those new to the game. You’ll learn the basics—from rules and drills to simple strategies—all while getting plenty of time to play and build confidence.

Off the court, enjoy great food, meaningful fellowship, and a relaxing mountain getaway. We’ll kick things off Friday afternoon with a Wine & Cheese Social Hour—the perfect way to meet new friends and ease into the weekend.

Come for the pickleball, stay for the experience.

Sign up now link in bio!

#shrinemont #thingstodo #pickleballtime #pickleballweekend #mayeventsnearme #virginia

We are officially open for our 2026 season! Book your stay today!

📲 Link in bio

#shrinemont #visitvirginia #shenandoahvalley #getaway #virginia