ST. BENEDICT — Mount Angel Abbey hosted a third annual Festival of Arts and Wine in June, raising $110,000 for the abbey library. More than 500 guests attended and learned about the library, one of only two facilities in the United States designed by respected Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto.

The library contains more than 200,000 volumes of books and a large collection of ancient Liturgy of the Hours books. The festival offered the opportunity for guests to see the abbey’s rare collection of illustrated manuscripts.

Twenty Oregon wineries and local restaurants presented offerings that guests proclaimed delicious. Christopher Armstrong Stevenson from The Iconography Institute, Portland, displayed icons and provided explanations of their meaning and symbolism.

Other exhibits included the abbey’s extensive and rare illustrated bird book collection. Over the more than 125 years of the abbey’s history, many monk birdwatchers contributed to the collection.

Paintings by William Henry Price (1864-1940), a self-taught California landscape painter, were available for viewing. The monastery has a large collection of Price’s paintings.

At an auction, one item drew the most interest: a dinner hosted by Benedictine Father Odo Recker, his newly ordained brother, Benedictine Father Ralph Recker, and abbey chef Hans d’Alessio.

All guests were provided with an opportunity to have a personalized nameplate in a new book for donations of $100 or more. Each year, the library purchases hundreds of mostly theological books for seminarians, monks, faculty and the general public who use the library’s resources.

A volunteer committee led by Les Fahey planned this year’s festival. A photo collection of the event is online at www.mountangelabbey.org/festival-arts-wine.htm.
Next year’s festival is in the planning stages for the end of June.