In the picturesque Alpine town of Salzburg, Austria, a story of faith, rebellion, and social media has gripped the world’s attention. Three elderly nuns—Sister Regina, 86, Sister Rita, 82 (sometimes reported as 81), and Sister Bernadette, 88—have become unlikely internet celebrities and the center of a heated dispute with the Catholic Church after escaping their nursing home and breaking back into their former convent, Schloss Goldenstein.
The saga began in early September 2025, when the trio, with the help of several former students and a locksmith, orchestrated a daring return to the convent and girls’ school where they had spent most of their lives. According to CNN, the nuns had been removed from Schloss Goldenstein against their will almost two years prior, following a decision by their religious superior, Provost Markus Grasl of Reichersberg Abbey, who cited safety concerns about the aging stone building. The convent had since been acquired by the local abbey and the Archdiocese of Salzburg.
Upon their return, the nuns found their beloved home in disrepair, lacking electricity and running water. But their supporters rallied. Supplies were delivered, and workers reinstalled stairlifts that had reportedly been removed during their absence. The sisters, undeterred by these hardships, quickly adapted—posting videos on Instagram of their daily routines, which included prayer, candle-making, whistling classes, and even boxing lessons to keep fit. As reported by NPR, Sister Regina became so accustomed to climbing four flights of stairs that she sometimes forgot to use the stairlift, while Sister Bernadette shared witty observations about sacred and secular life over coffee.
Their Instagram account exploded in popularity, amassing over 185,000 followers. Their posts offered a glimpse into their vibrant personalities and the routines of modern religious life—far removed from the image of cloistered silence many might expect. The nuns’ embrace of social media, and their willingness to share their story with the world, made them viral sensations and drew widespread support from the local community and beyond.
But the sisters’ newfound fame also brought them into direct conflict with church authorities. Provost Grasl, initially steadfast in his belief that the nuns should be in a Catholic care home for their own safety, soon faced a public relations dilemma. The nuns’ story had become a cause célèbre, and their supporters—many of whom had been former students at Schloss Goldenstein—were determined to see them remain in their home.
After months of standoff, on December 1, 2025, Grasl made an announcement: the sisters would be allowed to stay at Schloss Goldenstein, but only under strict conditions. According to a statement cited by CNN and NPR, the nuns would have to close their social media accounts, cease talking to the press, forgo seeking legal advice, and return to a secluded monastic life. Laypeople, including their longtime helpers, would no longer be allowed to enter the cloisters. The sisters would be provided with 24-hour medical care, nursing help, and spiritual guidance from a priest, and would be placed on a waiting list for the nursing home should they become unable to care for themselves at the convent.
The sisters, however, swiftly rejected the proposal. In a statement released on Instagram, Sister Regina declared, "We can't agree to this deal. Without the media, we'd have been silenced." Sister Bernadette added, "We need to resolve this but any agreement we reach must be in accordance with God's will and shaped by human reason." The nuns characterized the church’s offer as a gag order, and their lawyer, as reported by ORF and CNN, advised them not to accept, saying the conditions were excessively restrictive.
The legal and ethical dimensions of the dispute quickly became a matter of public debate. Canon law scholar and priest Wolfgang Rothe told NPR that the provost’s demands were "simply unlawful; he seeks to restrict the sisters to such an extent that is nothing less than a violation of their human rights." Rothe further argued that the proposal had no basis in either church or state law, and pointed out that the offer could be revoked at any time—leaving the sisters vulnerable to future eviction.
Meanwhile, the provost’s spokesperson, Harald Schiffl, defended the conditions, stating, "The abbey wishes to discontinue the sisters' social media accounts because what they show has very little to do with real religious life." Schiffl also noted that the provost did not understand why the nuns rejected the offer and, in response, had requested the Vatican to intervene. As of this writing, the Vatican has not commented on the situation.
The sisters’ supporters see a double standard at play. In an interview with NPR, Sister Bernadette pointed out that Provost Grasl himself is no stranger to the media, referencing his 2022 photo shoot with an Austrian TV chef and the church’s regular invitations to journalists for fundraising events. "The provost and the church invite journalists to the big parties they throw," she said. "It helps raise money. Why shouldn't we do the same?"
The dispute has also highlighted questions about autonomy, aging, and the role of women in the church. The sisters insist they were unaware they had signed away what they believed was a lifelong right to remain in the cloister when the convent was transferred to the abbey and archdiocese. Their determination to maintain agency over their lives—and to use modern tools like Instagram to tell their story—has resonated with many, especially as the church faces broader scrutiny over transparency and the treatment of its members.
As the standoff continues, the nuns remain at Schloss Goldenstein, still posting updates and news articles on social media, and still waiting for a response from Rome. For now, they follow the papal Instagram account, steadfast in their belief that any solution must respect both their faith and their dignity as individuals. Their story, at once deeply personal and emblematic of wider tensions within the church, continues to unfold—watched closely not only by their followers online, but by a world captivated by their courage and conviction.
Whatever the outcome, the saga of Sisters Regina, Rita, and Bernadette has already left an indelible mark on the conversation about tradition, modernity, and the power of telling one’s own story.