Chile: This is the southernmost monastery in the world

In the remote mountains of Chilean Patagonia, more than 1,800 kilometers south of Santiago, stands an oasis of spirituality that defies the imagination: the Nuestra Señora de Aysén Monastery. This refuge of faith, the southernmost in the world, is not only distinguished by its extreme geographical location, but also by offering an almost supernatural experience of retreat.

Guarded by the religious community of Schola Veritatis, this monastery stands as a beacon of serenity in an increasingly chaotic world. Its isolation is not an obstacle, but rather its greatest virtue. “It’s like going up to heaven: it’s not easy, but the effort is worth it,” Mother Benedicta, a member of the community, tells ACI Prensa.

“This has allowed us to find an environment of true solitude and desert, as desired by the great monks of ancient times, especially Saint Bruno, who is our Patron,” he says.

The closest town is Puerto Ingeniero Ibáñez, Aysén Region, located on the shores of Lake General Carrera. From that town, it is necessary to take the road to the Levicán Peninsula, and then a detour to the summit of the mountain.

A “natural closure”

“It was not easy to find the right place, which took us many years and several attempts that in the end did not work. But it was indeed the Providence of God that guided our steps to reach this place, which offered us all the characteristics that were necessary for our installation: separation from the world, spaciousness of space to properly build a monastery for monks and another for nuns. distanced, in addition to inns for spiritual retreats; abundant water, forest,” he explains.

“The great distance from the city and the harshness of the climate during the winter, offers a kind of ‘natural closure’ that is very powerful for the growth of the life of prayer and the personal encounter with God,” the sister values.

While “the life of today’s world is marked by noise, restlessness, continuous evasion through frenetic and unhealthy movement,” monasteries, he points out, “have the mission of reminding the men of our time of the need to look towards high, towards the eternity that awaits us, towards God who loves us and calls us.”

“But the voice of God is not heard in the midst of the hurricane, as the Scripture says in that well-known passage from the prophet Elijah (1 Reyes 19, 11-15). People who visit our Monastery and who request to spend a few days in this prayer environment can find here the appropriate ‘framework’ for the encounter with God, for interior conversion,” he highlights.

“We are immensely happy with what God has given us,” he maintains.

Prayer, silence and study

Life at Nuestra Señora de Aysén “is inserted into the traditional monastic life of all times, and is marked by our patrons, Saint Benedict and Saint Bruno,” explains the nun.

In that sense, he explained that they are guided by the Rule of the Monks of Saint Benedict, who “instituted a wise harmony between prayer and work (ora and labora), with the day marked by the prayer of the divine office, in addition to manual and intellectual work.

In the case of this community, prayer is its main activity, with the recitation of the 8 canonical hours of the divine office, the center of which is the celebration of the Mass, while the work is oriented towards agricultural work for self-sufficiency, which “It is something that Saint Benedict also wanted for his monasteries, so that the monks would have to go out as little as possible.”

“We also give great importance to theological and philosophical training, under the paternity of the great Saint Thomas Aquinas,” adds Mother Benedicta.

“The rest of the time passes between various domestic and field tasks, in addition to making the handmade soaps that we make for sale,” he details. “Once a week we take a walk through the hills, and on Sundays and solemnities we have a community recreation, necessary for the relaxation of the spirit and to strengthen fraternal ties,” he adds.

The pillars that support the charisma are “prayer—especially liturgical prayer—, the solitude and silence that living in a place as remote as this gives us, and the study and love of the truth,” he lists.

Currently, the community has five members, and they are preparing to receive four more in discernment this summer. “At the moment, we do not have enough spaces to receive more people, but we hope with God’s help to build new spaces in the future,” he hopes.

The construction of the monastery, the nun admits, “has been an arduous task,” both because of the remoteness of the place and the poor conditions of the access road.

Currently, “it is necessary to build more cells for the sisters who request possible admission, in addition to a Monastery for future brothers.”

“From the beginning, all the work of construction and fundraising has been entrusted to Saint Joseph, most provident father of the Holy Family and protector of virgins. We are sure that he will continue to send us the necessary help so that the work of this place of prayer continues,” he says.

Economic support

Our Lady of Aysén is supported “almost exclusively by private donations, from people of good will who regularly or punctually give us a contribution for our needs.”

“Our benefactors occupy a very central place in our prayer life, as it is the way we repay them for the immense charity with which they make our lives possible,” he highlights.

Those who wish to collaborate with the Monastery can visit the “How to help us” section from your website.

Likewise, those who wish can send their prayer intentions, which will be entrusted at each day’s Mass.