The true story of the three rebellious nuns over 80 who escaped from a retirement home: on social media they talk about their fight for freedom

In Austria three religious women over eighty – Bernadette, Regina and Rita – decided that their story would not end in a retirement home. With a gesture worthy of a Hollywood script, they escaped from the structure in true “mission impossible” style and reopened the old Goldenstein convent, abandoned for years.

Things got a little more serious, however, when they filed a formal complaint with the Vatican, in which the three accused their superior, Markus Grasl, of having transferred them against their will and of violating canon law. The conflict is no small matter: the nuns claim that Grasl avoided any direct dialogue and, indeed, used the media as the only communication channel. A choice which, according to them, resulted in a forced and illegitimate removal from the convent, culminating in admission to a retirement home in 2023.

The social rebellion of nuns over 80

But the most surprising part is that this battle is not fought only between documents, lawyers and ecclesiastical clauses. The three nuns have in fact become an online phenomenon thanks to the Instagram profile @nonnen_goldenstein, which has more than 260 thousand followers. Here they talk about their daily life made up of prayers, direct calls, small jobs to reactivate electricity and gas and, above all, a clear request: freedom.

Their digital success has not gone unnoticed. The Diocese of Salzburg, to quell the tension, had proposed an agreement: to remain in the convent “until further notice”, but only if they abandoned social media, renounced legal cases and remained silent in public. The three responded as all the protagonists of a good rebellion comedy would do: a resounding no.

Three women who don’t want to disappear into the shadows

Between irony and determination, these religious women show an often ignored side: that of women in the Church, who rarely have decision-making roles and almost never have a voice in public opinion. Bernadette, Regina and Rita instead claim the right to choose where to live, how to express themselves and how to tell their story. While they await the Vatican’s final decision, they remain in their convent, supported by the country’s inhabitants who bring food and aid, and by a global community that follows every update. A gentle but firm rebellion, which demonstrates that freedom has no age or even cassock.

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