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Portsmouth Abbey Church in itself is an experience of Prayer. The monastic life in Portsmouth Abbey dwells around this experience of beauty and prayer.
Inspiration for the design of the church comes from the sixth-century church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy, which was built during the papacy of Gregory the Great, patron saint of Portsmouth. Noted modern architect Pietro Belluschi designed the Church and the buildings in the upper campus.
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The fieldstone walls were quarried from land next to School property. The redwood used inside and out, laminated arches, stained-glass for subdued illumination, and stress on simplicity, are hallmarks of Belluschi churches.
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Entering the nave through stained-glass doors, the focal point is the limestone altar, carved by distinguished sculptor John Benson, one of the first members of the School’s faculty. On the front side is a bas-relief of a triumphant lamb, bearing a banner of victory.
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