A sisterhood united in Christ, dedicated to a life of prayer, work, and hospitality in the Benedictine tradition at Visitation Monastery Akpugoeze.
We are 24 Benedictine nuns at Visitation Nuns Akpugoeze, consecrated women who have answered God's call to live a life entirely dedicated to prayer, work, and communal living. Following the Rule of St. Benedict of Norcia, we strive to seek God in all aspects of our daily life through "Ora et Labora" - Prayer and Work.
Our community is composed of women from diverse backgrounds across Nigeria - teachers, nurses, farmers, artisans, and professionals who have left their former lives to embrace the monastic vocation. What unites us is our common search for God and our commitment to live the Gospel in authentic Benedictine community, serving God and humanity through our consecrated lives.
Since our foundation on February 17, 2004, we have grown from 10 pioneering nuns to our current community of 24 sisters. In 2022, we were raised to the status of Monastery Sui Juris (independent priory) by the Sacred Congregation, a recognition of our community's maturity and vitality.
The spiritual mother of the community, chosen by the sisters to guide and govern the monastery. The Prioress is regarded as holding the place of Christ in the monastery, leading with wisdom, charity, and dedication.
Sisters who have taken solemn vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to the Rule of St. Benedict. They form the heart of our community with their lifelong commitment to consecrated life.
Women in their first year of monastic formation, discerning their vocation and learning the ways of Benedictine life under the guidance of the Novice Mistress.
Those beginning their journey, experiencing community life for several months before formally entering the novitiate. This is a time of mutual discernment.
We live, pray, and work together as brothers in Christ, supporting one another in our spiritual journey. The community is our primary locus for encountering God and growing in holiness.
The Divine Office structures our day with seven times of communal prayer from early morning until evening. We gather in the chapel to praise God through psalms, hymns, and readings.
Following the motto "Ora et Labora" (Pray and Work), we engage in various works to sustain our community - farming, baking, woodworking, and maintaining our monastery.
Sacred reading is central to our life. Daily, we spend time in prayerful meditation on Scripture, allowing God's Word to transform our hearts and minds.
We welcome all guests as Christ himself. Our guesthouse is open to those seeking silence, prayer, and retreat from the noise of modern life.
Through obedience to the Rule, the Abbot, and one another, we learn humility and surrender our own will to seek God's will in all things.
Our day begins at 5:00 AM with the ringing of the bell for Vigils, the first of seven prayer times. After morning prayer, we spend time in personal meditation and spiritual reading before gathering for Mass at 7:00 AM.
Following breakfast, taken in silence while one brother reads aloud from Scripture or spiritual writings, we move into the morning work period. Some brothers work in the fields, tending our gardens and livestock. Others work in the bakery, producing the bread that sustains us. Still others maintain our buildings, work in the library, or engage in administrative tasks.
Throughout the day, we pause for prayer - Lauds, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline mark the hours. These prayer times sanctify our work and remind us that everything we do is offered to God.
Lunch is our main meal, eaten together in the refectory. Dinner is lighter, followed by Compline, the night prayer. By 8:30 PM, the Great Silence begins, a time of profound quiet that extends until morning.
Monks in Prayer & Work
Upload image: Nigerian monks in monastery settingFollowing the Benedictine motto "Ora et Labora" (Prayer and Work), we engage in various productive activities that sustain our community and serve the broader society. Our work is not merely economic necessity - it is a form of prayer, a participation in God's creative activity, and a way of serving humanity.
We cultivate the land that God has entrusted to us, growing vegetables, fruits, and crops. Our farm provides food for our community and produces surplus that we share with the local population. Working the soil connects us to creation and teaches us patience, humility, and dependence on God's providence.
Our piggery operation is managed with care and expertise by several sisters. This enterprise not only provides protein for our community but also generates income that supports our apostolic works and helps us maintain our facilities. We raise our animals with respect and ethical treatment.
We maintain a modern poultry farm producing eggs and meat. This work requires daily attention and care from our sisters, who tend the birds with dedication. The poultry operation contributes significantly to our food supply and provides products we can sell to support our community's needs.
Our sisters produce high-quality soap using traditional and modern techniques. This craft has been passed down and perfected over the years. Our soaps are known for their purity and effectiveness, and we sell them to support our community while providing quality products to the public.
With skilled hands and prayerful hearts, our sisters create beautiful liturgical vestments, altar linens, and sacred items for churches throughout Nigeria. Each stitch is an offering to God, each garment made with reverence. This work allows us to serve the Church directly while preserving sacred textile arts.
We welcome guests from all denominations and walks of life to our guest house for retreats, days of recollection, and spiritual renewal. Providing hospitality is central to our charism - we see Christ in every guest who comes to our door.
For us, work is not separate from prayer - it is prayer. As we cultivate the land, tend our animals, create soap, or sew vestments, we unite our labor with Christ's redemptive work. St. Benedict taught that the workshop where we toil is the monastery, and our tools are instruments of the spiritual craft. Through honest labor, we support ourselves, serve others, and give glory to God.
If you are a woman who feels God calling you to a life of prayer, work, and community living, we invite you to visit us at Visitation Monastery. Come for a few days, experience our rhythm of prayer and work, participate in our Divine Office, and discern if this is the path God is inviting you to walk. Our Vocation Director is available to speak with women interested in exploring a vocation to Benedictine consecrated life.
We welcome women of all backgrounds who are seeking union with God through the Benedictine way. Whether you are discerning your vocation or simply want to experience our life of prayer, you are always welcome at Visitation Monastery Akpugoeze.