Holy Week Personal Retreat at the Virginia Mae Center
Holy Week Personal Retreat
April 17-20, 2025 at the Virginia Mae Center
Renew your faith and deepen your relationship with God during Holy Week through a residential personal retreat at the newly-renovated Virginia Mae Center, nestled within the picturesque grounds of Washington National Cathedral.
Your journey through Holy Week includes access to Cathedral worship services (including one Easter Sunday pass), sightseeing entry, and a self-directed Retreat Guide curated by Terri Lynn Simpson, MTS, DMin, Program Manager for the Cathedral Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage.
Explore a Lenten pilgrimage in images, scripture and poetry in the cloister and gardens; settle into a comfortable chair in the cozy library to read or journal; or savor the silence in the Virginia Mae Center’s chapel, available throughout your stay for prayer and reflection.
All faiths are welcome. Please note, this is an overnight personal retreat with a 3-night (April 17-20) stay. If you're interested in arriving earlier in the week, please reach out to tickets@cathedral.org.
Registration closes at 8 PM on Palm Sunday, April 13.
Accommodations
The Virginia Mae Center is located steps from the Cathedral and provides tranquil accommodations, featuring stunning gothic architecture elements, premium bedding, and en-suite marble bathrooms. Coffee, tea, and water is available throughout your stay. Continental breakfast is served each morning of your stay.
Cost
Fees vary by room type:
Standard Guest Room - One Twin Bed: $520 (3-night accommodations + retreat fee)
Standard Guest Room - One Full Bed: $580 (3-night accommodations + retreat fee)
Premium Guest Room - Two Full Beds: $730 (3-night accommodations + retreat fee)
FAQ
When is check-in and check-out?
Check-in is between 3 and 10 pm on April 17. Check-out is by 2pm on April 20.
Is parking available?
Parking is available in the Cathedral’s underground garage and is included with the retreat fee.
What materials and opportunities are included?
- Retreat Guide curated by Terri Lynn Simpson, MTS, DMin, Program Manager for the Cathedral Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage
- Access to on-demand, digital guided meditations with reflection questions
- A copy of the Hear Us, Good Lord: Lenten Meditations from Washington National Cathedral
- Opportunity to join Cathedral Holy Week worship offerings (see schedule), including one pass to Easter Sunday Festival Holy Eucharist
- Cathedral sightseeing entry during posted hours
- Access to Virginia Mae Center spaces such as the library, chapel, courtyard and more. Coffee, tea, and water plus continental breakfast each morning of your stay. (Note: quiet hours are daily from 8pm to 8am)
What is the Virginia Mae Center?
Centrally located within the tranquility of the Cathedral grounds, the Virginia Mae Center is a place of learning, pilgrimage and spiritual renewal, a safe venue for difficult conversations, and a healing space for all who enter its doors. Learn more about the Virginia Mae Center ->
April 17-20, 2025 at the Virginia Mae Center
Renew your faith and deepen your relationship with God during Holy Week through a residential personal retreat at the newly-renovated Virginia Mae Center, nestled within the picturesque grounds of Washington National Cathedral.
Your journey through Holy Week includes access to Cathedral worship services (including one Easter Sunday pass), sightseeing entry, and a self-directed Retreat Guide curated by Terri Lynn Simpson, MTS, DMin, Program Manager for the Cathedral Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage.
Explore a Lenten pilgrimage in images, scripture and poetry in the cloister and gardens; settle into a comfortable chair in the cozy library to read or journal; or savor the silence in the Virginia Mae Center’s chapel, available throughout your stay for prayer and reflection.
All faiths are welcome. Please note, this is an overnight personal retreat with a 3-night (April 17-20) stay. If you're interested in arriving earlier in the week, please reach out to tickets@cathedral.org.
Registration closes at 8 PM on Palm Sunday, April 13.
Accommodations
The Virginia Mae Center is located steps from the Cathedral and provides tranquil accommodations, featuring stunning gothic architecture elements, premium bedding, and en-suite marble bathrooms. Coffee, tea, and water is available throughout your stay. Continental breakfast is served each morning of your stay.
Cost
Fees vary by room type:
Standard Guest Room - One Twin Bed: $520 (3-night accommodations + retreat fee)
Standard Guest Room - One Full Bed: $580 (3-night accommodations + retreat fee)
Premium Guest Room - Two Full Beds: $730 (3-night accommodations + retreat fee)
FAQ
When is check-in and check-out?
Check-in is between 3 and 10 pm on April 17. Check-out is by 2pm on April 20.
Is parking available?
Parking is available in the Cathedral’s underground garage and is included with the retreat fee.
What materials and opportunities are included?
- Retreat Guide curated by Terri Lynn Simpson, MTS, DMin, Program Manager for the Cathedral Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage
- Access to on-demand, digital guided meditations with reflection questions
- A copy of the Hear Us, Good Lord: Lenten Meditations from Washington National Cathedral
- Opportunity to join Cathedral Holy Week worship offerings (see schedule), including one pass to Easter Sunday Festival Holy Eucharist
- Cathedral sightseeing entry during posted hours
- Access to Virginia Mae Center spaces such as the library, chapel, courtyard and more. Coffee, tea, and water plus continental breakfast each morning of your stay. (Note: quiet hours are daily from 8pm to 8am)
What is the Virginia Mae Center?
Centrally located within the tranquility of the Cathedral grounds, the Virginia Mae Center is a place of learning, pilgrimage and spiritual renewal, a safe venue for difficult conversations, and a healing space for all who enter its doors. Learn more about the Virginia Mae Center ->