The community in Tromsø
On the 8 of September 1990 nine nuns, two novices and one postulant arrived in Tromsø. They came from the Carmelite monastery on Iceland to found, on the invitation of Bishop Gerhard Goebel, a new monastery on the island of Troms. They had neither money nor any material goods with them and moved for a start into a normal house. There they where supposed to pray and live until they could build a new monastery. The house was a big, but still far to small and unsuited to be a monastery. So the nuns started quickly to gather money for the new construction.
Their most important action was to pray God for help, but of course, they also had to be active in other ways to get a piece of land and the millions they needed. The nuns made different sorts of hand-craft which they sold as "building-bricks." They also asked different organisations for financial help, particularly in Germany.
In 1992 they achieved a piece of land, and shortly afterwards their architect Kjell Lund. The construction started in 1994. Thus then the nuns had collected enough money to start. On the 5 of August 1995 the sisters moved into the quite unfinished buildings. But they felt at home. The monastery and Church was consecrated on the 23 of August 1998.
During the years in Tromsø, some have joined the sisters, but others have left. Today the community counts 14; all with solemn vows. One sister is a Norwegian, the others are Poles.
In addition to the daily liturgy, we do work: painting icons, painting candles, doing domestic work, gardening, writing, taking care of our guests and other visitors.