The Romsey Braid
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In 1839, gravediggers were working inside Romsey Abbey, near Southampton in England.[1] The men found a casket under the floor. Inside, a braid of hair rested on a pillow carved from oak. In some places, pieces of scalp still clung to the hair.
There were no other remains, except for a finger bone. However, the gravediggers said it turned to dust the moment the coffin was opened. In 2016, researchers analyzed the hair. The hope was to find clues about the person's identity. Two specific candidates are nuns who once lived at Romsey; Saint Morwenna and Saint Ethelflaeda. Tests suggested the person died between 895 and 1123, a good match for both women's lifetimes.
Additionally, the owner of the braid consumed a lot of fish. This tidbit was important. Since monastic life frowned on meat but not fish, this strongly suggests that the hair belonged to a nun and not a villager. It may be the only clue that this person was even a woman, since gender remains uncertain. However, Romsey had always been a refuge for nuns.
The Nun Of Amorgos
Some of the world's oldest monasteries exist in Amorgos, a rustic island off the coast of Greece.[2] The buildings team with monks—and one nun. Her story is unusual.
Called Sister Irini, she never reveals her real name or much about her old life. Some facts are known, however. She first visited Amorogos as a tourist around 35 years ago, bringing along her family. The island's beauty and slow pace made a deep impression on her. Years later, after her husband died and the children were grown, Sister Irini took her vows in 2011. The Greek Orthodox never returned to Amorogos. She moved into a long-abandoned monastery and renovated it.