Ancient Spanish Monastery Cloisters of the Church of St. Bernard de Clairvaux

              St. Bernard de Clairvaux is a parish church. Sunday Services are held at 7:30 a.m.,
9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Holy Communion & Healing Services are held at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday.
You are welcome to join us in our worship.
Gift Shop Hours
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Noon to 5:00 p.m. Sunday
The Church of St. Bernard de Clairvaux
Episcopal
Dixie Highway at 167th Street North Miami Beach, Florida 33160 Telephone (305) 945-1461
The Rev. Bruce E. Bailey, Rector
Open Weekdays & Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday: Noon to 5:00 p.m.
The Ancient Spanish Monastery Cloisters of the
Church of
St. Bernard de Clairvaux
Episcopal
Alphonso VII.
A life-size statue of King Alphonso VII, who is said to have started construction of the Monastery as a thank offering for his successful defeat of the Moors in a major battle. Considered a tall man, he measured 5’4”.
Statue of Mary. Carved by an unknown sculptor in Cannes, this statue was donated to the Church in the 1960’s.
French Altar. Carved in Cannes, the Altar and its arch were gifts from the Mother House in honor of the Abbot.
Mason Marks. Along the Cloister walls you will notice small carvings on the stones. Like the hallmarks of the silversmith, these are stonemason marks carved upon completion of each stone. Various signs such as trowels, stars, wheat stalks, crescents and crosses were used as identification.
Chapter House. This room had a variety of uses. Because the vaulted ceilings provided such good acoustics, the Monks often used it for choir practice. It was used for study; the Abbot sometimes used it to judge civil offenses, to teach and to hear confessions, and in some Monasteries it also served as a library.
Christ the King. This 12th Century statue is said to have been carved by one of the early monks. The | | small alcove in the wall was used for Holy Water.	|
Alphonso VIII. Grandson of Alphonso VII, young Alphonso was 15 years old when this statue was carved. The Monastery was completed during his reign.	{
Sealed Doorway. The doorway behind the statue led to the stable area and fields. A second sealed ^ doorway led to the kitchen, the only room in the Monastery that boasted a real floor. Since ^winters in that region averaged 32 degrees and cooking was done in a large open hearth, the warm \ floors made this a very popular meeting spot during the winter.	x N
The Chapel. Originally the Monastery refectory (dining hall), this building was used as a Museum until the Episcopal Church bought it. It is now used for Sunday and Wednesday Services. The small iron bell at the entrance is the original dining bell used to call the Monks to meals.
Flags. From the Royal families of Diaz, De Soto, Hernandez and Cortez.
Telescopic Windows. The two stained glass windows seen above the Altar are two of only three known telescopic windows in existence, today. Left: St. John’s vision of enthroned Christ with seven candlesticks. Right: St. John.
Paintings. Left of the Altar: A copy of Ribalto’s “Vision of St. Bernard,” dated around 1540. Right of the Altar: An oil-on-wood, executed in the Flemish style by an unknown painter. Dated around 1470. (The Garden of Gethsemane.)
Baptismal Font. Said to be around 800 years old, this font was a part of the original Monastery Church. It is used today for Parish Baptisms.
Marble Relief (Chapel Wall). This relief carving, depicting the “Visit of the Magi,” was sculpted out of white Italian marble. It is dated around the mid-1600’s. Sculptor is unknown.
Final Sealed Doorway. This doorway led to the dormitory, where the Monks slept on wooden pallets. Cloister Patio Well. Dated sometime in the 2nd Century, the well is made of Roman granite. Easter I Services are held in the patio.
The Church of St. Bernard de Clairvaux maintains the Spanish Monastery Cloisters in trust. Thousands of visitors from all over the world tour these grounds each year. We hope you’ve found your visit rewarding.
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