Frequently Asked Questions
How would I go about applying for a short visit to the Nazareth House Apostolate?
Please send email or postal mail below and include the following information:
- dates of stay / desired stay length
- individual or group visit
- home church
- reason/focus for visit
Ideally laity should include a letter of recommendation from their parish priest. Clergy and those in Holy Orders please include a letter from your Bishop.
By mail:
Nazareth House Apostolate, Guest Master
185 Captains Cove Drive
Taylorsville, KY 40071
By email:
email us at vicki@nazarethhouseap.org
Is the Nazareth House Apostolate for men only? No. Both men and women are welcomed.
What is required of those visiting the Nazareth House Apostolate? You are required to attend all Public Offices beginning with Lauds (alone in cell) and Eucharist at 7:00 AM. You will be given specific chores and responsibilities. An Atmosphere of Prayer is expected at all times. Due to the sanctity of this Holy place we kindly ask that you respect the quiet and solitude of the NHA while on the grounds. Smoking and Alcohol anywhere within the Holy grounds is strictly forbidden.
Pilgrims are asked to apply to the “NHA: Guest Master” to inquire about room availability before making travel arrangements. We ask that you arrive between the hours of 8 AM and 4 PM if possible. During your stay, Pilgrims are welcome to partake of all the food provided in the guesthouse, however you are responsible for your daily meals.
Please also follow these rules:
- Label all personal food items.
- Do not place personal items on unoccupied beds so as to keep them available for other pilgrims.
- Do not gather around the area immediately in front of residents’ cells and in front of the Pilgrim House, especially after the morning service and after Compline. Silence is expected after Compline.
- We ask that your cell phone be switched off during your stay. If you must use your phone, please respect others solitude when making phone calls.
What is the attire when at NHA? Visitors must be properly attired to enter the grounds. In general, clothing should be modest and loose-fitting. Clergy may wear a cassock.
Can you take photographs of Nazareth House Apostolate? Photographs (including videos) may be taken of the buildings, the grounds. No photographs inside the chapel without permission. Please ask before taking photographs of any of the residents or guests. Photographs (including videos) are not allowed during the services unless it has a blessing from the Elder.
Is there times of silence at NHA? We maintain a reserved quiet, conducive to prayer, always. However, on Thursdays it is “Desert Day” in which we do not talk from Lauds until after Vespers.
Although we kindly ask all visitors to be quiet and orderly while at NHA at all times, you are expected to be especially quiet during Quiet Hours, which are:
- From After Compline at 7:30P.M. until 7:00 A.M.
- Silence is invoked for three hours after the morning service of Lauds & Eucharist
Are day visits allowed? We accept day visitors who wish to visit the Wailing Wall, pray on the grounds or attend Prayer Offices. If you are in a group of ten or more people, please contact us in advance so that we may be properly prepared to receive you. Day visits should be completed after Compline. When the gate is closed to the property, Nazareth House Apostolate is cloistered.
What does a day entail? There are 11 Offices said daily beginning at 4:00 AM vigils. 4 hours of manual labor are expected each day as well as private study time. A meal is shared together after Vespers.
What kind of “manual labor” is required? We have over 30 acres of land and six structures that require maintenance, repair and attention. Indoors there are regular household chores, office work – typing and filing, The Bookshop, making rosaries to name a few. There is something for everyone to do.
Are you non-denominational? Grace Church, Nazareth isn’t non-denominational. It is pre-denominational. It is evangelical but not Protestant. It is catholic but not Roman. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended and died for the Faith of the Apostles since the Day of Pentecost nearly 2000 years ago in 33 A.D.
Is there a way to be a part of the NHA without being a resident? Yes, there are Oblates of NHA. For information write to and mail to: “NAZARETH HOUSE APOSTOLATE: Oblates” c/o St. Simeon Skete, 185 Captains Cove Drive, Taylorsville, KY 40071.