Concert Venues: Benedictine Sisters of Maria Rickenbach

The village of Maria Rickenbach, Switzerland remains a place of Christian pilgrimage since the 1500s, when a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary and Child was miraculously preserved from fire. One of the loveliest sites in Switzerland, Maria Rickenbach rests high atop the green Niederrickenbach plateau, overlooking the valley of Engelberg, the Nidwalden Alps, and Mount Pilatus.

In 1853 two Benedictine Sisters chose Maria Rickenbach as the ideal location for a convent of Perpetual Adoration. The sisters of Maria Rickenbach aim for a life of unceasing prayer. They pray the Divine Office, celebrate Eucharist, have continual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and take time for other personal prayer and reading. In keeping with the Benedictine tradition, this work of prayer is balanced by the work of their hands.

The sisters are fully self-sufficient, supporting themselves mainly through the cultivation of herbs and distribution of various teas, tinctures, ointments, and schnapps. The intricate art of drying and preparing herbs has been passed from generation to generation within the convent’s community.

In addition to growing many of their own herbs, the sisters also collect wild herbs growing throughout the vast mountain meadows. They enjoy spending their days harvesting the fields, packing picnic lunches, and praying outside, praising the majesty of God’s creation. Their love for the earth and reliance on its bounty renders them dedicated stewards of the environment.

Although the convent is accessible only by cable car, the sisters welcome many visitors each year, usually pilgrims going to the shrine of Maria Rickenbach or travelers on holiday. All are invited to browse the convent gift shop which carries the sisters' herbal remedies and handicrafts of fine embroidery and weaving, liturgical vestments, altar cloths, and miscellaneous items. The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in the United States are spiritually and affectionately bound with the sisters of Maria Rickenbach. The two congregations continue drawing mutual inspiration and strength from each other in their journey to witness Christ’s presence in the world. 

Photos courtesy of the Benedictine Sisters of Maria Rickenbach website.