In the quiet expanse of Iceland, beyond the rush of the world, stands a Carmelite monastery where a handful of women live lives entirely devoted to prayer, contemplation, and service. For Sister Miriam, the journey began with a question whispered deep within her heart: “Do you want to follow Me? Do you want to be Mine?”
She knew it was Jesus speaking. The call was unmistakable yet gentle, leaving her free to choose. Though she loved her family and the world she would leave behind, the question demanded an answer. And when she said “yes,” peace flooded her soul — a joy so profound that words could not capture it. That moment began a lifelong commitment to a hidden life of prayer and love.
A Life of Enclosure and Intercession
The sisters of this Carmelite community live in strict enclosure, spending their days within the monastery walls. Their mission is one of intercession — a “hidden apostolate” that embraces the needs of people everywhere through constant prayer. Despite their physical separation from the world, their presence radiates through it. Many in Iceland and beyond reach out daily, entrusting their intentions to these women who quietly carry their burdens before God.
Though the nuns’ life may seem withdrawn, it is anything but isolated. They are a steady spiritual heartbeat for the Church and society, praying for peace, healing, and hope. Their chapel, filled with music composed and sung by the sisters themselves, has even touched hearts far beyond the monastery through their YouTube channel.
Simplicity and Renewal
Inside the monastery, simplicity reigns. The sisters share narrow cells, a small library, and modest workrooms where they paint candles, copy music, and labor in silence. Yet even amid these humble surroundings, they are dreaming of renewal — an annex to house aging and sick sisters, with accessible corridors and a small chapel for those who can no longer climb the steep stairs.
A Call to Friendship with God
For the sisters, prayer is not ritual but relationship — an intimate friendship with God. “You did not choose me,” Sister Marta of the Good Shepherd recalls Jesus saying, “but I chose you.” That divine choice has shaped a hidden yet luminous life of love — one that invites all believers to rediscover the peace that comes from simply being with God.
