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The Pilgrim's Italy
ISBN 0-9719860-0-2
Book Excerpts
Introduction History of Pilgrimage Latium (Lazio) Rieti Valley St. Francis of Assisi Rome St. Peter the Apostle St. Paul the Apostle St. Ignatius of Loyola St. Philip Neri St. Catherine of Siena Other Shrines in Rome Umbria Assisi St. Francis of Assisi St. Clare of Assisi Other Places of Interest in Assisi Places of Interest Near Assisi More St. Francis Shrines in Umbria More St. Francis Shrines in Italy Cascia St. Rita of Cascia Città di Castello St. Veronica of Giuliani Blessed Margaret of Metola Foligno Blessed Angela of Foligno Montefalco St. Clare of the Cross
Why are two American yogis interested in the Catholic saints of Italy? Our spiritual teacher, Paramhansa Yogananda, taught us to read and study the lives of the saints, so that we might be inspired by them, emulate them and strive to become more saint-like ourselves. Following this advice, we decided to make our honeymoon a pilgrimage, and planned our trip around visiting shrines in Italy.
While preparing for our trip, we discovered that most travel guides are not useful for pilgrimage. They describe in great detail the art and architecture of a church or shrine, but rarely mention the saint to whom the church is dedicated. We managed to find a few travel guides on pilgrimage, talked to some friends who made suggestions, and researched on the Internet. We were frustrated with trying to integrate information from so many diverse sources, and realized there was a need for one concise pilgrimage guide for Italy. We wanted a book that contained detailed information about each shrine, great directions and maps, and helpful Italian phrases. Such a guide would make pilgrimage to Italy more rewarding and encourage more people to experience the joys of sacred travel.
While on our honeymoon, we gathered information everywhere we went. The following year we returned to Italy to visit over thirty-five additional shrines. We soon discovered that Italy must be home to more saints than any other country! Though we have not determined exactly how many Italian saints there are, let's just say there are too many to describe in one book. To narrow it down, we decided to include only those saints who experienced direct communion with the Divine, and with whom we felt a special connection. We then continued our research and began writing.
Our descriptions of the saints and their shrines include some of our personal experiences, but remember everyone's experience will be unique. There are tangible blessings to be received at each and every shrine--we only have to be open to the possibility.
We have discovered that we feel a saint's spiritual power and blessings more easily when we create an inner environment that invites them to visit. We do this by stilling our hearts and minds in meditation. When we are receptive, the saints transmit their love of God to us as a taste of what awaits us if we stay centered in God. Many spiritually minded people are seeking profound and transformational experiences to inspire them on their spiritual paths, and we are offering straightforward tools that have helped us to realize this goal. Even without visiting a shrine, we have found inspiration when reading about the life of a saint, and begin to imagine how it would be to live for God alone, as they have done.
Though the saints in this book are Roman Catholic, we have written for people of all faiths. In this age of expanding spiritual awareness and interest in understanding different religions, it becomes apparent that most religions and faiths share basic beliefs. We believe that Truth is universal and transcends religious boundaries. God-realized souls or saints can share that Truth with us, regardless of their, or our, particular faith. To listen for this guidance, our hearts and minds must be still. The techniques we offer will enable you to achieve this stillness.
Our hope is that this travel guide will provide the inspiration, tools and information you need to create a more meaningful, and possibly profound, experience when visiting the saints and their shrines. May the saints of all religions bless you on your spiritual journey.
In our busy world many people are searching to find balance between their inner spiritual lives and their outer material ones. Pilgrimage is one way to energize our search for deeper meaning and purpose in our lives. Through pilgrimage, the spirit is renewed and our general outlook becomes uplifted, changing the way we look at everyday life. The footsteps of pilgrims have echoed continuously through the halls of time, for by visiting sacred sites we are able to immerse ourselves in their powerful vibrations and have a direct personal experience of divinity. This experience is the power of pilgrimage and why it is a major tenet of most religions.
Pilgrimage has been practiced since the sun first rose on human civilization. Before recorded history, the faithful devotees of the Indus valley, people now known as Hindus, made sacred treks to the revered sites of India. The Hindu spiritual life is a process of reaching complete union or oneness with the Divine, a state of consciousness known as samadhi, and pilgrimage has historically been a means of seeking this deep connection. Modern Hindus continue to take pilgrimage very seriously, often traveling to one of the seven sacred rivers, seven liberation-giving cities, or other spiritual sites found throughout their ancient land. For the Hindu, where one "goes" on pilgrimage is not as important as how one follows the "way of the pilgrim." The goal is to have a personal experience of God through a life-changing encounter with the Divine and to experience God as an inner reality.
While pilgrimage in Hinduism relates to universal sacred sites and temples of the deities, the Buddhist tradition of pilgrimage is associated with the specific places important to the life of the Buddha. Following the death of the Buddha in 544 B.C., the sites marking the four sacred events of his life were enshrined. These four primary sites of veneration are the birthplace of the Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal; the site of his enlightenment under the Bo Tree located in Bodh Gaya, India; the locale of his first teaching in Sarnath, India; and the place of his death, or final nirvana, in Kushinagar, India. In addition, the ashes from his funeral pyre were distributed to eight stupas, or burial mounds, throughout India, which have also become pilgrimage destinations. A Buddhist pilgrim seeks to abandon the material world and dive into a deeper understanding and assimilation of the teachings of the Buddha. The sacred journey is a means of purification and elimination of karma due to past actions, leading to enlightenment or nirvana, the ultimate goal for every Buddhist. With the blessings of the Buddha and all the great souls that pay homage at these shrines, the holy sites continue to be vibrant spots of power and enlightenment even 2500 years after the Buddha's exit from this world.
Every aspirant in the Islamic tradition is encouraged to make a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca, if physically and financially feasible. One of the Seven Pillars of Islam is Hajj, or pilgrimage to the Haram mosque in the Saudi Arabian holy city of Mecca, in order to pray and commune with God. Muslims descend on Mecca from all over the globe to commune together in peace, for peace is the dominant theme of their pilgrimage. They seek peace with Allah, with their own souls, with one another, and with all living creatures.
This search for peace actually has its roots in Judaism, as the prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael originally founded the Ka'ba in Mecca two millennia before Christ. They initiated the rituals that are now an integral part of Islam. Following their inception, these rites were practiced in increasingly lower degrees of devotion until the time of the Prophet Mohammed in 622 A.D. Mohammed re-introduced the importance of pilgrimage and specifically the holy significance of Hajj in Islamic life. The Hajj is the peak of religious experience for the Muslim, and over four million pilgrims partake in the rites every year. Jerusalem is also an important pilgrimage destination for followers of Islam, for The Dome of the Rock is the site of Mohammed's ascension into heaven to commune with Allah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and other prophets, and is said to be the place of Final Judgment.
Pilgrimage in the Jewish tradition also began with Abraham, as he was the earliest to journey into the desert to seek communion with God. Centuries later, Moses led the definitive pilgrimage when he guided the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the Sinai in search of the Promised Land. This pilgrimage was a way of life for forty years, and formed the very basis of the Hebrew nation.
The history of Jerusalem also plays an important and telling role in the life of the Jewish people, for it parallels their history as a people and relates directly to their practice of pilgrimage. The repeated cycle of construction and destruction of the Temple coincided with the acceptance and rejection of the Jewish people: a cycle that has repeated itself throughout history to the present day.
David first conquered the Jebusite city of Jerusalem in the eleventh century B.C. His son Solomon erected the first temple to house the Ark of the Covenant in the tenth century B.C. Jerusalem became a primary pilgrimage destination of the Jewish people, for all devout Jews were expected to visit the holy site yearly. In 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia destroyed the temple and the Jews were exiled from the city. But fifty years later, the Persians gained control of Jerusalem and welcomed the Hebrews back, allowing them to rebuild the temple. Thus, the tradition of faith and pilgrimage was maintained, and even flourished, over the next four centuries, culminating with the rise in prominence of a Roman Jerusalem under the leadership of Herod the Great at the time of Christ. A new and lavish temple was constructed during Herod's reign and this was the site of many visits by Jesus, as he attended holy days in Jerusalem with his family and later with his disciples.
This temple, too, was destroyed when the Romans attacked the rebellious city in 70 A.D. and burned the temple to the ground. The Jews were eventually exiled from Jerusalem in 135 A.D. following another uprising, and were not allowed to return until the Muslims captured the city in 638 A.D. The Jews did not rebuild the temple, but did build an underground synagogue at the West Wall of the old temple. Their peaceful coexistence with the Muslims lasted another four centuries, until the crusaders conquered the Holy Land in 1099 and decimated the Jewish population, again exiling them from their sacred spot of pilgrimage. They were allowed to return after ten years, and were accepted into the city on a limited basis, but did not regain control of their homeland until the mid-twentieth century. Even with the forming of the state of Israel in 1947, the temple has never been rebuilt, but the West Wall is still an active and revered shrine, a central focus of Jewish pilgrimage.
The first Christian pilgrims were those early members of the Christian community who sought out the sites of the martyred apostles and their slain followers. This outward veneration was an infrequent occurrence, as it often involved traveling long distances and meeting in great secrecy. With the acceptance of Christianity by the Emperor Constantine in 314 A.D., and the pilgrimage of his mother Helen to the Holy Land, many Christians came out of hiding. Helen traveled to Jerusalem and Galilee, being one of the first to seek out the sacred spots of Jesus' life. She encountered the original cross and many relics of his life and death, and returned to Constantinople with these treasures in tow.
After the fifth century, the Church of Rome began to separate from the patriarchates of Constantinople, Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria. By 1054 AD, the Church of Rome broke off permanently, dividing into what is known as the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the same pilgrimage destinations are shared by both churches, most notably, Jerusalem, but there are many sites that are unique to Eastern Orthodoxy. These sites include St. Catherine's Monastery on Mount Sinai, Mount Athos in Greece, and Aegina, a Greek island where the relics of St. Nectarios are found. Orthodox pilgrims typically attend religious services, partake of the sacraments of Confession and Communion, and venerate the holy icons and relics of the saints.
The Middle Ages were arguably the golden years for Christian pilgrimage in Europe. Christianity was at the center of the Western world in both political and religious terms. The roads of Western Europe were trod by countless pilgrims traveling to sites such as Rome to visit the relics of Saints Peter and Paul, to Santiago de Compostela to visit the tomb of St. James, to Loreto, Walsingham, Monte Sant' Angelo, and to countless other places. The people were eager for direct contact with holiness and for Divine intercession in their lives. This desire was fulfilled by visiting the holy sites, and by praying for forgiveness, grace and miracles in the presence of the saints' relics. The relics carried back from the Holy Land by the Crusaders enlivened the spiritual ambiance of many churches and created vortices of power and prayer. Many roads were built, and inns and churches erected, to accommodate the multitudes traversing the continent in search of inner peace and a touch of sanctity.
This trend continued until the advent of the Reformation at the end of the fifteenth century. With Martin Luther's separation from the Roman Catholic Church and the beginning of the Protestant movement, many people began to look anew at the practices of the Church. Many Protestants held the act of pilgrimage as useless and felt the worship of saints was misguided. Their misunderstanding of the heart-felt devotion of many true pilgrims dampened the pilgrim spirit for years and placed a negative connotation on sacred travel. The ancient tradition was again bolstered by the Catholic Counter-Reformation of the sixteenth century, although the numbers of pilgrims never again approached those of the Middle Ages.
The beginning of the industrial revolution and the age of scientific thought produced another low ebb in spirituality, and it took Divine intervention to awaken those with spiritual inclinations. Many highly publicized apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary occurred in the mid-nineteenth century, raising the spiritual consciousness of the masses and starting a new flood of pilgrims to these "modern" holy sites. Blessed Mary's appearance in France at Rue de Bac in 1830, La Salette in 1846, at Lourdes in 1858 and Pontmain in 1871, sparked a renewed interest in pilgrimage. After the turn of the twentieth century, the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary spread to other countries, at Fatima, Banneau, Beauraing, and later, Medjugorje, inspiring many people to visit new lands and discover the depths of the pilgrimage experience.
