In 1848, monks from Melleray Abbey in France founded Gethsemani in the rolling hills of Kentucky, south of Louisville near Bardstown.

Set in the rolling hills of central Kentucky, Gethsemani Abbey was the monastic home of Thomas Merton.

Communing with the Lord requires a measure of solitude, a stillness and an emptiness, a waiting on and attending to the Spirit. Silence fosters and preserves the climate of prayer and is thus a fundamental part of the Gethsemani retreat experience.

Abbey retreats are silent, unstructured and undirected. Private consultation with one of the monks can be arranged, if desired. Guests are welcome to participate in the Eucharist and hours of prayer.