In the Abbey at St. Meinrad’s, Indiana.

A stained glass window depicting the Tree and Adam and Eve becoming the wood that was the cross that Jesus was crucified on.

I was fascinated by the bells – they rang every 15 minutes.  At the hour they went on for a long time and I made a point of going to find them.  I’d hoped to see monks pulling the cords.  Alas, that is all done by a machine.

Here are pictures of the hanging cross.  It is suspended over the altar.

Here is the black Madonna. They’ve dressed her like a queen and put a necklace on her.  The monks process as part of the service and stand and chant facing her. From their website, this is the “Shrine of Our Lady of Einsiedeln. The Black Madonna statue was a gift from Saint Meinrad’s mother abbey, Maria Einsiedeln in Switzerland, in 1954.”

The wall sconces.

The anointing oil container, which is near the reliquary.  Three different oils?   Perhaps for baptism, for healing, and for consecrating a person being ordained.

Here are further pictures of the outside of the Abbey.