WÜSTENVÄTER ( DESERT FATHERS )

The Beinwil Orthodox Monastery, named after Kapodistrias, has been serving the Orthodox community coming from various countries to Switzerland in German language in the building of the previous Catholic Monastery since 2019.
Together with photographer and photojournalist Okyanus Kar Sen, we made our documentary works on monastery life for a week, starting before Christmas.
The photographic documentary work titled "Eagles and Icons" prepared by Okyanus Kar Sen about Kloster Beinwil can be seen in his web pages.

The monastery was built in 1100 and has been restored at various times. The last restoration date was right after the fire in the large church of the monastery in 1973.

The faith and life of the Orthodox, known for its devotion to tradition starting from the time of the Apostles, offers a hospitality full of impressive moments reminiscent of 2000 years ago in the Beinwil Monastery.

Archimandrite Dionysos, the geronta (old man) of the monastery, founded many monasteries in many countries throughout his life. Beinwil is one of them. The multiculturalism of the monastery's inhabitants and community, similar to Switzerland, seems to develop human wealth along with it.

Benwil is a men's monastery. It consists of monks and young priests on their way to becoming monks. There are also two nuns helping them in the monastery. Monks, priests and nurses do all the work of the monastery themselves, from heating the buildings to laundry, cooking, shopping and cleaning. There is no outside employee even for heavy work. I believe that this division of labor has as much or even more of an impact on their sense of mechanical homes and each other as members of a family than their shared belief.

The teachings of Christian faith with the characteristic warm-bloodedness and inclusiveness of the East together, they strive to wounds inflicted by the difficulties and evils of this world on the spirit of the faithful orthodox people, by flowing from heart to heart.