Christmas favorites help monks and nuns win fans, pay the bills
From left, nuns Alejandra Jaime, 39, Maria Ines Maldonado, 76, Maria Auxiliadora Estrada, 59, and Patricia Marin, 28, store fritters with Christmas figures in clear plastic bags for sale at the Convent of the Mothers Perpetual Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament in Mexico City, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)
(AP Photo/Ginnette Riquelme)
MEXICO CITY (AP) — It's the fortnight before Christmas and all through the world's Catholic convents, nuns and monks are extra busy preparing the traditional delicacies they sell to a loyal fan base even in rapidly secularizing countries.
For many monastic communities, especially those devoted to contemplative life and with vows of poverty, producing cookies, fruitcakes, and even beer for sale is the only means to keep the lights on.
But it's also an enticing way to strengthen their ties with lay people who flock to their doors — and in some cases their websites — during the holiday season.
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