Ciao again! I know it's been a long time since I last updated but our schedule was so full I wasn't able to get internet any place until now. So I will try to do a brief summary of what's been happening, and the wonderful things we've seen and done, with a few pictures! I wish I could recount it all in all the glorious detail . . . Lemme 'splain . . . no, is too long, lemme sum up!
Tuesday, we did a rosary walk down to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and saw the Portiuncula. Then in the afternoon we hiked all the way up Mount Subasio to the hermitage of St. Francis, which was
incredible. There are no words to describe the peace and beauty of this place. I loved the chapel especially. So Franciscan, beautiful and yet quite simple. By far it was my most favorite place so far.
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| The Chapel of the Hermitage of St. Francis. |
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| The view from the Hermitage. |
Wednesday morning was our last day in Assisi, and it was so beautiful. We had Mass in a gorgeous side chapel of Santa Chiara (St. Clare), and then I went back to the tomb of St. Francis to pray. We were given Tau Crosses by the priest with us, Fr. Bergida, and we touched to the tomb of St. Francis. Then on the way back Jordan surprised me by giving me a stunning green scarf to remember Assisi by. :)
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| Our group praying before the original San Damiano crucifix before we went in to Mass. |
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| We encountered some random burros . . . and so the boys decided to try to feed them . . . |
Wednesday afternoon we left by bus to Siena!
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| And this is why my back has been feeling great the last few days . . . |
Siena is very different than Assisi. It's more city-like and modern, and is full of fashionable shops. Whereas Assisi is all about St. Francis and St. Clare, in Siena places of spiritual significance have to be sought out.
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| The Duomo, the gorgeous huge church of Siena. |
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| Inside the Duomo. I have so many pictures, it's hard to choose just a few to put up here! |
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| In the crypt of the Duomo is this touching Medieval fresco, which reminded me of The Pieta. |
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| We got to climb to the top of the archway of the "New Church," which was started centuries ago but never completed, and got an incomparable view of all Siena and the surrounding countryside. (Notice my very pretty green scarf. :) |
Today, the feast of the Triumph of the Cross, we had Mass at the church of San Francisco, and we saw the Eucharistic miracle there of the hosts that have been miraculously preserved for over two centuries after having been stolen and then found again. I don't have any pictures of this, unfortunately. After Mass an elderly priest with a thick Southern Italian accent showed us the room with the miracle, and displayed it to us for adoration for over an hour. It was such an intense experience: all of us paying homage there to Our Lord hidden in the hosts on our knees on the marble floor of the cathedral. We sang hymns and went up individually to pray before the miracle, and Fr. Bergida waited in the back to hear confessions of anyone who wanted to go. This was even more amazing than the hermitage, and I think it was a very solid, good experience for our whole group.
Then, afterward, we wandered out and now have some free time until dinner with the group. Some decided to spend their time, erm, exploring the nearby Italian playground.
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| Oh, those boys . . . |
Even Padre got in on the fun!
Well, that's all for now! Tomorrow we head back to Rome at last. It has been a beautiful pilgrimage, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us in the rest of the semester!
Arrivederci!
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| This exit sign and crucifix in the hallway of our hotel cracks me up. In case of emergency, run to Jesus! :) |
xo Lauren
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