2021 Cambridge Guide

Cambridge profiles
A monastery in our midst
On the gentle slope of
Two-Top Mountain outside
of Cambridge, are the
churches and monks’ monastery
of New Skete,
Emmaus Guest House and
the New Skete dog kennels,
with the nuns’ monastery
and cheesecake bakery
nearby.
Since 1966, New Skete
has been a peaceful presence
in southern
Washington County. The
Eastern Orthodox monks
and nuns of New Skete
strive to worship authentically
and intensely and
share with the broader
community their efforts to
translate the essentials of
early Christian monasticism
into American culture.
In 1967 the monks
cleared the steep and rocky
land on the mountain to
begin building their monastery.
Today, in addition to
the monks’ private living
quarters, there are classrooms,
a gift shop, two
guest rooms and two parlors.
In 1983 the community
of the Companions of New
Skete, a fellowship of lay
people who seek to be formally
connected with the
New Skete communities to
deepen their spiritual lives,
built Emmaus House on
the monks’ land, and it now
serves as the monks’ main
guest house.
The monks’ love for
their first German
Shepherd dog Kyr led them
to begin breeding, raising
and socializing these beautiful
animals. Today, the
New Skete is located outside of Cambridge.
Nuns of New Skete Cheesecake is available for purchase at the
nun’s monastery.
monks of New Skete dedicate
themselves to providing
the best possible companion
dogs. Based on their
experience and expertise,
the monks have written
extensively on the relationship
of dogs and people.
They also offer a course of
dog training that includes
standard AKC obedience
and incorporates the values
of the monastic environment.
The nuns of New Skete
arrived in 1969 and built
their monastery about four
miles west of the monks on
Ashgrove Road. Our Lady
of the Sign Monastery
includes a kitchen, bedrooms,
dining area, community
rooms, a small chapel
for daily matins and the
hours, an art studio, guest
areas, library, workshops
and bakery, along with a
tiny gift shop for the sale of
the nuns’ famous cheesecakes,
seasonal brandied
fruitcakes and other treats.
Three sisters and four
employees typically bake
twice a week following a
highly efficient two-day
process. They use 30-pound
blocks of cream cheese and
an amazing mixer that tips
to pour the batter, saving
the nuns from heavy lifting.
New Skete has two
churches at the monks’
monastery. The first is dedicated
to the
Transfiguration of Christ.
This small temple was
designed and built by the
monks in 1969. It has a
rough-hewn exterior
topped by eight small but
distinctive gold cupolas, or
“onion” domes. The floor is
made of green slate from
nearby quarries, and the
walls and pillars are covered
with cedar and ash
wood.
As New Skete has
grown, it became necessary
to build a larger church to
accommodate the monastic
communities, the local
parishioners and the growing
number of retreatants
and visitors. The new
building, dedicated to Holy
Wisdom, was built in 1983
by the monks and local carpenters.
Because of COVID-19,
services at New Skete are
closed to the public until
further notice. Homilies
are available at www.newskete.org/worship.
The monks’ guesthouse
and nun’s guestroom are
closed until further notice,
and visitors are not allowed
on the grounds or in the
churches, kennels and gift
shop at this time.
Cheesecakes and cheese
spreads are available in the
freezer in the foyer of the
nun’s monastery from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. every day,
payment by cash or check
only. The nuns’ online gift
shop remains open, and
orders are being shipped as
usual. Visit https://newskete.goldbelly.com/
The monks’ monastery
is located at 273 New Skete
Rd., Cambridge, New York.
The nuns’ monastery is at
345 Ashgrove Rd., also in
Cambridge.
For more information on
New Skete, visit www.newskete.org.
26 • NYVT Media • Cambridge Valley Community Guide • 2021 www.nyvtmedia.com