A SELF-styled ‘nun on the run’ who has travelled to 268 countries, dropped in on Amsterdam’s Red Light District and danced in the world famous Brazilian carnival before stopping off for a visit to Ely this week.

A SELF styled ‘nun on the run’ who has travelled to 268 countries, dropped in on Amsterdam’s Red Light District and danced in the world famous Brazilian carnival stopped off for a visit to Ely this week.

Sister Ruth Augustus, 69, has spent the last 40 years travelling the globe and spreading the word of God to thousands of people but took time out from her hectic schedule on Monday to pay a visit to the city.

Sr Ruth is in the region preparing the population for the visit of Pope Benedict in ?September?.

She said: “Of all the 268 countries I have visited I think my favourite places have to be The Philippines, Nigeria and Brazil. They are beautiful places and I think a lot of the people there are very spiritually aware.

“I have to say though that Ely Cathedral is the most beautiful cathedral in the world. I think it is stunning and I really love the city. It is so peaceful and I am very jealous of the people who live here.”

The 69-year-old was born and raised in Birmingham and went on to study English Literature and History at Keele University in Staffordshire before becoming a nun in her twenties.

She decided to set out on a journey around the world when she heard the voice of Jesus telling her to go out and spread his message of joy while praying at Westminster Abbey.

Her missionary work has taken her around the world since then and has seen her help thousands of people worldwide from AIDS orphans in Africa right through to men with marital difficulties in local pubs. She has even had to order four new passports after filling the pages with immigration stamps.

She said: “Women will quite often approach me and talk openly about their problems but men don’t often open up like that and I have found that the best time to talk to them is after a few pints in the pub.”

Her travels have also taken her to the famous Red Light District in Amsterdam where she stopped for a prayer with some of the working women.

“I asked several of the girls why there were working in such a terrible place and they said to me that they had been promised work by businessmen several months before travelling to The Netherlands, only to have their passports taken away on arrival.

“Many of the girls were happy to pray with me but there wasn’t much else I could do.”

Sr Ruth is currently embarking on a tour of East Anglia and is hoping to speak to as many people as she can as she tours what she says is her favourite part of the country.

She said: “The people in East Anglia are still very spiritually connected and I think this will be the seat of Christian revival in England.”

To get in touch with Sister Ruth visit her website at www.angelfire.com/stars4/sister-ruth/index7.

Sister Ruth Augustus. Photo: