Sacred Silence and Fiery Roasting: Discovering Wood-Roasted Coffee at the remote Monastery of Silence in the Tuscan hills

A few weeks ago, after a Summer Solstice spiritual retreat in the mountains above Modena, I was handed a cup of coffee. Nothing unusual there, except that this was no ordinary brew. The aroma was rich yet gentle, the taste was a little sweet with a well-balanced bitterness and acidic notes and it had a deep, rich flavour that was not overpowering. Despite having drunk the coffee very late in the evening, astonishingly, I slept soundly that night, contrary to what normally happens when I drink coffee after lunchtime.

That single cup set me on a journey of discovery: where did this extraordinary coffee come from? The answer led me high into the Tuscan hills above Barberino del Mugello, to a remote spiritual haven - the Monastero del Silenzio or The Monastery of Silence. On a hot Sunday morning, with some friends in tow, we embarked on our coffee pilgrimage along a long and very rocky road (n.b. do not rely on Google Maps) with a fair amount of swearing on the way that we hoped we would be forgiven for on entry to the Monastery.

A Place Suspended in Time 

Perched on the St. Michael Ley line, this monastery is not just a spiritual retreat location but a place where stillness, prayer, and craftsmanship intertwine. The monks here practice Hesychasm, a contemplative monastic tradition in Eastern Christianity, particularly within the Eastern Orthodox Church, that seeks divine stillness through uninterrupted prayer. It emphasizes inner peace and union with the Divine.

The monastery grounds include an animal sanctuary, a cellar for Spagyric medicine (a form of holistic alchemy), and, most surprisingly of all, a tiny coffee roastery where beans are toasted slowly and patiently over a wood-fired oven.

 

It was here that I met Father Maurizio, who first began roasting coffee in his younger years and now continues this tradition in the silence of the monastery.

Coffee’s Mystical Journey

Father Maurizio reminded us of coffee’s origin story: discovered around the year 900 in Ethiopia when goats, after eating the berries, danced restlessly through the night. The goatherds who became frustrated with their nocturnally active goats, enlisted the help of curious monks who began to observe the phenomenon. They began experimenting themselves; first chewing the raw beans, only to realise that they were very difficult to digest. Later they discovered that heat transformed their bitterness into rich, aromatic flavours and when mixed with water, the brew was much easier to digest. And so slowly over time, coffee became a companion to prayer, vigils, and pilgrimage.

From Ethiopia, coffee spread through Yemen, where Sufi mystics drank it to sustain long nights of meditation. Caravans carried it across the Arab world, and by the 16th century it had become a daily ritual in Mecca, Cairo, and Constantinople.

How Coffee Reached Europe

Coffee entered Europe through the Ottoman Turks. Venetian merchants were among the first to import the exotic beans in the late 1500s, but the drink was controversial. Some Church leaders denounced it as “the devil’s drink,” a temptation from infidels.

Legend has it that Pope Clement VIII (1536–1605) was urged to ban it. Curious, he tasted a cup himself and, delighted by its flavour, declared: “This devil’s drink is so delicious that it would be a pity to let only infidels enjoy it. We shall cheat Satan by baptising it and making it truly Christian.” From that moment, coffee was no longer condemned but sanctified.

The first European coffeehouses opened soon after. In Vienna, coffee took hold dramatically after the failed Ottoman siege of 1683, when sacks of beans left behind by retreating soldiers were brewed into the city’s first cups. Thus, began the culture of the Viennese Kaffeehaus - the renowned spaces of music, philosophy, and political debate. From Austria, coffee culture spread southwards, finding its truest expression in Italy, where the art of espresso, cappuccino, and ritualised daily coffee drinking became its national identity.

The Science and Spirit of the Bean

Today, the Monastero del Silenzio sources beans from the “coffee belt”: Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Brazil, Nicaragua, and beyond.