Now, in the twenty-first century, this quest for a personal experience of the Divine continues to magnetically attract people of all religions and beliefs. Pilgrimage was enjoying an all-time high in the latter part of the twentieth century until the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, when the world of travel was abruptly derailed. We believe this has created only a temporary barrier for many pilgrims traveling to other lands, for pilgrimage will always be a source of inspiration as it has been since the dawn of spiritual aspiration. For a time, the pilgrimages may be more of the heart than of the body, but the longing for God will continue uninterrupted. Whether we travel to a sacred site or stay home and read about a saint, our prayers and focused meditations are the most important aspect of inner pilgrimage. The true essence of pilgrimage is always centered at home in one's own heart.
When God spoke to St. Catherine of Siena as recorded in her Dialogue, He said, "The eye cannot see, nor the tongue tell, nor can the heart imagine how many paths and methods I have, solely for love and to lead them back to grace so that my truth may be realized in them!" God, the Father, Mother Divine, offers us many paths to satisfy our inner yearning for spiritual wholeness, but it is up to each of us to seek out that infinite source of love, embrace it as our own, and awaken the saint within.
Lazio
The region of Latium is in central Italy on the western side of the peninsula. The area is best known for the capital city of Rome, but it is very diverse both geographically and culturally. The western border is formed by the Tyrrhenian Sea that gives way to the flat coastal plains. The plains continue past Rome, and are transformed into the rolling topography of Tuscany and Umbria in the north, and the hills and extinct volcanic mountains of Campania in the south. The Apennine Mountains occupy the eastern edge of the region and the Tiber River enters the plains from the northern valleys and flows through Rome to the sea. While Rome is the leader in ancient and modern culture, the other towns and villages of the region offer glimpses into the more typical Italian lifestyle.
Rieti Valley
St. Francis of Assisi
Rome
St. Paul the Apostle
St. Ignatius of Loyola
St. Philip Neri
St. Catherine of Siena
St. Francis of Assisi traveled by foot and donkey throughout Italy, spreading his doctrine of love. He visited the Rieti Valley on many occasions and founded several hermitages. It is called the Sacred Valley due to the presence of the saint, and for the deep vibrations of devotion he infused into the area. The Rieti Valley is where the first crèche scene was displayed and where St. Francis's eyes were cauterized near the end of his life. He spent much time here in prayer and seclusion and left a legacy of divine love. There are four hermitages in the valley that are associated with St. Francis: Fonte Colombo, Greccio, Poggio Bustone, and Convento Foresta Giaccomo. Read more about St. Francis's life in the chapter on Assisi, in the region of Umbria.
The Sanctuary of Fonte Colombo
Convento di Fonte Colombo
Fonte Colombo means "Dove Spring" and was named by St. Francis because of the doves that drank from the spring here. In the sacred cave, in 1223, Francis fasted for forty days and wrote the final Rule of his Order, asking for the will of Jesus Christ. A group of superiors in his Order came and indicated to him that they could not follow a certain rule. Francis prayed to the Lord to make them understand that it was Christ who desired the rule. Jesus appeared and spoke to all those present, saying that the rule was God's word and not Francis's, and those who could not follow it should leave the order. The brothers, having heard the word of Jesus, understood.
It was here also, in 1226, in a small house next to the convent, that doctors cauterized Francis's eyes, trying to effect a cure for his glaucoma, and Francis asked "Brother Fire" to be gentle. The brothers ran away at the gruesome sight, but Francis said he felt no pain.
The small chapel of Mary Magdalene (La Maddalena) is where St. Francis and his brothers held Mass. The window has a Tau sign that authorities say was drawn by St. Francis. The letter T is a biblical sign of salvation and, after Christ's death, represented the crucifixion. Follow the steps down to a small cave where Brother Leo spent time. Beside the cave is the stump of a tree where Jesus appeared to Francis. After more stairs is the cave where Francis fasted for forty days and completed the Rule. (The mountain fissure was caused by an earthquake.) This is the best place to meditate and pray. It can be cold and damp, so bring something to sit on if you plan to stay awhile. There are few pilgrims here, and it is a very quiet place to contemplate the life of St. Francis.
The Sanctuary is 74 miles (119 km) south of Assisi, about 3 miles (5 km) west of Rieti. Fonte Columbo has overnight accommodations, but you must bring your own sheets and towels. English is not spoken so you must communicate in Italian. Phone: 074 671125 or write in Italian to: Fonte Columbo/02100 Rieti/Italia. A comprehensive guide is available for a donation, inside the courtyard of the convent, in a small room to the right.
Sanctuary of Santa Maria of the Forests
Convento La Foresta Giaccomo
Former drug addicts now run this community and live off the land. A guided tour in Italian is available by ringing the bell. You can visit a cave St. Francis secluded in, and sit where he sat. St. Francis took refuge here to avoid the crowds of people looking for him for a blessing. When the people found him, they demolished most of a farmer's grapes. When the farmer protested, Francis assured him that his harvest would be successful. There was a small harvest of grapes, but when they were pressed, the wine kept increasing. You can see the wine trough where this miracle occurred. This Sanctuary is 68 miles (109 km) south of Assisi, about 3 miles (5 km) north of Rieti.
Greccio
This is where St. Francis recreated the birth of Christ in a stable on Christmas Eve, 1223. There were a group of laymen and women who followed Francis' Rule here during his lifetime, and Francis liked to come and stay here because of their deep piety. St. Francis slept in an alcove in the rock (downstairs). The best place to meditate is upstairs. The cells were built after St. Francis's time. Greccio is 67 miles (108 km) south of Assisi, about 8 miles (12 km) northwest of Rieti.
Poggio Bustone
Francis came here in 1208 for the first time and, according to legend, he received pardon for his sins in the Grotto of Revelations. To the right of the convent are stairs leading to caves used by Francis's brothers. It is a half hour hike up to the caves, starting at a footpath with no marker. Convent of San Giacomo is about 14 miles (22 km) north of Rieti, just east of Rivodutri.
Coming and Going
Rieti Valley
The town of Rieti is about 60 miles (97 km) northeast of Rome, and all the hermitages are located within 15 miles (24 km) of this rural city. You must have a car to access the hermitages, but the drive is pleasant and picturesque. For directions, refer to the map at left, and look for the signs that say "Santuario" while winding through the valley. The hermitages should be open year round, seven days a week, but they close each day from about 12:30-4pm. English is rarely spoken.
Roma
Population 4,000,000
Rome is the most heavily populated city in Italy and home to its ancient culture. Now the country's capital, it was once the center of the Roman Empire, ruler of the known world. Its history and culture are still alive throughout the capital, and it continues to be one of the most vibrant cities of Europe. The richness of the city is found in its diverse matrix of ancient ruins and modern shops, historical monuments and contemporary architecture, quaint shrines and monolithic churches. The tourist in Rome can find anything and everything that Western culture has to offer, including some of the most holy pilgrimage sites in the world.
There are countless shrines in Rome and you can visit for several weeks and still not see everything. Plan your itinerary in advance, allowing enough time to see what interests you most, as well as time for relaxation. This will make your visit more enjoyable and your experiences of the shrines more meaningful. When you first arrive, obtain a copy of "This Week in Rome" from your hotel or tourist information office. This magazine contains current hours of operation for all the shrines and sites of Rome.
St. Peter - Prince of the Apostles
San Pietro 64 A.D.
"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."_(Matthew 16:18)
St. Peter is known as the Prince of the Apostles for his deep faith, strong character and powerful presence among his fellow disciples. He led the early church from obscurity to widespread recognition and laid a solid foundation for the following generations of faithful.
The life of St. Peter is not well documented, but there are several stories in the New Testament detailing episodes in his life. Prior to becoming a disciple, Peter was a fisherman from the Galilean town of Bethsaida, and was called Simon. His brother, St. Andrew, introduced him to Jesus, and at this first meeting Jesus gave him the Aramaic name Kaphas (Cephas), or Peter, meaning rock. Peter and Andrew soon returned to their trade as fisherman and spent time with Jesus as best they could. Finally Jesus petitioned them to join him permanently saying; "Come ye after me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) The brothers enthusiastically followed the Master, becoming his first disciples.
There is no disputing that Peter was the leader of the followers of Jesus for he was often in the forefront of their activities. One incident reveals the depth of Peter's intuitive perception of Jesus. When Jesus asked the disciples if they knew who he was, Peter replied; "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Christ responded; "Blessed art thou Simon, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in Heaven. And I say to thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church." (Matthew 16:18)
The most infamous story concerning Peter is his denial of Christ. After Jesus was forcibly taken from the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter was confronted three different times and asked if he knew Jesus. Just as Jesus had prophesied, Peter denied knowledge of him all three times. While showing his human frailty in this story, Peter would go on to powerfully lead the disciples after the crucifixion. Christ appeared to Peter one last time before his ascension and said to him, "Feed my sheep," (John 21:17) thus inspiring Peter to preach Christ's message throughout Judea and Asia Minor, helping to form the foundations of the Christian church.
Peter led early Christians on many missionary efforts, and was the first of the Apostles to perform a miracle. One day as they approached the temple to pray, a man lame from birth begged Peter and John for alms. Peter said "Silver and gold I have none, but what I have, that give I thee: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, arise and walk." (Acts 3:6) The man stood and, leaping with joy, went with them into the temple to pray.
As Christianity spread and gained popularity, it began to threaten the entrenched hierarchy of the Roman Empire. In 43 A.D., Herod Agrippa I began to persecute the Christians and killed the Apostle James and imprisoned Peter. Peter was chained between two sleeping soldiers when an angel appeared and led him to freedom. He escaped Herod's wrath and went on to preach for twenty more years.
The remaining years of his life are not documented, but he finally ended up in Rome, once again arrested for his faith. Imprisoned and tried, he was executed, following in the footsteps of his Master and hundreds of other martyred Christians. Sentenced to be crucified, Peter asked to be placed upside down, because he did not feel worthy of facing death in the same manner as Jesus. He was crucified about 64 A.D. on Vatican Hill, and is enshrined there in the Basilica of St. Peter.
St. Peter's Basilica
Basilica di San Pietro or San Pietro in Vaticano
St. Peter's Basilica is in the Vatican City at the end of via della Conciliazione and fronted by the vast Piazza San Pietro. The site has a long history dating back to the martyrdom of St. Peter, for the first building was an oratory built over St. Peter's tomb immediately after his death. In 324, Constantine began construction of the original Basilica, creating a monumental structure that was in constant use until the papacy left Rome in the early fourteenth century. With the absence of the popes, the church fell into disrepair, and remained in this state until it was finally dismantled in 1506, when work on the current Basilica was begun. After 120 years of design and construction, the new Basilica was inaugurated in 1626. Many great architects and artists were commissioned to perform the work including Bramante, Bernini and Michelangelo.
There is so much to see at St. Peter's and the Vatican that we recommend buying a separate travel guide. Depending upon your time available, an entire day should be allotted for a fairly complete visit. If you really enjoy museums, plan for additional time. We highlight the more important sites, but use your other guides to plan the details of your visit. You won't want to miss at least some of the Vatican Museums (Musei Vaticani) with Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina), a trip to the top of the dome, and ample time to absorb the wonderful vibrations of St. Peter's tomb.
Your first destination should be the Vatican City Pilgrim and Tourist Information Office (outside, on the left, as you face St. Peter's). Strict dress regulations are enforced in the Basilica, so don't wear shorts, or mini-skirts, and be sure your shoulders and midriff are covered.
