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Monasterio de Santa María de El Paular

RascafríaSpain Founded in 1954

Benedictines Monks
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The Monasterio de Santa María de El Paular, in Rascafría, in the Community of Madrid (Spain), has been home since 1954 to a community of Benedictine monks of the Subiaco-Montecassino Congregation. The former charterhouse, whose foundation stone was laid in 1390 by King John I of Castile, had stood empty since the disentailment of 1835. Monks from Valvanera Abbey settled there on March 20, 1954.

The community welcomes guests in monastic accommodation reserved for men, with rooms within the enclosure and mandatory participation in Lauds, Sext, and Vespers. A monastic spirituality center also hosts groups. The monastery offers guided visits.