Went with some friends on an
outing including a tour of an extensive underground shelter here in Malta. It also included a visit to the Benedictine
Sisters of Birgu at the The Monastery of St. Scholastica, the first
Holy Infirmary of the Knights in Malta.
There was a service there and behind the altar there were two windows
with gratings on them. I realised that
behind these gratings sat the cloistered nuns.
It seemed medieval to see these women secreted away. And indeed the monastery has been in existence for
five hundred and fifty years. In fact
this was the hospital in Malta for the Knights even before Valletta was
built. A real sense of history and I
was able to enter and have coffee and cake with the nuns. Some have been there 60 years and the day
begins early with 4.30 am prayers and ends equally early at 9pm. There is a whole lot of praying in
between. There is a shortage of women
entering the order, it has been twenty years since the last novice
entered. So they have recently created a website
to entice new entrants. There is a
peculiar grating through which the cloistered nuns are allowed once a month to
have visits from family members.
Ancient wooden swivel windows allow things to be given in and
conversations to take place. I couldn’t
find an actual ancient version like those used but here is a modern
equivalent.
A sense of history
surrounds the place and a quietness.
The nuns seemed nice and kind.
So fascinating to meet people who have such a different life to the
norm. But am struck by the truth of the
words.
“People must live for one another, and not
live in seclusion as do the monks and nuns. People should not live solitary
lives. Light is of no value in an empty room.”
(Compilations,
Baha'i Writings, p. 440)
