Abbey Interfaith Sanctuary reopens
The Abbey Interfaith Sanctuary was reopened to the Mount Holyoke College community with a celebration. The sanctuary has undergone two years of revitalization and renovations that include new carpet, lighting and multimedia equipment.
On Nov. 21, the Abbey Interfaith Sanctuary was reopened to the Mount Holyoke College community with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration.
The sanctuary has undergone two years of revitalization and renovations that include new carpet, lighting and multimedia equipment. The space now also features a brand-new piano and custom cabinets from a local millwork company to hold sacred objects and texts from the different faith groups represented on campus.
“This is so much more than a physical space,” said Marcella Runell, vice president of student life and dean of students. “It’s a vital resource for fostering connection, reflection and belonging for students of all faiths, beliefs and traditions. Interfaith and spirituality are essential at Mount Holyoke in cultivating a sense of belonging.”
The upgrades to the space were a combined effort from the Division of Academic Affairs, Facilities Management and the Division of Student Life.
“This sanctuary exemplifies the power of collaboration,” Runell said. “This enhances our community by creating spaces that nurture both intellectual exploration and personal growth; it immerses students in dynamic, inclusive environments that encourage meaningful dialogue and a deeper understanding of one another.”
Latrina Denson, associate dean of students and executive director for community and belonging, gave a brief overview of the sanctuary’s history. After Mount Holyoke’s original chapel was destroyed by fire in 1896, a new chapel was built on the site in 1897 and named Mary Lyon Chapel. The space now used by the sanctuary was constructed then; it was originally used for Christian prayer with an altar and pews that could seat 60 people. The chapel was renovated and enlarged in 1938 and renamed the Abbey Memorial Chapel, while the smaller space was dubbed “the little chapel.”
In 1999, a group of students, faculty and staff converted the little chapel into the Abbey Interfaith Sanctuary.
“It was available to students of all faiths and those of no faiths as well,” Denson said. “The sanctuary offered a place for reflection, writing, meditation, singing, dancing, walking the sacred labyrinth and even yoga.”
While the sanctuary was cutting-edge for its time, renovations were needed to keep the space usable for current and future generations of students.
Kay White, assistant director of community and belonging, is pleased with the outcome of the two-year renovation journey. “It’s really a much more flexible and usable space,” she said. “I think it works really well for our students now.”
