Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Mendicant Stability

Dear Alpinist, You would be quite proud. I climbed a hill! I had heard rumor of a nunnery just off the highway near our great city, and decided on a whim to visit. These women have taken up rather unique ascetical religious vows. Whereas many monastics with which we are familiar vow stability to place and accept the financial support of surrounding religious communities, while others vow mendicancy, and so of necessity wander, these nuns are unique in vowing to mendicant stability. They do not, on principle, improve or repair their property. 

I believe these women live communally in a manner that witnesses forth, enfleshed, that which had as yet only been explored theologically (but not lived, at least architecturally) by our Magus. You remember his letter on Finding God in the Trash.

Perhaps most intriguing, unlike other mendicants who seek aid (beg) from others, these nuns believe that to be truly stable mendicants, they need to practice apophatic mendicancy. They never ask for aid. Ever.

I've taken a photo of their cloister, to give you a sense of its abject beauty. One surprise is the large tank suspended on the grounds. They say it just appeared one night while they slept, and periodically lets off a peep of steam as they are praying Matins. It also disappears for the entirety of Holy Saturday each year, reappearing, no matter how early they rise, by Easter morning.

This is all for now. More anon. Yours in the faith, The Ecclesiast