In a quiet retirement home in the mountain village of Raiano, Italy, a group of elderly nuns have unexpectedly become global social media stars. Their journey from a quiet, cloistered life to internet fame began with a simple desire to combat boredom and spread joy.
From Daily Routine to Digital Stardom
The lives of the 22 nuns, part of the Ravasco congregation in Italy's Abruzzo region, once followed a predictable rhythm of prayer, chapel visits, and quiet afternoons. This changed when the eldest, Sister Maria Chiara, 98, expressed her frustration. "We don't do anything here, and my life feels pointless," she told her sisters. Moved by this, Sister Nayiby Jimenez, 45, the youngest in the home, decided to help them share their light with the world.
With the blessing of their mother superior, they began creating videos. Their first attempt, posted on Sister Nayiby's Facebook in July, featured Sister Maria Grazia, 97, sharing wisdom about obedience. It was an instant hit, attracting 7,000 followers—more than double the population of Raiano.
Scripting Smiles for a Global Audience
Emboldened, the nuns expanded to Instagram and Threads, cleverly tailoring their content with humour and music to engage a younger audience. Their strategy worked spectacularly, with views climbing into the millions. They now boast approximately 145,000 followers across their platforms.
The nuns collaborate to script each clip, which they post daily at 5am to catch people checking their phones first thing. Sister Nayiby has even confessed to occasionally using ChatGPT to help develop ideas. Their most popular videos carry simple, powerful messages:
- In one viral clip, the nuns take turns throwing cardboard boxes labelled with negative traits like "stress" and "selfishness" out of a window, ending with Sister Maria Chiara's message: "We need to throw out everything that makes us sad."
- Another shows nuns humorously attempting morning exercises before giving up to go and pray, emphasising care for both body and soul.
A New Purpose and a Flood of Prayers
The impact has been profound. The clips have generated thousands of messages, and each nun now keeps a book filled with the names of people requesting prayers, with over 200 names in each. They personally respond to every request.
Sister Maria Grazia Mancini, who was present from Rome during a recent visit, highlighted the initiative's importance: "These women gave so much... then they reach a point where they feel a little discarded. This has given them the chance to express something beautiful, to have fun and to spread positive messages." The star, Sister Maria Chiara, simply says, "I've always been a chatterbox... I'm spontaneous." Meanwhile, the unfiltered Sister Anna Lilia, 95, is kept off live videos for fear of what she might say next.
What started as a remedy for listlessness has blossomed into a digital ministry, proving that it's never too late to learn new tricks—or to teach the world about joy, one viral reel at a time.
