After 150 years of being secluded from the public, the Mothers of Augustine convent in Ecuador opened their doors for the first time to almost 1,500 civilians on Saturday.

The nuns decided to open their convent to the public in order to let the outside world take a look at their inaccessible domain. This event is said to mark the 150^th anniversary of their arrival in the capital of Ecuador.

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A tour has been organized over the weekend which was headed by Javier Cevallos, the foundation director for organizing the tours.

He noted that the event is indeed a first and the nuns believe it will also be the last time that the convent will be opened. According to reports, the nuns do not want to break the tradition they have started.

The head nun was the only one allowed to have contact with the outside world during the tours. Also, the bishop's order was required for other people to be allowed inside the monastery.

The nuns arrived in Ecuador 150 years ago and originally settled in Colombia but were expelled in 1864 by a law prohibiting their confinement. The nuns then transferred to Quito where they first started living an isolated lifestyle.

Reports say that there are only seven nuns from the Mothers of Augustine. These nuns live in the monastery which is surrounded by thick white walls and thick heavy wooden doors.

According to reports, the monastery has a large courtyard as well as a mural that has 109 images which tell the story of how the nuns ended up in Ecuador.

One of the visitors, Angel Galarza, went on the tour together with his wife, kids, and grandchildren. Galarza told the media that back in his days as a teenager, he had the "privilege" of being allowed to enter the convent.

He added that he could not talk to the nuns back then and he could only see them when they went to mass. He also noted that he could only hear their voices whenever they sang in church.

TagsEcuador, Nuns, Mothers of Augustine, Open chapel, convent, convent opens to public