Young priest turns forsaken farm into paradise homestead

Kirsten Dirksen・22 minutes read

An Austrian priest living in a remote mountain region emphasizes the benefits of walking for mental clarity and solitude, residing in a transformed rustic house named Eremos Santonofrio. His lifestyle focuses on self-sufficiency, energy conservation, and unique architectural features like a vaulted wooden ceiling, rejecting contemporary church art in favor of more abstract, traditional styles.

Insights

  • The Austrian priest emphasizes the benefits of solitude and silence in the mountains for mental clarity, highlighting the importance of walking as a means to achieve this state of mind.
  • The priest's lifestyle in the remote region focuses on self-sufficiency, energy conservation, and traditional practices such as growing food and preserving goods, showcasing a commitment to sustainability and resilience in challenging winter conditions.

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Recent questions

  • Why does the priest choose to live in the mountains?

    Solitude and silence for mental clarity.

  • What architectural features characterize the priest's dwelling?

    Stone slabs, rocket mass heater, energy conservation.

  • How does the priest practice self-sufficiency in his lifestyle?

    Growing food, making preserves, adapting to winter challenges.

  • What architectural elements are present in the priest's chapel?

    Vaulted wooden ceiling, unique design features.

  • How does the priest approach gardening in his mountain home?

    Stone terraces, Ruth Stout potato patch method.

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Summary

00:00

"Austrian priest embraces solitude in remote mountains"

  • The region features challenging switchbacks, leading to a remote location with limited accessibility.
  • An Austrian priest resides in the area, emphasizing the importance of walking for mental clarity.
  • The priest's decision to live in the mountains stems from a desire for silence and solitude.
  • The region contains numerous abandoned homes due to a historical population shift to urban areas.
  • The priest's dwelling, named Eremos Santonofrio, was transformed from a traditional rustic house.
  • The house's construction involved stone slabs from the local area, reflecting regional architectural practices.
  • The priest's stove is a custom-built rocket mass heater, combining efficiency and radiant heat.
  • The house's interior features a compact living space with a focus on energy conservation and self-sufficiency.
  • The priest's lifestyle includes growing food, making preserves, and adapting to the challenges of winter weather.
  • The dwelling includes a chapel or oratory for prayer and reflection, showcasing unique architectural features like a vaulted wooden ceiling.

15:44

"Traditional Latin Mass and Gardening Techniques"

  • The priest celebrates the traditional Latin Mass, appreciating the mix of Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic styles in the church's architecture, emphasizing the symbolism of ancient art and the vaulted ceiling's organic nature.
  • The priest believes modern times should not aim to imitate the world in church art or Mass, rejecting a contemporary, worldly atmosphere in favor of a more abstract, upward-pointing direction.
  • The priest discusses managing temperature fluctuations in his garden, noting the challenges of extreme heat during the day and cold at night, impacting plant growth.
  • Stone terraces are built to create microclimates in the garden, with southern-exposed walls absorbing warmth during the day and radiating it at night, aiding plant survival in winter.
  • The priest employs the Ruth Stout potato patch method, using old hay and leaves to grow potatoes, simplifying the harvest process and emphasizing the importance of building soil in gardening.
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