The Song of Songs & the Contemplative Tradition | Annual Silent Retreat 2026
Thu, Jun 18
|In-person at The Ayres Center
Join us for our 2026 Annual Silent Retreat led by Hannah Matis, PhD
Time & Location
Jun 18, 2026, 2:00 PM CDT – Jun 21, 2026, 10:00 AM CDT
In-person at The Ayres Center, 770 St Marys Ln, Sewanee, TN 37375, USA
About The Event
Dr. Hannah Matis will lead a series of reflections on why the Song of Songs has been and continues to be such a generative text for Christian spirituality generally, and for the monastic a
nd contemplative tradition in particular. Over the course of the day we will look at the different readings of the Song within the contemplative tradition and some of its most famous interpreters, exploring what the Song of Songs can continue to mean for us today.
Hannah W. Matis, PhD, is associate professor of church history at the School of Theology at the University of the South at Sewanee and the associate dean for academic affairs at the seminary. She is the author of two books, The Song of Songs in the Early Middle Ages and A History of Women in Christianity to 1600.
*View the retreat schedule:
Tickets
Anna House
Stay on-site in the Anna House - includes A/C & a private bathroom - ticket price includes room, board, & retreat.
From $603.50 to $952.00
$603.50
+$15.09 ticket service fee
$952.00
+$23.80 ticket service fee
St. Mary's Hall
Stay on-site in the St. Mary's Hall - includes fan & a communal bathroom - ticket price includes room, board, & retreat.
From $446.00 to $712.00
$446.00
+$11.15 ticket service fee
$712.00
+$17.80 ticket service fee
Commuter
Staying elsewhere? Enjoy the retreat by commuting in each day. Ticket includes all meals on Friday and Saturday at St. Mary's Sewanee Retreat Center.
$206.00
+$5.15 ticket service fee
Merton Hermitage (SMary'sHall)
aka: The Corner Apartment - It has spectacular views of the bluff from its second floor location and offers a living room, private bath and shower, and a kitchen. Ticket price includes room, board, & retreat.
From $581.00 to $869.50
$581.00
+$14.53 ticket service fee
$869.50
+$21.74 ticket service fee
Woodland Hermitage
Private Cabin: air conditioning, a private bath and shower, kitchenette, queen-size bed, and living area. Ticket price includes room, board, & retreat.
From $581.00 to $869.50
$581.00
+$14.53 ticket service fee
$869.50
+$21.74 ticket service fee
Total
$0.00