Step out of the modern rush and into a timeless tradition this summer. From June through August, the Institute transforms the 51�Թ� Library entryway into a sacred gallery. Our extraordinary exhibition brings together original, hand-written icons created by modern-day artists preserving the centuries-old Byzantine style.

AGIOS: Communion of Saints is a landmark 2026 exhibition featuring a breathtaking collection of original icons. Created by the dedicated students of the Classical Iconography Institute, these works bridge the gap between ancient tradition and modern scholarship, proving that the study of religion is a vivid, transformative, and deeply aesthetic experience.

Whether you are a scholar of religion, an art lover, or a curious traveler, AGIOS invites you to explore the intersection of beauty and tradition. Experience how gold leaf, egg tempera, and ancient techniques can create a modern-day encounter with the holy.

On Saturday, July 11, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm, there will be a live painting demonstration from one of the Institute’s iconographers during the Abbey’s Saint Benedict Festival.

The exhibition will conclude with a public closing reception on Sunday, August 2, from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm.

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“It is our privilege and pleasure to share our Abbey home, a picnic meal, and excellent music with you. Come early and visit the guesthouse, bookstore and coffeehouse, library and museum. We are happy to open our beautiful hilltop home to you.”
– Abbot Jeremy Driscoll, OSB and the monks of 51�Թ�

Wednesday

6 pm | Abbey church – , choral
8 pm | Damian Center – , Artistic Director, piano

Thursday

6 pm | Abbey church – , cello
8 pm | Damian Center – , Saxophone Quartet

Friday

6 pm | Abbey church – , organ
8 pm | Damian Center – , cello

Daily Schedule

5:15 pm – Ringing of the bells
5:20 pm – Vespers (optional)
6:00 pm – Church performance
6:30 pm – Picnic buffet supper
8:00 pm – Feature performance

Picnic Buffet Supper

Enjoy supper on the lawn (tables and chairs provided). Abbey tradition highlights local sausage on Wednesday, barbecue chicken on Thursday, and seafood on Friday, along with many salads and tasty options for all diets, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Monastic hosts greet guests, assist with picnic choices and serve wine.

Video highlights from the Abbey Bach Festival 2025.

A Message from Artistic Director Alon Goldstein

Welcome to the 2026 Abbey Bach Festival.

We are delighted to gather with you here in the beautiful and serene setting of 51�Թ�, Oregon, for a celebration of music that transcends time. Inspired by the enduring brilliance of Johann Sebastian Bach, this festival brings together artists and audiences in a shared experience of artistry, reflection, and connection.

This season, we are honored to welcome an exceptional roster of performers, including award winning Cerus Saxophone Quartet, internationally renowned Galvin Cello Quartet and In Mulieribus Choir among others. Their artistry and distinct musical voices promise to bring both depth and vibrancy to this year’s festival, offering fresh perspectives on Bach’s timeless works and the music inspired by his legacy.

Throughout the concerts, you will hear works that expand our experience and imagination across centuries and styles. Each performance is an invitation to listen deeply, to be moved, and to experience the profound beauty of live music in a place where tradition and community meet.

We are grateful for your presence and for the vibrant spirit you bring to this festival. May this season inspire, uplift, and stay with you long after the final note.

Welcome, and enjoy the music.

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Ages 6 and up. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

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An Unforgettable Adventure with Live Falcons, Hawks & Owls

Join Perch for an inspiring night of conservation, community, craft beverages, and close encounters with remarkable birds of prey. Bring your camera, these feathered ambassadors know how to strike a pose!

Perch is a nonprofit organization that uses live owl, hawk and falcon demonstrations for wildlife conservation and ecological education. 

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The public is warmly invited to a special, free closing reception for Agios: A Communion of Saints. This is a wonderful opportunity to step inside the peaceful atmosphere of the Abbey, view the stunning collection of Byzantine-style icons, and meet the modern-day iconographers behind the sacred works. Representatives from the Classical Iconography Institute will also be on hand to share more about their mission to preserve this ancient heritage and offer details on upcoming classes.