Here, Father Maurizio explained, lies a crucial difference:

• Arabica beans, cultivated at high altitudes (600–2,000m), grow more slowly in cooler climates. Their slower maturation develops complexity, delicate acidity, floral and fruity notes, and less caffeine. Because parasites and pests cannot thrive at higher altitudes, Arabica requires far fewer pesticides, making it gentler for both body and planet.
• Robusta, grown at lower altitudes (200–800m), matures faster, carries more caffeine, and is naturally more bitter and strong-bodied. Its higher caffeine content acts as a natural insect repellent, which allows it to thrive in warmer climates. Robusta coffees are cheaper and often used in blends to provide body and ‘crema’ – the creamy foam on the top of a well-prepared coffee with a coffee machine.

While the coffee selected by the monks does not hold organic certifications, the monks choose high-altitude beans whenever possible, not only for their flavour and significant lack of pesticide use but also because they align with their philosophy of purity and balance.

The Art of Wood-Fired Roasting

Most coffee today is roasted in industrial machines regulated by computers. At the Monastery of Silence, the “computer” is a monk’s trained eye and steady hand.

The process is both art and devotion. The beans begin raw and green, gradually heated in a wood-fired oven. As their moisture evaporates, sugars caramelize, and proteins fuse in what is scientifically referred to as the Maillard Reaction; the same transformation that gives seared steak its meaty flavoured crust, toast its crust and crunchy texture and chocolate its complex flavour and aroma compounds. 

The result of roasting the coffee beans at low temperatures, continuous stirring and lengthy roasting is a symphony of up to 2,000 scent compounds and 25 distinct aromas, coaxed gently into being over firewood. Instead of the harsh, high-heat roasting often used to mask poor quality beans, the monks roast slowly and at lower temperatures, ensuring each bean is evenly transformed, right to its very core. Father Maurizio says that the colour of a perfectly-roasted coffee bean should be the colour of a monk’s habit. 

Each batch may differ slightly, shaped by human judgement and the variability of wood-fired heat. But that is precisely what makes it alive, authentic, and utterly unique.

Blends with Soul

Rather than follow the more industrial philosophy of blending beans once they have been roasted, the monks prefer to blend their beans beforehand, so the aromas marry in the fire itself. Their signature Mistico blend is 70% Arabica and 30% Robusta which is balanced, aromatic, smooth yet rounded.

And then there is their truly extraordinary creation: Caffè Sacro, or Sacred Coffee.

Here, green beans are placed in rum barrels - which still contain a little rum - absorbing the spirit-soaked wood. The barrels are carried into the church, where they are blessed 33 times by the Abbot, Father Massimo, and left to macerate for 15 days while immersed in the frequencies of the sacred music which plays continuously. When finally roasted, the coffee emerges with a warmth and depth unlike any other: a coffee infused with prayer, sound, and spirit - both ethereal and physical… and a slight hint of rum.

Even their decaffeinated coffee is remarkable, using only pure water to remove caffeine, thereby avoiding the chemical solvents of conventional decaffeination processes.

More Than Just Coffee

The monks like to say that coffee is not just a drink but a bridge between the earthly and the divine. When roasted in silence, with patience and care, it carries not just flavours but intentions.

Perhaps that is why the cup I drank that magical summer evening felt so different - gentle, grounding, almost sacred.

At a time when most coffee is mass-produced and stripped of soul, the Monastery of Silence reminds us that something as simple as a cup of coffee can carry meaning, ritual, and stillness. For many people, and most certainly for me, their morning coffee-making routine has become a ritual. And so I am currently enjoying this ritual with a sacred coffee, roasted with love and with pure intentions, because all of the profits of the coffee sales go towards saving animals and restoring the Monastery.

A Coffee Worth Seeking Out

While spontaneous visits to the monastery aren’t possible at the moment, visits on Sundays and participation at mass are possible on appointment.  Here at Yummy Italy we can organise visits on request depending on availability.

Explore their coffee at Monastero del Silenzio Shop

Whether it’s the smooth Mistico blend, the experimental Sacred Coffee, or a gently roasted decaf, each sip is a journey into history, devotion, and flavour.

So next time you sip your coffee, ask yourself: What energy is held in this cup? Is it the product of machines and speed, or of hands, prayer, fire, and silence?

At the Monastery of Silence, every roast is a meditation. And every cup is an invitation to pause, to savour, and to remember that even the simplest rituals can hold something sacred.