Lithuanian woman Viktorija leaves Catholic monastery after 20 years
Lithuanian Viktorija Voidogaitė left a Catholic monastery after twenty years and shared her story with Delfi.
Viktorija Voidogaitė, a Lithuanian woman who spent twenty years living in a Catholic monastery, has decided to close that chapter of her life and move on. In an interview with Delfi, she spoke about what led her to this decision and what life looks like after leaving.
Voidogaitė stressed that leaving a monastery does not necessarily mean giving up one's faith — the two can exist separately. She currently works at Vilnius University, where she trains future teachers, and divides her time between Lithuania and Italy.
Besides her academic work, Voidogaitė has written a book about loneliness, drawing on experiences and reflections gathered both during her time in the monastery and after leaving it.
The interview was published by the Lithuanian outlet Delfi.lt, and her story has drawn attention to how people who spent long periods in religious life find a new place in society while keeping their spiritual beliefs.