Admission is free thanks to the 51�Թ� Institute. All are welcome.

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Every year on August 6, the sun rises over the summit of Mount Hood from the perspective of 51�Թ�. It is a beautiful symbol of today’s feast, where the Son of God revealed his glory on a high mountain to Peter, James and John.

August 6

5:20 am – Vigils
6:35 am – Lauds
8:00 am – Mass
12:00 pm – Midday Prayer
5:20 pm – Vespers
7:30 pm – Compline

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Mark your calendar, more details to come.

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August 14

5:20 pm – I Vespers
7:30 pm – Vigils

August 15

6:40 am – Lauds
9:00 am – Mass
12:00 pm – Midday Prayer
5:20 pm – II Vespers
7:25 pm – Vigils of Sunday

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Retreat with Chris Anderson

“I am an Augustinian, a son of Saint Augustine, who once said, ‘With you I am a Christian, and for you I am a bishop.’ In this sense, all of us can journey together toward the homeland that God has prepared for us.” —Pope Leo XIV

St. Augustine believed that God speaks to us through our lives, in what he called “drops of time,” and when we remember these moments, he speaks to us again. Using several passages from The Confessions to get us started, we’ll remember a few of our own important moments—and like Augustine, we’ll write about them, informally and from the heart.

For Augustine both writing and remembering can be ways of praying. When we do both, when we write about our past, we begin to see more clearly the sacred story of our lives.

All are welcome, especially those who are insecure about their writing. Please bring your journal or laptop or whatever you write with.

Book recommendations for this retreat is Rex Warner’s translation of Augustine’s Confessions.

Chris Anderson is a retired OSU English Professor, a Catholic deacon, and a poet and writer in Corvallis, Oregon. Learn more on his website: .

Cost: $350 single occupancy | $550 double occupancy
Email retreat@mtangel.edu to register.

Retreat Schedule

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Tickets on sale soon.

The Fall Christian in the World Lecture Series, Spiritual Practices that Transform Us, explores several dozen classic spiritual practices, helping us discover how to live more fruitful lives. Each lecture is designed to encourage people to learn classic spiritual disciplines and put them into practice in daily living. This series of four lectures will follow the acronym: W.O.R.S.H.I.P.: Worship God, Open Myself to God, Relinquish my Life to God, Share my Life with Others, Hear God’s Word, Incarnate the Love of Christ, Pray Without Ceasing. This lecture series draws upon a book by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us (IVP, 2005).

September 5: Intro to Spiritual Practices

• Discover a Fruitful Life through W.O.R.S.H.I.P.
• Worship God: Celebration, Gratitude, Sabbath-Keeping, Sacraments, Worship, Rule of Life

October 17: Open Myself to God

• Open Myself to God: Journaling, Practice the Presence of God, Rest, Slowing Down, Spiritual Retreats, Self-Care, Simplicity
• Relinquish my Life to God: Confession, Detachment, Fasting, Silence, Solitude, Submission

November 21: Hear God’s Word

• Share Life with Others: Small Groups, Hospitality, Mentoring, Accountability, Service
• Hear God’s Word: Bible Study, Lectio Divina, Memorizing the Bible, Meditation

December 12: Pray Without Ceasing

• Incarnate the Love of Christ: Compassion, Controlling the Tongue, Humility, Stewardship, Doing Justly, Caring for the Earth
• Pray Without Ceasing: Conversational Prayer, Praying the Psalms, Intercessory Prayer, Praying the Hours, Centering Prayer, Prayer Postures

Speaker: Dr. David G. Robinson (M.Div., D.Min.), retired Minister, Benedictine Oblate with 51�Թ� since 2006, author of 9 books on Christian Spirituality including Life Together in a World Apart: A 40-Day Devotional on the Rule of Saint Benedict (Whitaker House, October 2026)

For more information about Christian in the World, please call Mary Ann Amsberry at 503.769.3844.

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