Seeing Shrine Mont – Virginia’s Holy Hike at the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration
Seeing Shrine Mont – Virginia’s Holy Hike at the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration
Dear Henry,
The other day, I spotted something intriguing on Google Maps — a place called the Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration. One review even claimed it was “the tallest cathedral in the world,” which seemed like a challenge, so Fish and I decided to drive the two and a half hours to Orkney Springs, Virginia, to see it for ourselves.
The Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration sits nestled in the foothills of the Great North Mountain. Built in 1925, it’s an open-air cathedral made of local stone, each rock hand-carried up the mountain by residents and their horses. The space is rustic, reverent, and beautiful — framed by trees, anchored by a bell tower, and accompanied by the sound of water from a nearby spring-fed pond. While the “tallest in the world” description was a bit of an exaggeration, its spiritual height was undeniable.
We wandered through the grounds and found a prayer labyrinth, quiet stone paths, and a sign marking the start of the Stations of the Cross Trail. The sign said the trail was only three-quarters of a mile. That sounded easy enough — and even though we didn’t bring water, we thought we’d be fine.
We were wrong.
The hike was steep, rocky, and utterly exhausting. It was mid-afternoon, nearly 85 degrees, and by the third station we were already winded. Which, when you think about it, feels rather fitting. The Stations of the Cross is a meditation on the walk Jesus took to Calvary — the Via Dolorosa, or “Way of Sorrow.” Every other time I’ve prayed the stations, it’s been in air-conditioned churches or along level garden paths. Shrine Mont’s version demanded sweat, breath, and perseverance. As we climbed, I kept thinking about how physically painful that original walk must have been.
“May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness.” – Psalm 72:3
When we finally reached the top and saw the valley stretching out below, the trail ended at a tall white cross — simple, not a crucifix. It struck me as curious, especially after noticing earlier that the cathedral itself had no statues of the Virgin or saints, and no icons. I’d assumed the outdoor setting made upkeep difficult.
On the way down (which was much faster), we stopped to wash our faces in the cold water bubbling from one of the mountain springs. That’s when we noticed a wooden sign reading, “Welcome to Shrine Mont, Retreat Center for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.”
Suddenly, everything made sense. The absence of statuary and iconography wasn’t an oversight — it reflected Episcopal tradition, which tends to favor simplicity and symbolism over imagery.
Still, I have to hand it to them — the Episcopalians don’t play around with their Via Dolorosa. That was, by far, the most physically demanding meditation I’ve ever done.
xoxo,
a.d. elliott
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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia.
In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com
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