My interest in Sijena and the creation of the Cantrix Project began around 2010, during the process of my admission to the Order of Malta. It was only then that I began to discover the heritage and spirituality of the Hospitaller Nuns. As a graduate in medieval music, I could not overlook the prominent liturgical roles of the Cantrix, Precentrix and Paraphonista written in the Rule of Sijena. The well-preserved Processionale of Sijena, a source of Gregorian chants from the 15th century, proves that music, processions, the sound of bells and the venerable singing of psalms were the ways in which the sisters imprinted themselves on the majestic walls of Sijena. The famous Byzantine ceiling paintings of Sijena reveal the connection to the Holy Land and depth of the Hospitallers' spirituality. This makes Sijena a unique place of pilgrimage and contemplation.  I was surprised to learn that the founder of the monastery, Queen Sancha, had a Polish mother named Rica de Polonia, which strengthens the internal ties even further.
I would like to express my gratitude to all those who made this journey possible: the Order of Malta in Switzerland and Poland, and Ensemble Peregrina. This would not have been possible without the support of my wonderful family in Poland and the US, my dear friends from childhood, church and work, who accompany me daily on my path to Heaven.