As you walk into St. Peter's, you will be astonished by the sheer size of the church. Although immense, the proportions are beautiful and the detailing of the interior is well done, if not overdone, in places. On your immediate right is Michelangelo's exquisite Pietà, a work of art worthy of its fame. As you walk down the main aisle toward the transept of the church you will approach Bernini's massive bronze canopy with spiral columns, built over the tomb of St. Peter and directly under the dome of Michelangelo. You can visit what is thought to be St. Peter's original tomb below the Basilica by making reservations before you come to Rome through the Excavations Office or "Scavi" (see below). There are four massive pillars supporting the dome, and each one has significant art or relics associated with it. A piece of the true cross is behind the statue of St. Helena in the pillar at the far right when approaching the tomb. The pillar at the near right with the statue of St. Longinus contains his lance, which pierced the side of Christ. To the right of the main altar you can go downstairs and visit the Sacred Vatican Grottoes (Sacre Grotte Vaticane), which contain the tombs of many popes.
An excursion up into the dome of Michelangelo is time-consuming, but well worth the trip. The elevator is found on the outside of the Basilica on the right as you face it. After going up and viewing the inside of the dome, take the spiral staircase to the cupola for great panoramic views of Rome.
Although the Basilica is extremely large (6 acres) and usually filled with throngs of people, the size seems to absorb the sound, and it is not as noisy as one would think. The area around St. Peter's tomb is very special, although it is not a place to meditate. There is a meditation chapel, the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament, on the right as you approach the main altar, where silence (silenzio) is enforced--a rare thing in Italy! This chapel is ideal for meditation and prayer after you have made your tour.
Tomb of St. Peter (Fabbrica di San Pietro) and the Pre-Constantinian Necropolis (Necropoli): Reserve your hour-and-a-half guided visit well ahead of time through the Excavations Office (Soperintendenza degli Scavi). Access to the tomb is outside the Basilica on the left, from the Arch of the Bells (Arco della Campane). No one under 15 is admitted and cameras and bags must be checked. It is highly recommended to make reservations before you leave the US. Reservations can be made with the Excavations Office by: E-mail: scavi@fsp.va Phone: 066 9885318 Fax: 06-69885518 or by mail: Ufficio Scavi/00120 Città del Vaticano/Roma/Italia. Or request a reservation by faxing the Bishop's Office for US Visitors: Fax: 06-6791448. You will need to provide the number of visitors (10 per group), names, language, and time period of your visit. Open: Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm.
Vatican Museum (Musei Vaticani) and Sistine Chapel (Cappella Sistina): Since the Vatican Museum is so large, research beforehand what you want to visit. Bus service runs continuously from the Tourist Information Office in St. Peter's Square to the Museums and Chapel and back. The schedule is at the bus stop, and you buy your ticket on the bus. Be sure to get in line early (8am). The museum is closed Holidays and Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month when admission is free. Open Mon. - Sat., 8:45am-4:45pm; in winter closing time is 1:30pm.
Vatican Gardens: 58 acres of lush gardens. Reserve a guided morning tour 2-3 days ahead of time from the Vatican Pilgrim and Tourist Info Office (see info below). The 2-hour tours are limited to 33 people, and they are partly by bus and partly on foot.
Papal Audience: To participate in the audience of the Pope on Wednesday at 11am, you must reserve tickets distributed free by the Prefecture of the Pontifical House of Vatican City (Prefettura della Casa Pontifica). Enter through the bronze doors to the right of St. Peter's Basilica as you face the church. Apply from 9-10am on the Monday or Tuesday before the 11:00am audience on Wednesday. Prefettura della Casa Pontifica, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Italia, Phone: 066 98 83017 Open: 9am to 1pm
--You can reserve tickets for an audience in writing, specifying the date, and number of tickets, to the Prefettura della Casa Pontifica, 00120 Città del Vaticano, Italia. The office will send your tickets to your hotel in Rome.
--You can reserve tickets for an audience and a Papal Mass (except Easter and Christmas) by emailing the American Parish in Rome at www.santasusanna.org and click on "The Pope."
--You can also obtain tickets for an audience and for Easter or Christmas Mass with the Pope from the Bishops' Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican, Attn: Rev. Msgr. Roger C. Roensch/via dell'Umilita 30/00187 Roma/Italia, Phone: 066 90011 Fax: 066 791448, E-mail: bou.svv@agora.it
Shrine Information
Shrine: St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican (Basilica di San Pietro & Il Vaticano)
Address: Piazza San Pietro/Roma/Italia
Phone: 066 9884466 Fax: 066 9885518
E-mail: None
Website: www.vatican.va
Quiet areas for meditation: The meditation chapel, where silence is enforced, is on the right as you face the altar.
English spoken: Typically
Hours: Apr-Sept, 7am-7pm; Oct-Mar, 7am-6pm; closed during Papal Audiences in the piazza.
Mass: Inquire at the tourist office.
Feasts and festivities: June 29 -- Feast day; also honored on February 22 and November 18.
Accessibility: Entrance on the left of the Basilica through the Arco delle Campane and follow the signs to the ramp.
Tours: Tours are given in English beginning at the Tourist Information Office (see below).
Bookstore: The Vatican Bookstore (Libreria Editrice Vaticana) is located on St. Peter's Square to the left of the Basilica as you are facing it.
Lodging: None
Tourist Office: Vatican City Pilgrim and Tourist Information Office (In the piazza on the left as you face St. Peter's) P. San Pietro/00120 Città del Vaticano/Italia; Phone: 066 9884466/066 9884866 Fax: 066 9885100
Directions: St. Peter's is located in the Vatican at Piazza San Pietro.
Bus: #64 from Rome Termini train station.
Metro: A (Ottaviano stop), 19, 64, 81
Basilica of St. Peter in Vincoli
Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli
This Basilica was built about 442 A.D. as a shrine to preserve the chains believed to have bound the Apostle Peter during his captivity in Jerusalem, and the chains that once bound Peter in Mammertime Prison. When the chains were placed next to each other, they miraculously fused into one link. They are near the main altar in a golden reliquary. Also of note is Michelangelo's Moses. The Basilica was restored during the eighth century, and several times during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The Basilica is on piazza San Pietro in Vincoli # 4A near the Colosseum. Take Metro Line B to Cavour. Hours: Mon-Sat, 7am-12:30pm; 3:30pm-7:00; Sun, 8:45am-11:45.
Other shrines relating to St. Peter: See St. John Lateran (Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano) and Basilica of St. Sebastian (Basilica di San Sebastiano) following St. Paul.
St. Paul - Apostle of the Gentiles
San Paulo A.D. 64
"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live,_ but Christ living in me." (Galatians 2:20)
St. Paul was a tireless missionary, traveling throughout Asia Minor teaching the gospel and living as an example of a faithful disciple. Paul was also fearless. Though many times facing death and imprisonment for his faith, he professed his beliefs and constantly lived in an inner world of Christ's presence. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation .... I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12-13 NIV) There is a great deal of information in the New Testament about St. Paul because St. Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, describes his missionary journeys, and St. Paul wrote numerous letters, or epistles, to members of the church, explaining his spiritual journey.
Paul was born Saul, the son of an upstanding Jewish family, and was sent as a young man to Jerusalem to receive training in Hebrew law, religion and the trade of tent-making. Saul was staunchly conservative and mindful of ancient law, and found the new sect of Christianity to be diametrically opposed to his beliefs. He saw it as his duty to persecute the Jewish converts and rid Jerusalem of their blasphemy. Saul became well known for this activity and was even present at the martyrdom of St. Stephen. He soon set his sights on purging the city of Damascus, and departed Jerusalem with a band of compatriots to assail the converted Jews of the Syrian town.
While on the road to Damascus, Saul's group was surrounded by a brilliant light. From that light Saul heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked. "I am Jesus who you are persecuting. Get up and go into the city and you will be told what to do." (Acts 9:4-6 NIV) Getting up, Saul found he was blinded by the light and was led by hand into the city. Here he fasted and prayed, waiting for his unknown future to unfold. After three days, a local disciple named Ananias came to Saul and restored his sight in the name of Jesus, and baptized him in the Holy Spirit. Thus Paul was converted and immediately began preaching the gospel in Damascus. Soon, he too was persecuted for his beliefs, and had to flee the city in the dark of night to save his life. After preaching in Jerusalem for a short time, he was again threatened and escaped to the desert where he secluded for three years before continuing his mission.
This was a pattern that repeated itself many times throughout Paul's life. A powerful preacher and missionary, he trekked throughout Asia Minor, Greece and Palestine sharing the teachings of the gospel, frequently traveling with other disciples including Saints Barnabus, Mark and Timothy. He often lived for more than a year in a single location, establishing a church and developing a community of believers. Known as the Apostle of the Gentiles, Paul's mission was converting Gentiles to the new sect of Christianity and helping them to remain faithful. As the communities became strong, or when his life was truly threatened, he would move on and help establish a new congregation. His letters of support to his numerous churches eventually became part of the New Testament and form an in-depth look into the early Christian church.
Paul would return to Jerusalem every few years to connect with other disciples of Christ and enliven their mutual bond. On his third such venture to Israel, Paul was arrested by the powerful Jewish Pharisees and imprisoned for two years, continually bound in chains. Paul defended himself before the Roman authorities and convinced them of his innocence, but the Pharisees were threatened by his power and wanted him executed. Paul was a Roman citizen, and demanded to be tried as such, in Rome. Thus began the final chapter of his life.
While on the way to see Nero, the emperor in Rome, Paul was shipwrecked. He survived the ordeal, and eventually was delivered to the capital city. The depiction of his life ends here in the gospels, but there is good evidence that he was tried and initially placed under house arrest. Exiled to his home, he still received many visitors and continued to preach and make converts. He made one final missionary journey but eventually returned to Rome, where he was again arrested and, this time, sentenced to die. His imprisonment was concurrent with St. Peter's, but the exact facts of their demise are not well documented. While Peter was crucified at Vatican hill, Paul had a different fate because he was a Roman citizen. His sentence was carried out through decapitation, which took place on the Appian Way. It is said that after his head was severed, it bounced three times, and three springs miraculously began to flow where there was none before. The shrine, Tre Fonte, was built in his honor.
One of Paul's seemingly simple teachings is still one of the most profound, "If I have a faith that can move mountains, but I have not love, I am nothing.... It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves. Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:2-8 NIV) His feast day, June 29, is shared with St. Peter, and January 25 is celebrated as his conversion date.
Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls
Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura
St. Paul's Basilica was originally built by Constantine in the fourth century, over the tomb of St. Paul. It was destroyed by fire in 1823, and then re-consecrated in 1854. St. Paul's is unusual, having five aisles instead of three. The tomb of St. Paul is under the main altar where a confessional window (fenestrella confessionis) shows the epigraph "Paulo Apostolo Mart." Chains that bound St. Peter as a prisoner in Rome are in a golden reliquary. Basilica di San Paolo Fuori le Mura is located at via Ostiense, 186, Roma and is open daily from 7:30am-6:40pm. You will have to take Metro Linea B to San Paulo, since it is on the outskirts of town.
St. Paul at the Three Fountains
San Paolo alle tre Fontane
This church is said to have been the location of St. Paul's execution, where he was decapitated and where three fountains sprang up where his head landed. The springs are covered over now because the water is polluted. The first church was built in the fifth century and rebuilt in 1599. It takes some time to reach this shrine since it is outside the city, but many pilgrims find this a very blessed site. Take the B line to Stazione Laurentina which is the end of the line. Go north on via Laurentina several blocks.
St. John Lateran
Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano
Built in the fourth century by Constantine as a classic Roman Basilica, St. John Lateran was frequently plundered, and later destroyed by earthquake and two fires in 1307 and 1361. As a result there have been many restorations through the years, the last being in the seventeenth century by Francesco Borromini, in Baroque style. This church has a long history, as it was the primary residence of the popes until their departure from Rome to Avignon, France. When the pope returned to Rome in 1375, it was no longer used. The main Papal altar contains the heads of Saints Peter and Paul in two silver busts of the saints. This altar also includes the original wooden altar that St. Peter and his successors are thought to have used to celebrate mass. To the left of the altar is the Chapel of the Choir, with a relief panel of the Last Supper above the tabernacle. Behind it rests what is believed to be a piece of the table from the Last Supper. The Basilica is located on piazza San Giovanni in Laterano. Take Metro Linea A to San Giovanni. Open daily 7am-7pm; in winter closing time is 6pm.
Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs
Santuario della Scala Sancta
Near the Basilica of St. John Lateran on the eastern side of piazza San Giovanni, the Sanctuary of the Holy Stairs enshrines the stairs that Jesus climbed during his Passion. St. Helena, Constantine's mother, brought them to Rome from Pontius Pilate's palace in Jerusalem. The stairs are covered in wood to protect them. Pilgrims climb the 28 stairs on their knees, ending up at the ancient papal Chapel of San Lorenzo that was transferred from the Lateran Palace.
San Ignacio de Loyola 1491-1556
"You have given me all that I have, all that I am, and I surrender all to your divine will. Give me only your love and your grace. _With this I am rich enough, and I have no more to ask."
St. Ignatius of Loyola was a man of will power, integrity, but most of all, love. As father of the Jesuit order, he may be remembered as an energetic organizer and reformer, but his sole aim was to share the love of God and teach others to experience that divine love for themselves.
Born in the Basque region of Spain, Inigo de Loyola was the youngest of thirteen children of a noble Spanish family. He was raised with expectations of gaining wealth and power for his family, and at age sixteen was sent to live in the court of King Ferdinand under the tutelage of the court Treasurer. Caught in the spell of the royal court, Inigo became infatuated with his prospects of a regal future, enflamed by his incessant reading of romance novels. St. Ignatius describes himself at this time: "He did not avoid sin, being particularly without restraint in gaming, affairs with women, dueling, and armed affrays."
Inigo enjoyed life in the King's court for the next ten years, but when his mentor died he was abruptly left with nothing but two horses. So, at the age of twenty-six, he enlisted in the army of the Viceroy of Navarre with visions of adventure, conquest and fame. In 1521, while defending Pamplona from French invaders, Inigo was struck by a cannonball that passed between his legs, shattering one limb and seriously injuring the other. The Spaniards lost the battle, and Inigo was taken prisoner. The French admired his courage and bravery, so they graciously set his broken leg and sent him home to heal.
Time passed slowly for the convalescing soldier. He soon requested romance novels to get through his long inactive days. Because romantic novels were in short supply, Inigo resorted to reading books on the life of Christ and the saints. After reading and re-reading these books, he became increasingly inspired by the courage of the saints and impressed by the high states of consciousness they attained. Inigo began to wonder if he too could accomplish this, and planned upon his recovery to test his new faith by going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land.
This was the turning point for Inigo, as he began to observe and analyze his thoughts. He found that when he thought of worldly things he felt "discontented and dry," but when he thought of pilgrimage to Jerusalem, of Christ and the saints, he felt "joyful and contented." This discovery was the first step in developing his famous "Spiritual Exercises," a systematic process of introspection and prayer that leads to deep contemplation of God. Around this time, Inigo decided to change his name to that of his patron saint, St. Ignatius.
After eight months of recuperating, Ignatius left on pilgrimage to the Holy Land with no specific plans except to visit Montserrat near Barcelona, which is home to the shrine of the Black Virgin. Here he made a commitment to his new life, giving away his fine clothes in exchange for sackcloth, giving up meat and wine, and letting his hair and nails grow. Then, after a year in Manresa, Spain, where he read "The Imitation of Christ," and received many divine revelations, he eventually realized he could more effectively save souls if he cut his hair, trimmed his nails, and ceased his extreme austerities. His inner training culminated in a profound ecstasy that occurred along the river Cardoner near the Chapel of St. Paul. Seeing this as the end of his "novitiate," Ignatius continued his pilgrimage and began preaching in earnest, sharing his Spiritual Exercises with all who would listen.
Ignatius finally arrived in the Holy Land in 1523 and visited all the sacred sites, preaching wherever he went. His exuberant tirades against the local Muslims were not well received by them, or by the Franciscans who were in charge of the shrines, and Ignatius was asked to leave the country. Without direction, he decided to return to Spain and renew his education.
Ignatius began to attract a small group of students while attending the universities of Spain and Paris. By the time he received his Masters of Arts degree in Paris at age forty-three, Ignatius had six dedicated disciples, including Francis Xavier. After several years of attempting to reach the Holy Land, they all journeyed to Rome and were gratefully welcomed by the pope who granted them permission to become a new order, the Society of Jesus, or Jesuits.
The Society of Jesus was established in 1540, and Ignatius was elected general superior against his wishes. While taking the typical vows of poverty, obedience and chastity, the Jesuits added a fourth vow to accept assignment to any place to spread the teachings of the Gospel. This ultimately led to the Society becoming a worldwide organization in Ignatius's lifetime, with brothers serving throughout Europe, as well as in India and Brazil. For his remaining sixteen years, Ignatius guided the Jesuits through their expansion from ten members to more than a thousand. They established orphanages, houses of refuge for prostitutes, hospitals for famine relief and colleges for both religious and laypersons.
Ignatius was frequently sick, so little attention was given when he again became ill in July of 1556. He passed away quietly on the morning of July 31, at age sixty-six. St. Ignatius was canonized in 1622 and declared the patron saint of spiritual exercises and retreat. At his canonization, the Pope said "Ignatius had a heart bigger than the world."
St. Ignatius was an exceptionally balanced person with tremendous will. He could be tough and take action when needed, and he could be kind and loving when the moment required it. He wisely advised his monks to seek "the presence of God Our Lord in all things and at all times, whether conversing, walking, looking, tasting, listening, thinking, in everything you do."
The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus
La Chiesa del Gesù
The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus is the mother church of the Society of Jesus founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola. It is in Rome on piazza del Gesù, near piazza Venezia. The church was built in the Counter-Reformation style twelve years after St. Ignatius' death, and consecrated in 1584. The Chapel and Tomb of St. Ignatius are on the left side of the main altar. The remains of St. Ignatius rest in a gilded bronze urn under the altar. At the level of the altar are seven large bronze bas-reliefs showing scenes from the life and the miracles of St. Ignatius. The chapel of St. Francis Xavier is to the right of the main altar, and contains a reliquary with his arm above its altar.
The rooms where St. Ignatius lived for twelve years, from 1544 until his death in 1556, are open to visitors. The entrance is at Piazza del Gesù, 45. As you face the church, there is a large doorway to the right. Next to the door is a bronze plaque with "IHS" (the first letters of the name of Jesus in Greek), which represents the seal of the Society of Jesus. At the front desk you can ask for a guidebook in English, and, if you want, ask if anyone is available to lead a tour in English. Follow the long hall to the right, then up a flight of stairs, and at the top take a left. There is a museum and meditation room with chairs. This is an excellent place to sit and meditate on St. Ignatius. It was in this small room (with the window opening on to an enclosed balcony) that Ignatius slept and worked. The larger room (with window on the west opening onto the street), presently the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin, is where Ignatius celebrated Mass, received visitors and died. From these rooms Ignatius governed the Society of Jesus. The museum contains many relics and writings of the saint, all described in the guidebook.
I would like to visit the rooms of St. Ignatius. _Vorrei visitare le stanze di Sant'Ignazio.
Do you have a guidebook in English? _Avete una guida scritta in inglese?
Is there anyone available to give us a tour in English?
C'è qualcuno disponibile per una visita guidata in inglese?
Shrine Information
Shrine: The Church of the Holy Name of Jesus (La Chiesa del Gesù)
Address: Santissimo Nome di Gesù all'Argentina/largo di Torre Argentina/via degli Astalli 16/00186 Roma/Italia
Phone: 066 97001 Fax: 066 9700331
E-mail: None
Website: None
Quiet areas for meditation: The rooms where St. Ignatius lived (le camera di San Ignazio) in the building to the right of the church.
English spoken: Occasionally
Hours: 7am-1pm; 3pm-7.
Mass: During the day, every half hour beginning at 6am; Feast day -- every hour beginning at 6am; Evenings 6:30pm.
St. Ignatius's room: During the week 4pm-6; Sunday 10am-12.
Feasts and festivities: December 3 -- Feast day; December 31 -- The Annual Papal Mass and Singing of the "Te Deum" on New Year's Eve.
Accessibility: Plans are being made for the church but access is not possible for St. Ignatius' rooms.
Tours: There is an Italian/Spanish guided tour of the church every Thursday at 4:30pm. To visit St. Ignatius' rooms, you can ask at the front desk at piazza del Gesù 45 if anyone is available for a guided tour in English. If not, there is an excellent booklet, "Guide to the rooms of St. Ignatius," for a self-guided tour.
Bookstore: A few English books on the church and the history of the Jesuit Order are on sale in the sacristy. There is a brochure in English on the church called "La Chiesa del Gesù."
Recommended books: St. Ignatius Loyola, by F.A. Forbes from Tan Books is small enough to take with you. Written in 1919, it gives you enough information to get a sense of St. Ignatius. St. Ignatius Loyola: The First Jesuit, by Mary Purcell, is a much longer version but fascinating reading. It is probably only available from used bookstores, but there are many books written about St. Ignatius on the market.
Lodging: None
Directions: The main entrance to the church is at piazza del Gesù where V.C. Pebiscito and Corso Vittorio Emanuele meet. It is a couple of blocks away from Piazza Venezia.
From Termini train station to Piazza Venezia: bus 40/64
From Ostiense train station to Piazza Venezia: bus 60/95/175
From Tiburtina train station to Piazza Venezia: bus 492
San Filippo Neri 1515-1595
"He who desires aught else but God deceives himself utterly."
St. Philip Neri was a man of the common people. He taught people to trust their intuition and to follow their heart's guidance in finding God. Philip was known for his big heart and sense of humor, attracting souls through his loving and accepting personality. Born Filippo Romolo in Florence on July 21, 1515, Philip Neri led an uneventful childhood as the son of a not-so-successful notary. Prospects for a successful career led Philip to move at age eighteen to live with his wealthy uncle. Living near the Benedictine abbey of Monte Cassino, Philip began spending more and more time in prayer and contemplation, often going into quiet seclusion amongst the rocky crags that characterize the area. It is here that he experienced a "conversion" and decided to leave the prospect of wealth for a spiritual life in Rome.
Sixteenth century Rome was in material and spiritual decay after being invaded and ransacked by the French Constable of Bourbon. It was a time that called for a vocal reformer to fill the void and help uplift the spirits of the populace. Philip arrived in 1533, just six years after the infamous Sack of Rome, and quietly began his personal mission.
His first four years were spent in rigorous study of philosophy and theology while earning a living by tutoring two young boys. This he did in exchange for a meager amount of corn and residence in a small room. After much prayer, Philip decided to put an end to his studying in order to give himself more completely to God. He began to preach in a very unobtrusive way, engaging people in conversation and gently adding comments about moral behavior and righteous living. He became known for his hearty sense of humor and his acceptance of everyone. During his conversations, Philip would ask people, "when should we begin to do good?" and if he received a positive answer of "now," he would suggest people help in the hospitals and assist the poor and needy.
At night, he would spend his time in prayer, making the rounds of the holy churches of Rome, especially the seven Basilicas. He most relished going to pray at the Basilica of San Sebastiano, where he would go down into the catacombs and enter into silent communion with God. It was here that Philip had a transformative encounter with the Holy Spirit. While praying, a globe of fire entered his mouth and heart, and he experienced such an intense heat that he threw himself to the floor and bared his chest to cool down. When he stood up, he felt a swelling around his heart and his body shook with an overwhelming joy. For the remainder of his life, he would feel this intense heat in his throat and heart, and his heart would undergo palpitations so strong, that people could feel them transmitted throughout an entire room.
After fifteen years in Rome, Philip began meeting with a dozen laymen for prayer and spiritual discussions. Together they formed a benevolent fellowship. Their mission was to help the pilgrims who arrived in Rome often ill and without money. They opened pilgrim houses that became very successful, bringing notoriety to Philip and his followers. Philip was advised by his confessor that he could better serve God and his congregation by becoming a priest, so Philip was ordained in 1551.
