The Society of Our Lady of the Isles (SOLI) is a small Anglican religious order for women, founded in the late 20th century. It is located in Shetland, and is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is arguably the most remote community (by location) within the Anglican Communion. The Rule of the community is a mixture of Franciscan and Cistercian, but with heavy Celtic influences.
The community dates its origin from 1984 when the Reverend Mother Mary Agnes arrived on the island of Fetlar to live a contemplative and isolated life of prayer. She took over a simple cottage with a small barn suitable for conversion to a chapel. Others began to visit, or stay, and in 1988 the Society was named and came into existence as a group, rather than an individual. Mother Mary Agnes was formally recognised as Superior by the Church in 1993. [1]
Convent buildings were originally developed on Fetlar. The main convent house was a safe and secure modern building, and a new chapel was built on the convent site, dedicated to "Christ the Encompasser and all his Angels". A version of the community's Rule is followed by a number of 'external oblates', who support the community, and live under simple promises, but not full monastic vows.
In 2015, the community moved to the island of Unst [2] where more medical and social care is available than on Fetlar; one Sister now lives in sheltered care at Uyeasound. A new chapel and community house have been built at Westing on the Atlantic coast of Unst. The community's buildings on Fetlar have been sold.
The Byre Chapel was the original place of worship developed from a barn. It was noteworthy for its simple and rustic style of construction and furnishing. The opposite end retained its traditional use, as the SOLI community goat lived there. [3]
The Chapel of Christ the Encompasser and All His Angels was of modern construction and part of the 'new' convent buildings on Fetlar. The daily office was prayed here, and there was a Sunday mass. The chapel afforded impressive sea views.
The new buildings on Unst include the Chapel of Jesus the Good Shepherd.
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated in the Northern Atlantic, between Great Britain, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost part of Scotland and of the wider United Kingdom.
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Yell is one of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland. In the 2011 census it had a usually resident population of 966. It is the second largest island in Shetland after the Mainland with an area of 82 square miles (212 km2), and is the third most populous in the archipelago, after the Mainland and Whalsay.
Fetlar is one of the North Isles of Shetland, Scotland, with a usually resident population of 61 at the time of the 2011 census. Its main settlement is Houbie on the south coast, home to the Fetlar Interpretive Centre. Fetlar is the fourth-largest island of Shetland and has an area of just over 4,000 hectares (15 sq mi).
Unst is one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is the northernmost of the inhabited British Isles and is the third-largest island in Shetland after the Mainland and Yell. It has an area of 46 square miles (120 km2).
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Uyea is an uninhabited island, lying south of Unst in Shetland, Scotland.
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Franciscan spirituality in Protestantism refers to spirituality in Protestantism inspired by the Catholic friar Saint Francis of Assisi. Emerging since the 19th century, there are several Protestant adherent and groups, sometimes organised as religious orders, which strive to adhere to the teachings and spiritual disciplines of Saint Francis of Assisi.
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