Itineraries Minnesota - Summer 2008 - (Page 27)

Viking Woods, Lakes & Arrowhead Shores When The “Saints” Go Marching In This sample itinerary is best anytime of the year. You’ll find it at coordinates H-13 on the 2008 Annual Group Travel Map distributed in the Fall 2007 issue of Itineraries Minnesota Magazine. What do Anthony, Augusta, Joseph, Martin, Rosa, Stephen, and Cloud have in common? They all have the word “Saint” in front of it and they are all cities located in Stearns County Minnesota. 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Start the day with a tour of Saint John’s Abbey at dominant structure of Saint John’s University. Their Benedictine sisters reside at St. Benedict’s Monastery, which is a community of over 300 women located in St. Joseph, just a few miles down the road. It’s the largest Benedictine monastery in the world and has many things to offer on a tour. The Art and Heritage Place opened in the fall of 2000 to share the rich history and art of the Sisters. This beautiful building is home to Whitby Gift Shop and Gallery, the Haehn Museum and Exhibit Hall. 12 – 1:30 pm Break for lunch in the new Gorecki Dining and Conference Center on the campus of the College of St. Benedict. Also open to the public for casual dining and events. Featuring seven separate food stations offering a global menu to suit both contemporary and conventional tastes. (Don’t miss the dessert bar). 1:30 – 2:30 pm Following lunch head to Cold Spring to see the Assumption Chapel, a tiny chapel nestled among the towering trees, known by the locals as the Grasshopper Chapel. Construction of the chapel was the idea of Reverend Leo Winter O.S.B. after the invasion of the Rocky Mountain grasshoppers destroyed all crops in Stearns County. The settlers vowed if the Blessed Virgin would rid them of the grasshoppers, they would build a chapel and offer prayers to her for the next 15 years. The next day the grasshoppers were gone! The original chapel was built in the spring of 1876, but was later destroyed by a tornado and a new chapel was built using granite. 2:30 – 4:00 pm Load the bus and head for the St. Mary’s Cathedral for a discussion with “Father Francis Xavier Pierz” (A living historian). A must see on the tour is The Saint Cloud Shrine, one of the most beautiful shrines in the country with its exquisite carvings. The statue of Saint Cloud is a replica of the oldest known statue of Saint Cloud - carved in about the 17th century. Also the hand holding the chalice and the chalice itself are from the original 8th century! If you would like to make this an overnight trip the AmericInn in St. Cloud would gladly accommodate you. Please call 320-253-6337. For more information on this sample itinerary contact your tour operator or Jean Robbins, St. Cloud Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, 800-264-2940, ext129. St. John’s University, located in Collegeville. Today, the Abbey and the bell banner are the w w w. i t i n e r a r i e s m i n n e s o t a . c o m I T I N E R A R I E S M I N N E S O TA S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 27 http://www.granitecountry.com http://www.americinn.com http://www.sbm.osb.org http://www.itinerariesminnesota.com

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Itineraries Minnesota - Summer 2008

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