The first Trappistine Monastery in Italy was founded in 1875 by a small group of French nuns at San Vito, near Turin. Marked by an history of poverty, dedication and sacrifice, blessed with humble and saintly vocations, the Community had to pass through many difficulties and trials of all kinds.

After transferring to Grottaferrata, south of Rome, in 1898, the community moved again in 1957, to Vitorchiano, situated in a beautiful and remote area in the province of Viterbo (about 2 hours' drive north of Rome). This transfer was judged necessary when the continual flow of young vocations and the conditions of the old monastery of Grottaferrata no longer met the demands of Cistercian life.

The community found itself involved in the development of the Ecumenical Movement, as some of its sisters felt the call to prayer and sacrifice for the cause of the Unity of the Church. Sr. Maria Gabriella Sagheddu offered her life for this cause: the Lord accepted her offering and she died on April 22, 1939. Sr. M. Gabriella still remains for this community a beacon of God's call to ecumenism: the Church proclaimed her Blessed on January 25th, '83.

The great flow of new vocations to Vitorchiano made it possible for the community to answer the request of certain bishops to found new Cistercian communities: first in Italy (Valserena, in 1968) and later in the Young Churches of Argentina (Hinojo, 1973), Chile (Quilvo, 1981), Venezuela (Humocaro, 1985), Indonesia (Gedono, 1987) and Philippines (Matutum, 1995).

The community is particularly characterised by a great love for the Liturgy, by an intense community life, self-sacrifice for communal service and work. It is presently composed of 75 members, of varying ages, coming from different regions of Italy and from other parts of the world.

The work by which the community earns its own living is mainly agricultural - vineyard, vegetable garden, orchard - along with a small jam-industry and the production of printed greetings-cards.

There are no special material or social requirements for the admission of newcomers. Through a humble and trustful dialogue with the superiors the aspirant is helped to discern God's will and is initiated into the demands of the monastic life. Normally we do not encourage applicants over 35 or those who have had a long experience of apostolic religious life to undertake a new process of formation with all the demands it implies.