In Austria, the town of Saalfelden in Salzburg is looking for a person "at peace with himself" to live alone in a 350-year-old hermitage built inside a natural cave. The occupation will unfortunately be unpaid and the amenities are scarce but it promises immense spirituality and experiencing life in a non-superficial manner.
According to The Telegraph, the job posting is "an extremely rare job opportunity" highly coveted by the township. While part-time, the prospective hermit must have an earning job it will not provide any compensation. It would not provide basic amenities including running water or heat -- making it a great retreat for someone who loves adventure and embraces personal spirituality.
According to the local cleric Alois Moser, the ideal candidate is someone who is "at peace with their self, and willing to talk to people, but not to impose." They also seek someone preferably of the Christian or Catholic faith as former hermits had been monks but they require no actual experience in hermitage.
According to Travel and Leisure, the small town of Saalfelden in Salzburg is a great location for "anyone looking for solitude." The hermit's responsibility is to guide visitors and people occasionally into the chapel. Father Moser said there are "potential difficulties" but the clergy is confident it would find "the right man" for the job.
The previous occupant of the hermitage was a Viennese Pastor and psychotherapist. He had found difficulties after a few months, prompting him to resume his regular life as a psychotherapist and local pastor. Before him was a Benedictine monk who lived in the hermitage for more than 10 years.
The hermit, while living in solitude religiously, has the responsibility of occasionally listening to locals and outsiders as they enjoy the view from the hermitage -- one of the non-material compensations of the occupation. Despite the difficulty of the job, in 1970, the jealousy of an unsuccessful candidate prompted him to fire a shotgun at the doors of the hermitage. This prompted the hermit at the time to move back to his former home.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
