From screen to silence: Alicia Alonzo embraces life as a nun at 78

In an emotional conversation with Julius Babao on his YouTube channel, veteran actress Alicia Alonzo opened up about one of the most significant and surprising turns in her life: her decision to retire from showbiz and live as a nun in a monastery.

Alonzo, known for her enduring contributions to Philippine cinema, is now embracing a path far removed from the limelight—one grounded in silence, contemplation, and faith.

“I am turning 79 this June,” she began, her voice calm and reflective. “All my life, I’ve done what I wanted. But now, at this age, whatever time is left—I feel like it’s only right to give it all to Him.”

The former actress shared that her journey into monastic life began with a simple invitation from a neighbor who was already affiliated with the religious community. Initially, it was just to attend Mass. But what started as a quiet gesture of faith slowly unfolded into something deeper.

“I was already active in the charismatic community, but there came a time, after so many years, where I felt something was missing,” Alonzo admitted. “I didn’t know what it was. So when I prayed, I would ask, ‘Lord, please show me the way, show me the truth. You’re the way, the truth, and the life.’”

The turning point came when Alonzo was hospitalized for vertigo and could not return to work. In that period of stillness, she requested to stay at the monastery. It was supposed to be a short visit—just one week. But during that time, something shifted within her.

“I saw how they lived. That’s when it started getting serious for me,” she recalled.

Living among the sisters, away from the glamor and pressure of her public life, Alonzo said she experienced a kind of freedom she had never known before.

“Here, I am not an artista,” she said. “I felt freedom. I am free. I don’t have to think about anything else. My only focus now is this one prayer: ‘Sana makarating ako sa langit.’ That’s my goal now—salvation.”

For a woman who spent decades captivating audiences with powerful performances and screen presence, Alicia Alonzo’s quiet retreat into a life of prayer is not a withdrawal—but a culmination. A final act of surrender. A leap of faith.