Philip encouraged everyone to take communion daily, even though this was an uncommon practice at the time. He reveled in the joy he found in the Mass and was often overcome with devotion during his services, so much so, that he occasionally asked his brothers to read silly books to him prior to starting Mass. This enabled him to focus on the task at hand and not get lost in his ecstasies.
Philip felt a strong calling to minister to the young men of his community, wanting to help them avoid the pitfalls of secular attractions. He would meet with them over lunch to discuss spiritual matters and read inspirational books. His Brothers at Girolamo complained that his young men made too much noise and disturbed the house, but he retorted, "They may chop wood on my back so long as they do not sin." Over time, he attracted many souls to this daily practice, which became known as the Oratory, a Congregation of secular priests and clerics. When someone made trouble for the group after being expelled for unacceptable behavior, Philip realized that his Congregation needed a permanent church, so Santa Maria in Vallicella was given to him for the new home of the Oratory.
Philip saw his congregation as an informal fellowship and did not want to formalize it by becoming an official order of the church. He taught that every individual in his congregation had to discover a personal relationship with the Divine, following his or her own God-given intuition. Thus he avoided giving too many instructions on prayer and contemplation and told his followers, "Be humble and obedient and the Holy Ghost will teach you."
In April 1994, after forty-three years of service in Rome, Philip developed a high fever and became delirious. He beheld a vision of the Virgin Mary and was seen rising about a foot off the floor. He soon descended and then dismissed the doctors saying the Madonna had healed him from his affliction. After a year of good health, he became ill once again in March of 1595. One day, he suddenly collected all his papers and burned them. Then, after a full day of duties, he passed away peacefully on May 25, 1595.
The Romans turned out in throngs to pay their respects to the enigmatic Philip, and filed through the church all day long. When the church was finally closed, the doctors closely examined his body and found that "two ribs over the heart were broken and arched outwards. The heart was unusually large, while the great artery leading from it was twice the normal size." So to say that Philip had a big heart was not an exaggeration! St. Philip Neri was beatified in May 1615 and canonized in March 1622.
St. Philip Neri was a new breed of saint, a saint of the people. He reached out to people where they were and taught them how to find an inner home in God. He recommended reading about the saints because he thought intellectual pride was "more effectively overcome by the examples of the saints." His humor and joy were his trademarks, for he lived by the proverb, "A saint that is sad, is a sad saint indeed!"
The New Church, or St. Mary in Vallicella
Chiesa Nuova, or Chiesa di Santa Maria in Vallicella
Chiesa Nuova is part of a complex built in several stages beginning in 1575, comprised of the church, the Secular Oratory, the Vallicella Library and the Convent of the Congregation. Chiesa Nuova contains the tomb of St. Philip Neri, co-patron of Rome, also known as the "Saint of Joy." St. Philip was given the original church by Pope Gregory XIII as a home for his new congregation. The new church was rebuilt upon the original foundation and completed in 1605, ten years after the saint's death. The other buildings and restorations were made in the following centuries.
On his death in 1595, St. Philip was first laid in a walnut coffin and placed in the church of Santa Maria in Vallicella. Four years later, a new silver casket was made to hold his remains. When the old coffin was opened, the clothing was found to be decayed while the body remained incorrupt. In 1602, the body was transferred to a new chapel built to honor Philip. The casket was opened again in 1922, when St. Philip's body was found to still be incorrupt. Subsequently clothed in new vestments and placed in a crystal casket with a silver mask covering his face, his body now rests at Chiesa Nuova, in the Chapel of St. Philip Neri, to the left of the main altar.
The main altar contains the miraculous image of Santa Maria in Vallicella, behind the painting of Our Lady. The ancient icon is revealed on Sundays and at special times when the painting of Our Lady is slid to the side to display the icon. The story is that a disappointed gambler threw a stone at the image on the outside of the church and drops of blood fell on the cheek of the Virgin. St. Philip requested the painting be transported inside the church, and it became the emblem of the Congregation of the Oratory and a vehicle for many miracles. Once, the Madonna of Vallicella appeared to St. Philip in a dream, warning him of a rotting beam in the church. The beam was subsequently discovered to be rotten and was repaired, saving the congregation from a dangerous situation. Also on the main altar is the "Cor Flammigerum"--the flaming heart, which represents St. Philip and the mystical experience he had while praying in the catacombs of St. Sebastian, when a globe of fire descended and entered his heart.
In the Visitation Chapel (fourth on left), St. Philip's favorite painting is displayed: "The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple" by Federico Barocci. St. Philip experienced frequent ecstasies and levitations in this chapel. The Assumption Chapel (fifth on right) is known for the painting of the Virgin by Aurelio Lomi di Pisa. The Virgin moved her eyes in 1796 with most of the Oratorians as witnesses. A month-long festival ensued, during which the miracle reoccurred.
The private rooms of the saint are open only a few days of the year, including the saint's feast day, May 26th. Guided tours can be arranged in advance. The rooms consist of the Red room and Inner chapel on the ground floor and three rooms upstairs.
Shrine Information
Shrine: The New Church (Chiesa Nuova)
Address: Via del Governo Vecchio 134/00186 Roma/Italia
Phone: 066 875289 Fax: 066 873124
E-mail: vallicella@tiscali.it
Website: www.chiesanuova.net
Quiet areas for meditation: The Courtyard of the Orange Trees
English spoken: Occasionally
Hours: 8am-12; 4:30pm-7.
Mass: Weekdays and Sat: 8am, 9, 10, 7pm; Sun: 8:30am, 10, 11, 12, 12:45pm, 7.
Feasts and festivities: May 26th
Accessibility: There is a ramp to the front door, but there are two low steps at the entrance that you will need assistance with. If you need assistance with the steps, send someone inside to find help. The bathrooms are not accessible. If you are a group and make arrangements ahead of time, they will organize volunteers to give assistance.
Tours: Guided tours in English for the church and the rooms of St. Philip can be arranged by calling in advance to the Parish office 066 875289 or writing to the address above.
Bookstore: In the Sacristy. No books in English, but a brochure in English is available.
Recommended book: Small pocket book, Saint Philip Neri, by Fr. V.J. Matthews, Tan Books, (not available at Shrine).
Lodging: None
Directions: Chiesa Nuova is located at piazza della Chiesa Nuova on the corso Vittorio
Emanuele II, midway between St. Peter's Basilica and piazza Venezia. Take Bus 46, 62, or 64.
Basilica of St. Sebastian, _or St. Sebastian's Outside the Walls
Basilica di San Sebastiano, or San Sebastiano fuori le Mura
Constantine built the original basilica in the fourth century in honor of Saints Peter and Paul who had been buried there for a while during the time of persecution. Excavations in 1916 revealed a secret Christian cemetery under the church, giving credence to this story. In the third century, St. Sebastian was buried in the catacombs and his relics are now under the main altar. Behind this altar there is a reliquary containing the head of St. Fabian; his body lies underneath the floor. In the Chapel of Relics, on the right, are the imprints of Christ's feet from when he appeared to St. Peter and one of the arrows that pierced the side of St. Sebastian. On the left of the altar is the entrance to the catacombs. The Basilica is located outside the city walls on via Appia Antica 136, before Circus Maxentius and the tomb of Caecilia Metella. The catacombs are hard to get to. It is suggested that you book a tour ahead of time.
Catacombs of St. Sebastian: There are four levels to these catacombs. On the first level is the chapel where St. Philip Neri would go to pray and where he experienced the globe of fire entering his heart. The catacombs are located next to the Basilica of St. Sebastian, on via Appia Antica 132. Open 9am-12; 2:30pm-5.
Santa Caterina di Siena 1347-1380
St. Catherine of Siena spent the last two years of her life in Rome working tirelessly for the unification of the Church. Growing weaker over time, and finally succumbing to intense pain and paralysis of her legs, she died on April 29, 1380, at the age of thirty-three. Her remains are buried under the main altar of the Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. Read about her fascinating life in the chapter on Siena, in the region of Tuscany.
Basilica of Holy Mary above Minerva
Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
The first church, which was destroyed at some point, was built in the 700s over the ancient temple of Minerva (50 B.C.). The current Basilica was started with the help of two Dominican monks, Sisto and Ristoro in 1280 and completed in 1370, with changes made in subsequent periods. The Basilica is known as the only Gothic church in Rome.
A wooden image of St. Catherine, sculpted by Isaia of Pisa in 1430, rests in the glass and stone urn that contains her relics. To the left of the altar and through the sacristy is her chapel, The Room of St. Catherine, constructed in the 1630s from the walls of the rooms where she died at via Santa Chiara #14. The chapel is open from 9am--6pm, except Sundays. This is one of the best places to meditate in Rome. There are a few chairs and very few visitors.
Where is the room of St. Catherine? _Dov'è la stanza di Santa Caterina?
To the left of the main altar is the tomb of Fra Angelico (Fra Giovanni of Fiesole). He is buried inconspicuously in the floor in the Frangipane Chapel. He died in the monastery next door. Blessed Fra Angelico, a Dominican monk, is best known for his beautiful frescoes in the San Marco convent in Florence (see Florence, Tuscany). Santa Maria Sopra Minerva is located near the Pantheon on piazza della Minerva.
Shrine Information
Shrine: Basilica of Holy Mary above Minerva (Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva)
Address: Piazza della Minerva, 42 (another address via del Beato Angelico, 35)
Phone: 066 79280 / 066 793926 Fax: None
E-mail: Giovanni.Monti@agora.it Write in Italian only.
Website: www.basilicaminerva.it Italian
Quiet areas for meditation: The room of St. Catherine to the left of the main altar and through the sacristy.
English spoken: Rarely
Hours: 8am-7pm
Mass: Weekdays: 7:15am, 6:00pm; Holidays 10am, 11, 12, 6:00pm. Call ahead of time, if you want a special mass for your group.
Feasts and festivities: April 29 -- Feast day
Accessibility: There are three stairs to the Basilica.
Tours: None
Bookstore: There is a table set up selling books with some in English.
Recommended book: Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, sold at the church bookstore.
Lodging: None
Directions: Piazza della Minerva adjacent to the Pantheon
Other Places of Interest
See the chapter on Siena in Tuscany for information on St. Catherine's shrine and childhood home.
St. Mary Major
Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
The Virgin Mary appeared separately to Pope Liberius and the Roman patrician Giovanni, in 352 A.D., requesting that a church be erected in her honor. The Virgin Mary told them that a miraculous snow would fall indicating where the church was to stand. The next day, on August 4th, during a heat wave, snow fell on the place where the church was to be built. The earliest record of the church's construction is from 432 to 440 by Pope Sixtus III. The original church was replaced in the thirteenth century. A reliquary below the center altar displays a piece of the baby Jesus' crib. You need to check when this relic is displayed as they close it up completely. There is also the crypt of St. Matthias the Apostle who replaced Judas Iscariot. There's a bench on either side of the reliquary to sit on. This church is on piazza Santa Maria Maggiore. Take Metro Line B to Cavour or Termini Stazione. The church is between these two stops. Open daily: 7am-8pm; in winter the church closes at 7pm.
Basilica of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls
Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura
Constantine built the original church dedicated to the martyr St. Lawrence, who was slowly burned to death in 258 A.D. The church was rebuilt in 576 with many remodels through the centuries. The relics of St. Lawrence, St. Justin and St. Stephen are behind the main altar. Located near the Campo Verano cemetery on piazzale del Verano 3. Open Sat-Thurs 7am-12; 3:30pm-6:30.
Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem
Basilica di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme
This Baroque church was first built in the fourth century by St. Helena, Constantine's mother, and houses many relics she brought back from the Holy Land. Many restorations have been made through the years including a complete remodel in the eighteenth century. During one of these restorations, around 1492, a fragment of the cross Jesus died on was found, hidden in an arch. The Chapel of the Relics contains fragments of this cross, St. Thomas's finger, a nail from the crucifixion, two thorns from Jesus' crown of thorns, and a part of the crib of Jesus. The Chapel is on a staircase on the way to the second level and through a doorway to the left of the Sacristy. The remains of Sts. Caesarius and Anastasius are under the main altar. Located on piazza di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, take Metro Linea A to San Giovanni. Open daily 6am-12:30pm; 3:30pm-7:30; in winter it closes at 6:30pm.
St. Francis of Assisi by the River
San Francesco d'Assisi a Ripa
When St. Francis of Assisi came to Rome, he stayed at 88 Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi. After his death, the Franciscans built the church in 1231, with remodeling completed in the seventeenth century. St. Francis's cell is through the sacristy and houses relics used by him, including his stone pillow. You will need to ask a friar to show you the cell. St. Charles of Sezze is buried under the altar in the third chapel on the left side of the church. You can also see relics of his above St. Francis's cell.
I would like to see the cell of St. Francis of Assisi.
Vorrei visitare la cella di San Francesco d'Assisi.
Coming and Going
Rome
Car: Are you crazy?!!! Pazzo!!! All roads lead to Rome, but don't drive on them! Driving in Rome, really is crazy. We spent time in Rome using public transportation, then rented a car at the airport and drove to other regions of Italy. Arrange your rental before you get to Italy, and it will be cheaper. There are hefty city and airport taxes, so be prepared.
Airports: Leonardo da Vinci, also called Fiumicino, is 16 miles (26 km) southwest of Rome and is the main airport, but there is another airport, Ciampino, that is also used sometimes for international flights, mostly charters. From Leonardo da Vinci Airport, there is a non-stop train that runs hourly and takes about 30 minutes to reach the main train station in Rome, Stazione Termini. It runs between approximately 7:37am and 10:07pm. There are signs in the airport to the train station, and you buy your tickets from vending machines. If you arrive at Ciampino Airport, hourly COTRAL buses take you to Anagnina Metro station in about 25 minutes, where you connect to Stazione Termini for another 30 minute ride.
Train: Just like the roads, all trains lead to Rome! The Termini Station (Stazione Termini) has connections to the Metro lines A and B and to buses outside the station. Trains to Leonardo da Vinci Airport leave between 6:50am and 9:20pm. This is a prime area for pickpockets, so beware.
Bus: It is well worth the money to buy a good map with the bus and Metro information, even though the free ones from the tourist information centers are adequate. Buses ATAC and Metros use the same ticket. Buy them at newsstands, tobacconists and vending machines. Make sure you stamp your bus ticket on the bus. If you arrive late at night at the airport, there are buses, COTRAL, that will take you to central Rome.
Metro: There are two lines, A & B, that serve many of the major tourist destinations.
Taxi: It is advised that you use only the yellow and white licensed taxis with meters. This of course is the more costly way to get around in Rome.
Tourist Information
--Enjoy Rome/via Marghera 8a/00185 Roma/Italia; north from the Termini train station. Exit to the north (the via Marsala exit) keep going straight for three blocks, on the left. A favorite in the tour books and everyone speaks English. Informative website. Phone: 064 451843 / 064 450734; Fax: 064 450734. E-mail:info@enjoyrome.com www.enjoyrome.com
--IAT - Ufficio Informazioni e di Accoglienza Turistica/via Parigi 5/00185 Italia; Phone: 064 88991
--APT Azienda di Promozione Turistica/via Parigi, 11/00185/Roma_/Italia; Phone: 064 88991 E-mail: editoria@apt-roma.it www.romaturismo.com
--EPT- Ente Provinciale per il Turismo/Fiumicino airport; Phone: 066 5954471
Websites
All of the following have descriptions of the churches of Rome:
All Roads Lead to Rome www.stuardtclarkesrome.com -- Lists churches of Rome
Guide to the Churches of Rome http://home.online.no/~cnyborg/ -- Comprehensive info about churches of different faiths in Rome and much more.
In Italy www.initaly.com/regions/latium/church/church.htm -- Comprehensive excerpts from June Hager's book on the churches of Rome.
Roma 2000 www.roma2000.it/zmusuat.html -- Describes the Vatican museums.
Traveling with Ed and Julie www.twenj.com/rometour3.htm -- Excellent info about the churches and all aspects of Rome.
All the following provide specific tourist information about Rome:
Enjoy Rome www.enjoyrome.com -- Website for the tourist information center mentioned above, with a lot of good info.
Rough Guides www.roughguides.com -- Search for "Rome."
Travelocity www.travelocity.com -- Click on "Guides and Advice," then go to "Destination Guides."
Romeby www.romeby.com -- A lot of good info about Rome.
Lonely Planet www.lonelyplanet.com -- A search for Rome will give you info for getting around the city.
Roma Termini Railway Station www.fnc.net/termini/fseng.htm -- Rome airport & train station info, timetables etc.
Tours for travelers with disabilities:
Accessible Rome www.coinsociale.it/tourism/accessiblerome/index.php -- Tours and free equipment rental in Rome. Once you are in Rome pick up their free "Roma Accessible" guide at COIN/Via Giglioli 54-a/00169, Roma Phone: 396 23267504
CO.IN. www.coinsociale.it/tourism -- Cooperative Integrate ONLUS is a national non-profit association based in Rome that provides comprehensive services for people with disabilities. Accessible Tourism provides tours and info on accessibility for the tourist.
Dynamic Air www.dynamicair.it/Servizi_Risorse/Servizi_Risorseing.htm -- Free equipment rental in Rome.
Info Roma www.inforoma.it/romepage.htm -- Current information about Rome, strikes, weather, tourist info, etc. and tour guide services for people with special needs.
The Region of Umbria is known as the "green heart of Italy," for its central location and its rolling, woodland areas. The Apennine mountains in the north and east give way to the Umbra and Tiber (Tervene) valleys of the south and west, creating scenic drives over rambling hills, past quaint walled cities perched on the hillsides. Perugia is the capital of the region, with Terni, Assisi, and Foligno being other major cities. On a short visit to Italy, an itinerary including Umbria and Tuscany would give the pilgrim a complete experience of the country, for the two regions display a natural splendor and exquisite towns, as well as profound spiritual sites. Umbria is also called the "land of saints," for it is the home of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi and scores of other saints who have sanctified this mystical land with their spirit and love.
Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Clare of Assisi
Cascia
St. Rita of Cascia
Città di Castello
St. Veronica of Giuliani
Blessed Margaret of Metola
Foligno
Blessed Angela of Foligno
Montefalco
St. Clare of the Cross
Population 25,000
Nestled against Mt. Subasio and overlooking the Spoleto Valley, Assisi is one of Umbria's most beautiful and mystical hill towns. The superbly maintained medieval city is the home of St. Francis and is known worldwide as "The City of Peace" for it often accommodates ecumenical conferences. The Basilicas of St. Francis and St. Clare, along with San Damiano, grace the city with their architecture, art and relics. Assisi has abundant housing for pilgrims and is an excellent hub from which to visit many of the shrines of central Italy described in this book.
San Francesco 1182-1226
"Where there is peace and meditation, there is neither anxiety nor doubt."
St. Francis is known throughout the world as the saint of ultimate humility, simplicity and joy, yet his life hardly started out that way. Born in Assisi to a wealthy merchant family, Francesco lived a life of prosperity and worldly pleasures. Known for his enjoyment of song, music and libations, he was quite popular among his peers. Around his 20th year, this easy life changed abruptly when war broke out with the neighboring city of Perugia. He enlisted in the struggle and went to battle in hopes of returning a hero. Instead, he was captured and held prisoner for an entire year. Upon returning home, Francis became very ill and withdrawn, depressed by the world he now saw around him. After many months he regained his health and ultimately gained a new perspective on life. One day, while passing a leper on the road, he initially felt repulsion at the hideous sight. Then, feeling deep compassion for the leper, he returned and kissed him, offering his love and understanding. This was a turning point in Francis's life, for by showing compassion, he felt a love greater than his own.
Shortly after this incident, while Francis prayed in a dilapidated church just outside the walls of Assisi, Christ spoke to him from the crucifix there, and asked him to rebuild His church. Christ was referring to the greater body of the Church, but Francis took the command literally, and began rebuilding San Damiano, the church housing the miraculous crucifix. To raise money for the project, Francis stole fabric from his father's warehouse and sold it in the neighboring town of Foligno. His father was furious over the betrayal, and disowned his son in public before the local Bishop of Assisi. In response, Francis removed his clothing and offered it to his father saying that, henceforth, his Heavenly Father would provide for all his needs. From this point forward, Francis possessed nothing except the ragged clothes on his back and his great love for God and Christ. Thus, at the age of 25, he began the life of a beggar, administering to the poor and the lepers, and working to rebuild the churches around Assisi.
After three years, Francis received an inward calling to serve the people directly, and started to preach on the streets of Assisi and nearby towns, where he was often ridiculed for his appearance and behavior. At this time, a wealthy man of Assisi was so deeply impressed by the sincerity and joyous nature of Francis, that he, too, gave away all his possessions to the poor and joined Francis, becoming Brother Bernard. Together they preached on the streets, and slowly, one by one, more people began to hear their message and join the little band of souls. Thus, a force for spreading the gospel of simplicity and humility began to grow and infect the countryside with the good news.
Within a year, they were twelve brothers strong, so they went to Rome to receive the blessings of the Pope upon their order. The Pope accepted the Simple Rule of 1210, and he blessed their fledgling order, the Friars Minor, and prayed that it would be an inspiration to the masses and to the Church itself. Returning to Assisi, the men lived at Rivotorto just east of the city, dedicated to poverty and service. Ultimately they moved to the property surrounding the Porziuncola, a tiny church in Santa Maria degli Angeli just south of Assisi, which became their permanent home. The Benedictine monks of Mt. Subasio gave the property to Francis, but Francis refused to own any property outright, so he agreed to lease the land for the yearly fee of a basket of fish and some bread. This arrangement is annually celebrated to this day!
The Franciscan order continued to gain new members and also attracted women to the work. A nineteen-year-old girl of Assisi, Clare Favarone, asked to join the group and was accepted as the founding member of the Second Franciscan Order of cloistered nuns.
Francis was forever traveling, preaching the gospel of simplicity and love throughout Italy, in Spain and North Africa. He joined the crusades in 1219 and traveled to Egypt, even speaking before an Islamic Sultan. The constant travel took its toll, and he returned to Italy seriously ill with glaucoma and malaria.
In Italy there was then much upheaval and infighting among his fellow brothers over the direction of the Order. Francis was deeply worried for the future, because he felt Christ had called him to create a mission with specific guidelines. He gave up the leadership of the Order and continued to worry about its future. Finally, during his deep despair, Christ appeared to Francis and assured him that He would always be the inspirational head of the true followers of Francis.
This released Francis of his burden, and he emerged ever more empowered by his personal relationship with Christ. He lived in almost constant communion with Christ, having countless experiences of His presence. On Christmas Eve, 1223, Francis prepared a replica of the manger scene in the small church at Greccio, creating the first crèche scene in history, at which time he had a vision of holding the infant Jesus in his arms. The following year, while in seclusion at La Verna, Francis received the stigmata, the wounds of the crucified Christ, and bore these blessed wounds for the final two years of his life.
In his last years, Francis performed many miracles, predicted the future, healed the sick, and lived in ecstatic communion with Christ. He preached to the birds of Avalon, tamed the wolf of Gubbio and wrote his beloved "Canticle of the Creatures." Finally, after only 20 years of service to God, his body ravaged by illness, he returned to the Porziuncola to die, but not before singing to his brothers in joyous ecstasy from his deathbed. He died on October 3, 1226, at the age of 44, and was canonized two years later.
