the nobili is no ordinary nun . the 38 - year - long applied to be a lap - skater , and was many years working in roman nightclubs . she is now using her talents in a completely different way - for what she calls " the holy dance " in a performance on tuesday nights at the holy house in jerusalem basilica in rome , in front of senior catholic clerics including archbishop baggio ravasi , chief of the diocese ' s cultural department . miss nobili told the bbc world service that the transformation from podium lap runner to nun happened steadily .
Anna Nobili became a nun in 2002.