Everywhere I go, I keep my eyes open for another story. It’s not even that I’m purposefully looking, it’s sort of an unconscious awareness that is ready to scream when something interesting crosses my path. You never know when you hit pay dirt. This time it happened on a strenuous hike in South Tirol—Northern Italy.
At the entrance to the Gröden valley sits a little town named Klausen. And on top of the mountain, almost flying above it, thrones Cloister Säben. On a whim my husband and I decided to pay the cloister a visit. After all, the sign said it was only a 20-minute hike.
Right. The trail began with a series of uneven steps and natural rocks. Picturesque, yes, easy to walk, no. We scrambled our way up to the first vantage point at medieval Castle (Burg) Branzoll. Unfortunately, it is privately owned and we were not able to take a look inside.
So, off we went toward the cloister which seemed to mock us from its heavenly heights. The trail meanders on uneven ground along vineyards and sheer cliffs. Each turn offers a new breathtaking view of the valleys below. As the roads, cars and people in the valley turned to ants, we grew short of breath. Thankfully, a few benches offered moments of respite. All the way up there are small shrines with statues or old paintings depicting Christian figures. Some of them are decorated with flowers and candles. At last, we reached the first church (Liebfrauenkirche) which is located outside the cloister walls. You can refill your water bottle here. Unfortunately, the church was closed to visitors.
At some point we came across a poster sign that told the story of Sister Magdalena Told, a Benedictine nun who showed outstanding bravery and is credited with saving Cloister Säben’s fate. Apparently, during the Napoleonic wars in the late 18th century, the cloister was taken over by hundreds of French soldiers. Most nuns had fled, but Sister Magdalena held her own. The French soldiers eventually left, but in 1808, Bavarians, who fought with the French, reoccupied the cloister. What made it worse was that the new government had decided to remove the religious status as a Benedictine cloister. As a consequence, its precious possessions were sold to the highest bidders in the village below.
Sick about the destruction, Sister Magdalena dressed up as a soldier and hiked across the mountain to Bozen to complain to the local General. He not only listened, but promised to put a stop to the cloister’s occupation. Sister Magdalena proceeded to see the bishop in Brixen and pleaded for the reinstatement of the cloister. She got her wish.
What a woman! What a protagonist!
At the top of the hill we finally entered the oldest part of the cloister with the most amazing views I have seen in a long time. Flying is more like it when you stand up here above the valleys. Life as we know it is far removed. It is quiet except for the wind. You can almost imagine how it must be to live up here for a nun so close to her god.
The highlight of our climb, that by the way took nearly an hour, was the Holy Cross Church at the highest point of the mountain. Inside, time truly stands still. It is a small church with few adornments, a simple place that is more powerful because of it. I can almost imagine Sister Magdalena praying in one of the pews, asking for strength and wisdom how to defeat the French soldiers and save her beloved cloister.
Sometimes it takes lots of effort to find a precious place. Sometimes such a place reveals a precious story. I hope I get to tell it one day.