The Basilica of St. Francis
Basilica di San Francesco
The Basilica of St. Francis is composed of three levels, the upper and Lower Basilica and the Crypt. The lower Romanesque basilica was started in 1228, two years after St. Francis's death, and the upper Gothic basilica was started in 1230. This multi-faceted structure was completed in 1239 and the interiors in 1253. St. Francis' body was moved to the Basilica in 1230 from San Giorgio's (which is now the Basilica of St. Clare). St. Francis was buried in the lower church several meters under the high altar to prevent theft of the body.
In 1818, the Pope gave permission to build a chapel under the high altar so people could view the stone sarcophagus, since the trend of robbing saints' graves had passed. The crypt is entered in the middle of the lower church from stairs on the right hand side. St. Francis's tomb is behind the altar and his disciples Blessed Rufino, Leone, Masseo, and Angelo are entombed in the surrounding outer walls. Lady Jacoba, whom Francis called "Friar Jacoba," is laid to rest on the entrance stairway facing the altar. There are pews for praying, and even though it is very busy with many tourists and can be very stuffy, try to spend some time here, for there are many blessings to be received. You may also wish to go upstairs to pray before the high altar over St. Francis' crypt, which is more open and less crowded.
The Chapel of Relics or the Treasury (Tesoreria) is in the lower church on the main floor, to the right of the main altar and down some stairs. If it is dark, the motion sensors will turn on the lights when you enter. This room contains St. Francis's tunic and sandals, and a handwritten blessing for Brother Leo, among other relics. Usually this room is not very crowded, and there are chairs to sit and meditate.
The Upper Basilica contains restored frescoes by Giotto, Cavallini, Cimabue and others. Some of these beautiful frescoes were lost in the earthquake of 1997. The frescoes along the walls depict the life of Saint Francis taken from the Legenda Major written in 1263 by Saint Bonaventure. The Basilica of Saint Francis: A Spiritual Pilgrimage is a great little booklet you can buy at the bookstore describing the artwork and layout of the Basilica.
St. Joseph of Copertino had a special spot in the Lower Basilica where we like to spend time in meditation. St. Joseph lived at the Basilica for 14 years and, when no one was around at night, he would go to pray in the "Cappella dell'Immacolata" (next to Cappella San Martino Di Tours). This side chapel is up the first stairs on the left as you face the main altar. Here St. Joseph would pray to the statue of the Virgin Mary (La Statua della Vergine), which is the same one currently on display. Because it is slightly out of the way, this spot is one of the only somewhat quiet areas we found in the Basilica to meditate, and it has a bench to sit on. Another special place to visit, if you can arrange a tour, is the five rooms St. Joseph of Copertino lived in from 1639 to 1653 in the Sacred Convent (Sacro Convento). Getting to see his rooms might be difficult since they are not officially open to the public. Ask at the information booth to see if a priest is available to escort you there. Consider yourself lucky if they can, but don't expect it. A prayer may help!
I would like to visit the rooms that St. Joseph of Copertino lived in.
Vorrei visitare le stanze dove ha vissuto San Giuseppe.
Shrine Information
Shrine: The Basilica of St. Francis (Basilica di San Francesco)
Address: 06082 Assisi (PG) Italia
Phone: 075 819001 Fax: 075 8190035
E-mail: assisisanfrancesco@krenet.it
Website: www.sanfrancescoassisi.org -- Official website: Basilica and Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Assisi.
Quiet areas for meditation: You can avoid the crowds by arriving when the Basilica opens at 6:30am and before 8:30am, but crowds are hard to avoid at any time. St. Joseph of Copertino had a favorite spot for meditation in the Lower Basilica in the "Cappella dell'Immacolata." The Chapel of the Relics is in the Lower Basilica, right of the main altar and down some stairs. There are chairs there, and it is not too busy.
English spoken: Occasionally
Hours: Daily 7am-7pm
Mass: Daily 7:15am, 11, 6pm; Sun - 7:30am, 9, 10:30, 12, 5pm, 6, 6:30; Celebrate the Eucharist 7:30am, 9, 10:30, 12, 5pm, 6:30; Canto dei vespri 6pm.
Feasts and festivities: October 3 & 4 -- Festival of St. Francis (Festa di San Francesco); September 17 -- Impression of the Stigmata.
Accessibility: Both the Upper and Lower Basilica, but not the tomb of St. Francis.
Information office: To the left of the main entrance to the Lower Basilica. Open 9am-12, 2pm -5:30. Closed Sunday.
Tours: Tours are available in English but given only on the outside of the Basilica. To prearrange, Phone: 075 819001 Fax: 075 8190035.
Bookstore: A large bookstore is behind the church, between the upper and lower church levels, facing the cloister. The information office, located near the entrance to the Lower Basilica, has a few books also. Ask at the information office for directions to the bookstore, as it is a little tricky to get there.
Recommended books: The booklet, The Basilica of Saint Francis: A Spiritual Pilgrimage, describing the Basilica and its artwork is available at the bookstore. Other books available in Assisi: Assisi in the Footsteps of Saint Francis, by P. Theophile Desbonnets and The Land of Saint Francis: Umbria and Surroundings, by Luciano Canonici.
Lodging: None
Directions: The Basilica di San Francesco is at the west end of the city on via San Francesco.
Santa Chiara 1193-1253
"They say that we are too poor,
but can a heart which possesses the infinite God be truly called poor?"
In the early thirteenth century, the nobility of Assisi consisted of only five families, so each son and daughter played an important part in their family's social role, especially if that daughter was of marrying age. One of the most sought-after young women of her day was the eighteen-year-old Clare Favarone. So it was alarming to her family when she fled their privileged home during the night of Palm Sunday, 1212, to join the poor friar Francis and his band of followers at the Porziuncola outside Assisi. Here the young Clare was greeted with great respect and joy, being the first woman to join with Francis's legion. After taking vows of poverty, obedience and chastity, her hair was shorn and she was clothed in a habit of sackcloth. Thus she became the first member of what was later called the Second Order of St. Francis, consisting of cloistered nuns.
Clare began her life of service at St. Paul's in nearby Bastia, but her quietude was disturbed when her family discovered her whereabouts, and tried to persuade her to return home. She adamantly refused, and soon after was relocated to St. Angelo of Panzo. Causing further grief within the Favarone family, Clare's fifteen-year-old sister Agnes joined her at St. Angelo, and together they practiced the life of poverty and devotion. In 1215, they were reassigned to San Damiano in Assisi, with Clare installed as superior. Eventually, their mother, younger sister Beatrice, and Aunt Bianca also entered the order. Thus the noble family of Assisi became a most noble family of God!
Clare remained cloistered at San Damiano for the remaining forty years of her life. A living example of humility, she refused to be served by her sisters, and instead insisted on serving them, even though she was their leader. She developed the Order of the Poor Clares under the strict rules of Francis, and expressed this rule by not wearing shoes, sleeping on the floor, abstaining from meat, and practicing "holy silence." Clare's personal austerities were often severe and were finally modified by Francis and the Bishop of Assisi to include sleeping on a straw mattress and eating at least one thing a day.
Clare's leadership was inspiring to many women of her day, and as a result, other monasteries were founded in Italy, France and Germany. The Poor Clares followed the rule of Francis (although technically it was the rule of St. Benedict as decided by the Pope), particularly the rule of not owning property or accepting money. This was a difficult way of life, but Clare thrived spiritually on it, and refused to compromise her stance, even under pressure from the Holy Father. Pope Innocent IV wanted to provide the sisters with some form of income, but Clare would not allow it. After many years of fighting for approval for her austere Rule, the Pope finally granted Clare's request just two days before her death. (She was the first woman to create a rule for women _in the Roman Catholic Church that was approved by the Pope.) This act completed her life of service.
St. Clare was cloistered most of her adult life, still she performed many quiet miracles. When the Pope visited her at San Damiano, he asked her to bless the bread they were about to eat. Clare humbly accepted his command and after she blessed the bread, all the loaves were adorned with slices in the crust in the shape of the cross. This convinced the Pope of Clare's sanctity, although he had already felt her divine essence. On another occasion, Assisi was in danger of being attacked by the mercenary army of Saracens. The army was marching through the Spoleto Valley, leaving towns afire in its wake. As they approached Assisi from the south, they came first upon the convent at San Damiano. There they were greeted by the sight of Clare standing at the door of the monastery, holding the blessed host before her and praying for salvation of her cloister and the city behind her. Miraculously, the army retreated, by-passing the convent and the city, moving on to plunder less fortunate neighboring towns.
Although Clare was cloistered, she allowed herself to see Francis, for he was the Father of her Order. She greatly enjoyed his spiritual company and counsel. At one meeting between the two great souls, they had a picnic near the Porziuncola. Their feast was shared with another brother and sister of the Order, and, prior to eating, they all sang praises to God for the beauty that surrounded them. Their joy was so great and their songs so inspired that they began to emanate a divine light. This light became so bright and tangible that the people of Assisi thought the forest was on fire. When they rushed to extinguish the flames they simply found the small band of devotees ablaze with the light and love of God.
As Clare approached the end of her life, she often experienced illness and pain. However her experience was not one of suffering but of joy. She said, regarding her health, "... Ever since by means of His servant Francis I have known the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, I have never in my whole life found any pain or sickness that could afflict me." Thus she lived a life of joy in God until her passing at the age of 60, on August 11, 1253. At her deathbed was her sister Agnes, along with Brothers Leo and Juniper, who read to her the Passion of Christ according to St. John, as they had done for their brother Francis at his death, twenty-seven years earlier. St. Clare was canonized two years after her death, as was St. Francis, demonstrating their powerful spiritual influence during their lifetimes.
Basilica of St. Clare
Basilica di Santa Chiara
The Basilica of St. Clare was built over San Giorgio Church in 1257-1260. The body of St. Francis was kept in San Giorgio's until his Basilica was completed in 1230. St. Clare's body was also kept in San Giorgio until her Basilica replaced it and her body moved there in 1260. San Giorgio's is the church where St. Clare first heard St. Francis give a sermon, and made the decision to follow him. St. Clare's incorrupt body was discovered buried underneath the high altar in 1850 and placed in a newly constructed Chapel downstairs in 1872. In 1986, her body was encased in a ceramic mold due to deterioration and returned for public viewing in 1987. The current Basilica contains the crypt of St. Clare downstairs. Near her crypt are stairs leading up to the stone coffin her body resided in for 600 years. The crypt also contains the relic shrine of St. Francis and St. Clare, including: the breviary which Francis and his brothers used; the 1253 Bull from Pope Innocent IV approving Clare's Rule; Clare's hair and remnants of clothing; and a slipper Clare made for Francis.
The Crucifix of San Damiano that spoke to St. Francis is in a small chapel on the right side of the main floor. This crucifix was moved here from San Damiano, along with the Poor Clare nuns, around 1260-63 when the Basilica was completed. It has been on display to the public since 1957.
The chapel of St. Agnes on the left of the church contains the bodies of St. Agnes and Blessed Ortolana, the sister and mother of St. Clare, who were members of St. Clare's order, the Order of the Poor Clares (Ordine delle Clarisse). Also buried here is Bl. Benedetta, Clare's successor as abbess. Today, the Clarissians live cloistered in the convent next to the Basilica.
The Basilica is very busy and active, because it is fairly small and a primary pilgrimage stop, especially for tour buses. As a result, it is difficult to find a quiet place to meditate, as people are constantly coming and going. Sitting in the Chapel of the Crucifix is a true blessing, but one must really go inward to avoid the clamor. Earplugs are a good idea!
Shrine Information
Shrine: Saint Clare Basilica (Basilica di Santa Chiara)
Address: Piazza Santa Chiara/06082 Assisi (PG) Italia
Phone: 075 812282 Fax: 075 816827
E-mail: None
Website: None
Quiet areas for meditation: None really. Silence is to be maintained in the Chapel of the Crucifix, but it is usually noisy with pilgrims coming and going. There are moments when it is peaceful, so enjoy it when the opportunity arises.
English spoken: Rarely
Hours: 9am-12; 2pm-7. Hours vary in the winter.
Mass: Weekdays 5:30pm; Sun/Hol 11:30am.
