Etude of a Prayer

This 30-min film gives an overview of Bridgettine Order, the founder of the Order – Saint Bridget and the restorer of the Order – Mother Elisabeth.

If during medieval the convent was an understandable part of social life then later, after the reformation, the tradition of a convent as an institution disappeared from Estonia and from our neighborhood. Today this is still enigmatic. Nevertheless convents do exist, even here. And the influence of global ecumenical movement to religious life altogether, including restoring of the convent, is recognizable.

In the film Mother Riccarda speaks about the possible motives for joining the convent and brings out the main idea – there has to be a calling for joining the convent. A true calling. And there can’t be any problems left behind, a person has to be free. With this she disproves the myth of people joining the convent only as a result of shattered dreams or unhappy love.

Lagle Parek gives an overview of the history of the convent in Pirita. She points out that Pirita is one of the first Brigettine convents built right after the main convent in Vadstena was finished and what is especially interesting is the phenomenal size of Pirita convent.