Brother Joël writing a letter in the study. ..The new Munkeby Mariakloster - kloster is Norwegian for monastery . The four founding French monks will establish their discrete presence as a contemplative monastery according to the Rule of Saint Benedict, written in the 6th century. Brother Joel (55) & Cîteaux's Prior, brothers Arnaud (31), Bruno (33) and Cyril (81), have all chosen to be part of the founding community, despite Norway's rude climate and winter darkness at latitude 63º N, not far from the arctic circle.Munkeby, the "place of the monks" was the third and northernmost Norwegian monastery established by the Cistercians in the 12th century