I saw the monastery for the first time when I was ...

I saw the monastery for the first time when I was there with the Ron Freeman Chorale to sing musical portions of the Good Friday western service on a balcony above the nave. The acoustics were spectacular. The layout of the church and its chapels is cross shaped and in one part of the nave is a replica of the Holy Sepulcher. Even before you enter their sacred space, the areas outside have beautiful porticoes in the Italian style. I was in several hallways where I enjoyed beautiful small and large art glass in odd locations and interesting pieces of Roman Catholic art like Germanic wood carvings, needlework, stonework and other lovely expressions of devotion. I saw a few monks hither and yon. After the service which we could not see from our perspective but in which we participated with music, we saw all sorts of people in the church spaces below in long lines to visit the replica of the Holy Sepulcher which thankfully I had visited with another chorister before going to an upstairs balcony. Before the service, we ere able to practice some of our repertoire in an astounding room with a piano in the center surrounded by monk's stadii, i.e. carved chairs in which you can stand, lean on arms, or sit for hours as appropriate to the service. I didn't even know they normally existed in the western churches until this visit. I look forward to visiting again and being a part of next year's concert as long as it doesn't conflict with the Julian calendar. I think this would be an appropriate place to bring children on a visit to enjoy and explain the architecture. It is handicap accessible via entrances and elevators.