Abbazia di Mater Ecclesiae

History

On the island of San Giulio, birthplace in 962 of William of Volpiano, the great reformer of European monasticism, six Benedictine nuns from Viboldone, led by Mother Anna Maria Cànopi, settled in the former bishop's palace on 11 October 1973 at the invitation of Aldo Del Monte, bishop of Novara. From that small foundation grew one of Italy's most vibrant cloistered communities, today numbering several dozen nuns devoted to prayer, the restoration of antique vestments and icon painting. The island that shelters them is ringed by the "Way of Silence and Meditation", the single lane that circles it between signs bearing words of wisdom.

Visiting

What to see

Enclosed Benedictine monastery on the Island of San Giulio, in Lake Orta. International reputation for ancient textile restoration. Panoramic views of the lake.

Surroundings

Island of San Giulio surrounded by Lake Orta. Historic villages of Orta and Omegna. Nature trails in surrounding forests. Local lake fish and gastronomy.

Visitor information

Reception by phone reservation Mon-Fri 9:00 AM-12:00 PM. Community masses open to visitors.

Contacts

0322 90324 · benedettineisolasangiulio.org

Hospitality and where to sleep

Guesthouse available

Monastic hospitality for stays of silence and prayer (2-3 nights), by telephone booking only, free-will offering. No tourist stays.

Beds and prices

There is an internal guesthouse, but it is small, spartan and reserved for those seeking an experience of silence and prayer (short stays, usually 2-3 nights); no tourist accommodation. Booking ONLY by phone on 0322 90324 (9am-12pm); contribution according to one's means. Open all year except November. For the "ordinary" bike traveller: hotels and B&Bs in the village of Orta, mid-to-upper range, to be booked well ahead in season.

Services

Water and every kind of supply in Orta (bars, restaurants, drinking fountains in the village); no commercial services on the island, only a small shop selling the nuns' handiwork. In the guesthouse, meals are shared following the community's rhythm; the house is deliberately free of modern comforts: no wifi — you go there to switch off. Ferry and village: better to carry cash.

Places to stay nearby (within 15 km)

• Camping Ortacampsite
  Orta San Giulio (NO), Via Domodossola 28 · 1.0 km as the crow flies

  Price:

  from ~€13/night (2 people, low season)

  Open:

  year-round (heated shower block)

  Facilities:

  water, hot showers, laundry, lake-view pitches

  Source:

  campingorta.it

  The historic campsite on Lake Orta (since 1959), a few km from the start at Mater Ecclesiae.

Getting there by bike

By bike you can ride as far as Orta San Giulio: descend into the village (restricted traffic zone, cobbled surface) down to Piazza Motta, where the bike must be left locked. Bicycles are of no use on the island, and are not taken across. From the square, public motorboats and ferries leave for the island: a few minutes' crossing, frequent departures in season, tickets for a fee (cash recommended). The basilica of San Giulio is free to enter; the monastery, being cloistered, cannot be visited.

The bike stays in Orta, you board the boat like everyone else. The island is visited on foot in silence, unhurried. Worth carrying cash for the boat and the nuns' shop.

The bike is left locked in the piazza at Orta San Giulio, inside the village's restricted zone. On the island it would be useless, and is not allowed anyway. Fountains in the village, no documented public water point on the island beyond the guesthouse.

Map and stages