Clairvaux in Vina, California was put in place on Wednesday. The stone was lifted onto the scaffolding where the stonemasons placed it inside the beautiful trans-vaulted ceiling.
Work on the medieval Spanish monastery chapter house began in 2003 after the stones were rescued from
Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, where they had languished for nearly six decades. The stones were originally carved out of the Guadalajara country side during the construction of the Santa Maria de Ovila monastery during the 12th century. In 1931 the monastery was purchased by William Randolph Hearst, who planned to use the stones to rebuild his vacation villa near Mount Shasta, which had been destroyed by fire.
“It has been a long journey for these stones that began in 1994 when the stones arrived on pallets from Golden Gate Park," said Father Paul Mark Schwan, the abbot of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. “To see the last of the stones being placed today is a very emotional moment for those of us who have watched and been involved in the reconstruction of the chapter house. Every step of this journey has been one of faith,” he added.
More work remains before the chapter house will be open free of charge to the public, including the
flooring, atrium and landscaping. Tours of the unfinished chapter house and monastery will continue.