The Hermitage

Probably the most noted tourist attraction on Cat Island is The Hermitage which can be seen from the New Bight anchorage.  It sits atop the highest point of land in the Bahamas, 206’ high Mt. Alvernia.  Many Cat Island residents claim Christopher Columbus’s first landfall in the New World was Cat Island because in his records he stated that he landed on the island with the highest point.

Walking/climbing path begins here



John Hawes, known as Father Jerome, was born in 1876,   He studied architecture for five years before becoming an Anglican Minister.  In 1911 Father Jerome went to Rome where he studied for three years for the Catholic Priesthood.   He built both St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Churches in Clarence Town, Long Island, Bahamas.  Later, he went to Australia as a bush priest, but when it came time to retire, he requested and received permission from the Catholic Bishop in Nassau to retire as a hermit on Cat Island.

In 1940 he began construction of The Hermitage, a miniature replica of a European Franciscan Monastery.  Father Jerome built the entire structure out of native rock, and lived there until his death at age 80.

The alter

Looking from below, the scale of the structure is very deceiving.  

Entrance to the sanctuary



Father Jerome was not a very big man, and The Hermitage was sized accordingly.

His bedroom

But, as Pollie pointed out, “he had more room than we have on the boat.”

Writing in her journal at Father Jerome’s desk

We found the site very peaceful, visually stunning and architecturally interesting.  Also, the bike ride and hike up the trail was exhilarating.  

Serenity anchored to the left of the phone tower