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Friedensthal Moravian Church
Courtesy of Department of Plannign and Natural Resources, Division for Archaeology & Historic Preservation; T. Vanterpool, photographer |
The Moravians arrived in St. Croix in 1734, and by the 1800s they had
established two flourishing missions, one of which was Friedensthal
(Valley of Peace) Mission. This mission served as an important center
in Governor General Peter Von Scholten's plans to educate St. Croix's
slave population. Friederich Mott, founder of the Moravian mission in
the Danish West Indies, intended the missions to be as self-sufficient as possible. By the 18th century, with a strong move to abolish slavery
afoot in the Danish West Indies, the Moravian missions prepared the
slaves for self-sufficiency by teaching them manual skills and religion.
The parish house dates from 1830 and the present church building from
1852.
The Friedensthal Mission is located off Western Suburb Rd. southwest of Christiansted, St. Croix Island, U.S. Virgin Islands. Visitors are welcome to attend services, held Sunday at 10:15am. Call 340-773-1217 for more information or to make an appointment to visit week days.
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