Nunery

Quickly moving through peru and im in Arequipa. Im half dead from the night bus but have managed to visit a nunery built in the 16th century when christianity was brought over. This was a nunery for the rich...each nun had her own quarters with multiple servants. Ok lets start from the beginning. Back in those days, the first born son would have to marry to carry on the family name. The second born son had a choice, join the military to become a priest. If he chose the military then the second born daughter was to be a nun. The idea was that every family needed at least one person praying for the salvation of the whole lot. The second born daughter, at the age of 12 would spend 4 years as a "Novice"...living in the nunery but speaking to no one (although family could come and visit now and again and speak to her through a gate). After 4 years, she would become a nun afterwhich she would never have contact with the outside world again. Even after a nuns death, her family members would not have the oppertunity to see the body. This all sounds horrible, but life outside the walls of the nunery was a lot worse.


Blue,red and white: the three main colors found in the nunery.