Monastery of "Sant'Anna"

Carpineto Romano, Rome, Italy

Carpineto Romano is a small town of about 6000 inhabitants in the province of Rome, home of Pope Leo XIII. The Carmelite nuns arrived there less than 20 years ago. Thus the monastery of Sant'Anna is still too young to have a "history", but each day is another good reason to thank and sing to the Lord who has accomplished true marvels for this monastery.

The five founding nuns left the Carmelite monastery of Ss.ma Trinità in Jesi (Italy) in 1977, but for two years they lived in the Carmel of Ss.ma Concezione in Sutri (Italy) with the hope of reviving that monastery a little. In April 1979 they left for Carpineto Romano for the new foundation.

The enterprise was a little risky because of the inadequacy of the monastery in the small presbytery and because of the impassable road leading to it. In time, the monastery was restructured to fit in more cells and create a new environment for work and the community grew so that in 1992 there were 20 religious! That is why the monastery of Carpineto gave birth to the Carmel of Janua Coeli in Sorrano (Italy).

At present the community is made up of about twenty religious. They seek to keep themselves materially by making scapulars, rosaries, paintings on cloth and pencil drawings, painted icons, philatelic and computer work, handicraft and other things.

The presence of the Carmelite nuns in Carpineto Romano is appreciated by the local people who respect and admire them. Their church is full especially on solemn liturgical occasions and during celebrations of the Carmelite community. Throughout the year it is also visited by many groups, sometimes for prayer and other times to take part in meetings with the nuns.

The nuns have published some books and three times a year they publish Flos Carmeli, a newsletter for those interested in the cloistered Carmelite life.