on october 1, 2006, two monks of uznach abbey, fr matthias beer and fr joseph maria schnider, were sent on mission to kazakhstan. the monks established a "cella" at the village of osornoe. in 1941, the residents of osornoe were spared from famine when a large number of fish miraculously appeared in a nearby meltwater lake. attributed to the virgin mary, the miracle was chosen as the name of the new monastic foundation.