“St Mary, Mother of the Church” is the name of the new Trappist monastery that will be built in Palaçoulo, Miranda do Douro, in Portugal, through the “gift” of 10 nuns from the monastery of Vitorchiano, a community of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance, also known as “Trappists”, that follows St Benedict’s rule. “On January 26^th, we selected a group of sisters who will go”, mother Rosaria Spreafico, abbess of the monastery of Vitorchiano, tells to SIR, but this will not happen until early 2019. Many nuns’ willingness to go has been subjected to a “process of discernment”, sister Rosaria says. The photo of the ten nuns, and the decision that will be taken by sister Giusy, their abbess, can be seen on the background of the website of the diocese of Braganza, where the monastery will be founded. The proposal and invitation are an initiative of the bishop, mgr. José Cordeiro. The monastery will be built over a land donated by the parish and by a group of parishioners, but the cost of the building will have to be funded by the Order, the nun goes on to explain. The diocese’s website tells that the date the first stone will be laid has not been chosen yet. “Lodgings will first be built for the nuns to live in”, sister Rosaria explains, “because there’s nothing at all right now on that land”. The monastery will accommodate 40 nuns. It is the first Trappist monastery ever in Portugal.