Ecumenical pilgrimage to San Vincenzo al Volturno 
from September 8 to September 15, 2025

About a year ago, the above-mentioned pilgrimage was presented in the newsletter of the parish of St. Bernhard. Among other things, it promised to take participants on challenging high-altitude mountain tours through the impressive mountain world of Abruzzo and to allow them to experience spiritual life together with the sisterhood of the monastery.

On September 8, 2025, 20 pilgrims and our pastor Johannes Schaan met at BER Airport to begin their pilgrimage with a flight to Naples. We were a mixed group in terms of religious affiliation (Catholic, Protestant, non-denominational), hometowns (Stralsund, Anklam, Rügen, Berlin, Hamburg, Eberswalde), and age (early 40s to mid-70s). At Naples Airport, we were met by our “guides” Ellen and Christoph Nemitz and Sr. Federica, who drove us in three minibuses to San Vincenzo al Volturno, about 100 km away. As it was already dark when we arrived, we were only able to admire the beautiful monastery complex the next morning. We were given an extremely warm welcome by the 7 Benedictine nuns, and the warmth and friendliness of this reception made us forget the long journey and immediately feel at home. The table in the large dining room was festively set, and we were served a delicious three-course meal. It should be noted once again that the food throughout the pilgrimage was very generous and extremely tasty, for which we are particularly grateful to Sister Martha, who was in charge of the kitchen that week.

The next morning began, as did every day, at 7 a.m. with Lauds, followed by Holy Mass at 8 a.m. and breakfast at 9 a.m. Around 10 a.m., the active part of the day began. On the first day, we explored the area around the monastery in the summer heat and visited the church of Santa Maria della Grotte. After hiking about 15 km, we reached a beautiful rest area at the source of the Volturno River. The sisters brought us a delicious picnic of pasta salad, melon, and cake. Our pastor rounded off the whole thing by serving everyone a good espresso with his mobile espresso machine! We were able to enjoy this espresso on every hike, by the way!

At 6 p.m. every day, we met with the sisters for vespers. It was wonderful to immerse ourselves in the Italian songs, to sing along, or to listen to the angelic voices of the sisters, accompanied by the gentle sounds of Sr. Federikca playing the keyboard. At 7 p.m., we had dinner, and we used the time until Compline at 9 p.m. to get to know each other, exchange pilgrim experiences, and have good conversations.

The next day brought pouring rain, so the planned high mountain hike was canceled without replacement, and we visited the papal bell foundry in Agnone instead. During a fascinating exhibition and guided tour, we were able to experience firsthand how a new bell is cast. We would like to take this opportunity to express our special thanks to our pastor, Mr. Schaan, who speaks fluent Italian and thus interpreted for us during every tour, every exhibition, and every restaurant visit!

We also visited the pilgrimage church in Castelpetroso and the adjacent Way of Mary with the Seven Sorrows of Mary. The next day was also planned for culture and sightseeing. With the sun shining brightly and summer temperatures once again, we took our minibuses to Montecassino, where the abbot granted us a lengthy audience, followed by a detailed tour of the beautiful basilica.

The next day, we spent the morning visiting the large archaeological site right next to the present-day monastery, where one of the most important monasteries of the early Middle Ages had been located. We then drove our minibuses up to an altitude of 1,000 meters and hiked the remaining 850 meters to the summit of Monte Marone. All the pilgrims reached the destination and then proudly took a photo at the summit cross as proof.

The next hike, which led to Monte San Michele (Toblerone), was also challenging, as it was again very steep uphill and downhill on unpaved gravel paths. In the small rock chapel, we prayed the Liturgy of the Hours together. We visited the hermit's cave and enjoyed the magnificent view and freshly prepared espresso before heading back downhill. In the evening, we had planned to eat pizza with the sisters. It was a very entertaining and cheerful gathering, and many took the opportunity to talk to one of the sisters. On Sunday, our last day of pilgrimage, we celebrated Holy Mass in the large abbey church together with the Benedictine sisters and the villagers. The Mass, like the daily Masses in the monastery chapel, was celebrated by our pastor in Italian. Sr. Federica translated the sermons for us.

After Mass, we walked to a nearby lake, where some pilgrims who enjoyed swimming couldn't resist taking a dip in the emerald green water.

The last evening dawned, and it was time to say goodbye to the sisters of the convent. We were all full of praise and gratitude for these days of togetherness, during which we prayed, sang, and laughed together. And there was also a little bit of sadness, because we had grown fond of this beautiful spot, the simple beauty of the convent, and the great warmth and kindness of the sisters. In particular, the question and answer session with Sr. Federica and Gabriela, their honest answers to every question, and their charisma left a deep and lasting impression.

Tidigt på måndagsmorgonen åkte vi med minibussar till Neapel, där vårt flyg utan incidenter nådde flygplatsen i Berlin. Och återigen var det dags att ta farväl. Den här veckan hade stärkt vår gemenskap och svetsat samman oss till en gemensam pilgrimsgrupp. De gemensamma måltiderna, de inte alltid lätta vandringarna, de andliga impulserna under pilgrimsfärden, den gemensamma bönen, tystnaden och lyssnandet, utbytet av tankar och erfarenheter gjorde dessa dagar till något speciellt och oförglömligt för oss alla!

Ett särskilt tack till Ellen och Christoph, som planerade och organiserade resan, alltid körde oss säkert till våra mål i minibussarna och guidade oss genom den mycket ursprungliga naturen och bergsvärlden i Abruzzerna. Ett särskilt tack också till Johannes Schaan, vars goda kontakter med klostret (syster Federica är hans syster) gjorde denna resa möjlig. Han var en utmärkt chaufför, tolk, organisatör, espressobryggare och kunnig guide genom Berlins S-Bahn-djungel.

 Tack – det var en gåva! 

Astrid och Thomas Schanwell
Gerda och Manfred Wanitschke