“It’s difficult to understand that leaving a convent is more difficult than joining without experiencing it.”

A discussion with Kateřina Duspivová Bartošová about life in one of the most rigorous contemplative monasteries of our time – the community of the Bethlehem nuns in France.

The nuns of Bethlehem enjoy worldwide popularity: more and more women desire to dedicate their lives completely to God in contemplative prayer, study, and practical work in silence, following the Carthusian model of St. Bruno. By entering the convent, the sisters gradually renounce all ties to the world, including communication with their closest and most intimate relatives, until their perpetual vows. The spirituality of the Bethlehem nuns is infused with Eastern (Mozarabic, Aramaic) liturgy, including the challenging chanted prayers in their earliest records, and is full of light, silence and closure. The monasteries are situated in isolated locations in the mountains and other wilderness areas not served by public transport. Some nuns may choose to spend part of their lives in complete isolation, in a hermitage. Catherine spent a year of her life in such a convent, but then decided to leave the community. Czech Television made a documentary about her stay, part of which will be screened.

Kateřina Duspivová Bartošová is a student of the history of Christian art who specializes in early music. She studied Gregorian chant in Paris at the prestigious L’École du Chœur grégorien de Paris and also spent a year with the French Nuns of Bethlehem.

Programme will be held in Czech only.
Free admission. Limited capacity. We suggest booking your place below on this site.