the nobili is no ordinary figure . the 38 - year - old used to be a lap - dancer , and spend these years working in italian nightclubs . she is now using her talents in a radically different way - for what she calls " the holy dancing " in a performance on the evening at the holy cross in jerusalem mosque in milan , in favour of senior catholic clerics including archbishop gianfranco ravasi , chair of the papacy ' s cultural department . miss nobili told the bbc british service that the transformation from podium lap dancers to woman occurs gradually .
Anna Nobili became a nun in 2002.