Feasts and festivities: August 12 -- Feast day; October 3 -- Feast of Translation of Body; September 23 -- Feast of Finding Her Body in 1850.
Accessibility: The side entrance leads to the main floor of the Basilica, with access to the Crucifix of San Damiano. There is no access down to the tomb.
Tours: None. You can ask the nuns for information, but they don't speak English, and they prefer to keep silence in the church.
Bookstore: None, but you can ask the nuns at the entrance of the Chapel of the Crucifix for some booklets in several languages.
Lodging: None
Recommended book: In the Footsteps of Saint Clare: A Pilgrim's Guide Book by Ramona Miller, O.S.F. The Franciscan Institute, St. Bonaventure University. Buy at home and read before you go on the trip.
Directions: Basilica di Santa Chiara is on piazza Santa Chiara, off of via Santa Chiara. It is in the southeast area of Assisi, close to the entrance of the walled city called Porta Nuova.
San Damiano
The Convent of San Damiano is less than 1 mile (1.5 km) from Porta Nuova in Assisi and was built between the eighth and ninth centuries. This is the first church St. Francis restored after Christ spoke to him in 1205 from the cross in the chapel. The chapel now contains a replica of the crucifix, the original having been taken to the Basilica of St. Clare when the Poor Clares left San Damiano after St. Clare's death. This is a powerful place to feel the presence of both St. Francis and St. Clare.
St. Francis wrote the Canticle of the Creatures in a hut near here in 1225. On the day of his death, October 3, 1226, St. Francis's body was brought here for Clare and her sisters to see.
St. Clare and the Poor Clares lived at San Damiano from 1212-1253. The nuns slept on straw mats in the dormitory, and St. Clare died in that room on August 11, 1253. The dormitory is a good place to linger awhile even with pilgrims flowing through. A corner has been roped off indicating St. Clare's bed. The refectory is where St. Clare blessed the bread in obedience to the Pope and the miracle of crosses appeared on all the loaves of bread.
There is also a special shrine room for St. Clare's sister Agnes. The room is upstairs near the refectory, and requires special permission to get there, but it is a very quiet place to meditate, as they leave you alone in the room for as long as you wish to remain.
Shrine Information
Shrine: Convent of San Damiano (Convento di San Damiano)
Address: 06081 Assisi (PG) Italia
Phone: 075 812273 Fax: 075 8198007
E-mail: None
Website: None
Quiet areas for meditation: San Damiano is smaller and quieter than most shrines. You can find time for contemplation here even with people passing through. The chapel with the replica of St. Francis's crucifix is especially nice, as is St. Clare's dormitory, and St. Agnes' room.
English spoken: Rarely
Hours: Winter 10am-12:30pm, 2pm-4:30; Summer 10am-12:30pm, 2pm-6.
Mass: Weekdays 7:15am; Sun/Hol 7:15am, 9:30pm.
Feasts and festivities: August 11 -- Feast of Saint Clare; June 22 -- Festa Del Voto (of the Vow) when St. Clare chased away the Saracens; Third Sunday of September (Canticle of the Creatures); October 4 -- Feast of St. Francis.
Accessibility: The ground floor has one step here and there, no access upstairs.
Tours: Ask at the information booth to the left of the main entrance for any tours in English, between 10am-12 and 2pm-4. Be sure to get the free tour guide in English. For additional inspiration, ask about joining the monks for Vespers around 5pm in the winter and later in the summer.
Bookstore: None
Lodging: None
Directions: San Damiano can be reached walking 15 minutes downhill from Assisi south of Porta Nuova. By car, after exiting the city from the Porta Nuova gate, take the street "viale Vittorio Emanuele" leaving Assisi. Take the first road to the left and follow signs to "Convento di San Damiano."
Other places of interest in Assisi
Cathedral of Assisi
San Rufino or Duomo
San Rufino is on piazza San Rufino and was built in 1140. It contains the baptismal font (to the far right as you enter) where St. Francis, St. Clare, and other local saints were baptized. Legend has it that the same angel that told St. Francis' mother, Donna Pica, to give birth in a stable, appeared to her at his baptism and asked to hold the baby. There is a stone behind a grate near the font that has the angel's impression made from kneeling. St. Clare's family home was connected to the church, on the left before you enter. Although nothing remains of her original home, there is a small altar commemorating the location of the house. St. Clare lived here until she was nineteen years old. It is a private home now and not open to pilgrims.
Sanctuary of Chiesa Nuova
Chiesa Nuova, located on piazzetta Chiesa Nuova, off piazza del Commune, was built in 1615 over the foundation of what is believed to be the home of Pietro di Bernardone and Donna Pica, St. Francis's parents. You can visit rooms in the house and visit the museum. St. Francis is thought to have been born in the nearby Oratorio di San Francesco Piccolino.
#2c via Portica
According to historical research, this address may be the original home of St. Francis of Assisi, but is not yet recognized officially. It is located west of piazza del Commune, at #2c via Portica, which is thought to have been the home and cloth shop of St. Francis' father, Pietro Bernadone. At the time of our visit, an American nun conducted tours in the summer. Since our last visit there, a candle shop has been installed and there is no access inside. You can contact Sister Roberta Cusack, OSF in St. Louis, MO, USA at 1-314-664-0649 or e-mail her at francesco4@juno.com for current information about the site.
St. Mary Major
Santa Maria Maggiore
This is where the bishop asked St. Francis to return the money he had made selling his father's cloth. St. Francis returned the money and renounced his relationship to his father. As a symbol of his renunciation, Francis then took off his clothes and offered them to his father. The Bishop wrapped his cape around Francis, taking responsibility for him. Santa Maria Maggiore is on piazza del Vescovado. Phone: 075 802274.
Little Church of St. Steven
Chiesetta di San Stefano
According to certain legends, at the death of St. Francis the bells of San Stefano rang of their own accord. Built in the twelfth century, it is a sweet church to meditate in, with few tourists. San Stefano is in the middle of Assisi, off of via Aluigi coming from either piazzetta Aluigi or via A. Fortini. You will have to climb some stairs to get there. There is also a nice picnic area behind the church with a beautiful view of the valley below.
Coming and Going
Assisi
Car: Assisi is located between Perugia and Foligno on highway S45. There are multiple exits from each direction, but the exit for Santa Maria degli Angeli is the most central and scenic. Follow the signs 3 miles (5 km) to Assisi. Note the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli on your right as you pass through the small town. Assisi is 115 miles (185 km) from Florence and 105 miles (170 km) from Rome.
Train: The train station is located 2.5 miles (4 km) southwest of Assisi at Santa Maria degli Angeli. A shuttle bus from Assisi leaves every half hour from piazza Matteotti. All major cities are accessible by train, but this is not a main line, so you will have to transfer to reach most major locations.
Bus: ASP buses connect on a regular basis to Foligno, Perugia and other local cities, leaving from piazza Matteotti. Daily buses connect to Rome, Florence and other major cities from piazzale dell' Unità d'Italia.
Tourist Information
--Assisi Promotion Agency/piazza Del Comune 12/06081 Assisi (PG) Italia Phone: 075 812534 Fax: 075 813727/E-mail: info@iat.assisi.pg.it/ www.umbria2000.it
Websites
Assisi Patriarchal Basilica of St. Francis www.sanfrancescoassisi.org -- Official website of the Basilica and Sacred Convent of St. Francis in Assisi.
Franciscan Institute Outreach www.christusrex.org/www1/ofm/_fra/FRAmain.html -- Comprehensive Franciscan cybercourse.
Places of Interest Near Assisi
Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels
Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli
Porziuncola
The Porziuncola was built in the fourth century and is a small freestanding chapel in the center of the Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli. It was the first church given to St. Francis and his followers. They restored it in 1209, and it became the center of St. Francis's work in his lifetime. The first Franciscans lived in huts in the woods surrounding this chapel. A convent and the Basilica were eventually built around the Chapel of St. Mary of the Porziuncola in the sixteenth century. In 1832, a large portion of the Basilica was destroyed in an earthquake, and rebuilt.
The Porziuncola was said to be St. Francis's favorite place. The entire building, including the frescoes, has recently been restored to its original beauty. There are benches outside the Porziuncola for sitting. Many pilgrims flow through this blessed place, but you can stay inside as long as you want.
Behind the Porziuncola, on the right, in the place now marked by the Chapel of the Transitus, is where St. Francis died on October 3, 1226. In this area there are signs leading you to the rose bush without thorns (Roseto) that grew from the bramble bush St. Francis rolled in naked to fight temptation. There are signs here also directing the way to other small chapels of the Basilica.
The Pardon of Assisi: Jesus Christ and the Madonna surrounded by angels appeared to St. Francis in 1216 above the altar in the small church of the Porziuncola. The Lord asked St. Francis, "Ask whatever you desire, because it will be granted through the mediation of my Mother," and Francis responded, "Grant that all who come into this church having confessed and repented, may receive a bountiful and generous pardon, with the full remission of all faults." The Lord granted his request with the condition that Francis would consult his vicar on earth for this indulgence. He received permission from the Pope, and a few days later, announced to the population who had gathered around the Porziuncola, "My brothers, I want to send everyone to Heaven!" The Indulgence of the Porziuncola is celebrated on August 2nd.
There is an excellent bookstore before you enter the Basilica on the right. There is also a souvenir shop inside the Basilica after you take the tour to the Roseta bush and through the other chapels. The Porziuncola is in the town of Santa Maria degli Angeli about 3 miles (5 km) south of Assisi. Phone: 075 80511. It is close to the train station, which is accessible by frequent buses. Buses from Assisi also stop at the Basilica.
Casa Gualdi
On the road between Assisi and Santa Maria degli Angeli, at the crossroad via Francesca, Casa Gualdi was built on the site of a thirteenth-century leprosarium. This area is thought to be the most likely place for St. Francis's conversion after meeting the leper, because lepers were not allowed to wander far from the leprosarium. St. Francis continued to serve the lepers, and his Order of the Friars Minor was required to serve in the leper hospitals. When St. Francis was near death and carried from Assisi to the Porziuncola on a stretcher, he asked to stop at the Leper Hospital and face the city of Assisi to give it his final blessing. There is a plaque on the wall of Casa Gualdi to commemorate this event.
The Carceri Hermitage
L'Eremo delle Carceri
L'Eremo is approximately 2.8 miles (4.5 km) east of Assisi on the road to Mount Subasio (Strada Subasio). There are many caves here that St. Francis and his followers retreated to for seclusion and prayer. It is the most peaceful St. Francis shrine in Assisi, with trails leading through the forest to the caves of St. Francis and his brothers. St. Bernardino of Siena built the current buildings you walk through in the fifteenth century around the ancient chapel that dates back to St. Francis's time. They have tours in Italian only. Ask in the information office. People do walk from town, but it is a major uphill hike. Even if you drive there, you must be prepared to hike up and down the paths to the caves. Wear comfortable shoes and warm clothing. There is no bus service so you must drive or take a taxi.
Church of St. Mary of Rivotorto
Chiesa di Santa Maria di Rivotorto
Rivotorto is about 2 miles (3 km) east from the Porziuncola and 2.8 miles (4.5 km) southeast from Assisi. The church, built in the nineteenth century, has replicas of two stone huts that are believed to be built on the same spot where St. Francis started his mission with eleven brothers. St. Francis led his friars here after the Pope gave his approval for the Rule, and before they were given the Porziuncola. There is a bench on which to sit and meditate in front of the huts. There are very few visitors to this church since it is out of the way, and it is, therefore, very quiet.
Monteluco (outside of Spoleto)
Monteluco is 34 miles (55 km) south from Assisi, and 5 miles (8 km) from Spoleto, just east of highway S3. St. Francis first arrived here with his brothers in 1218, seeking solitude in the caves (grottos). Other saints lived here, including St. Anthony of Padua. You have to explore this place on your own, as there is no one to show you where to go and very little signage. Inside the hermitage are cells to visit, which are replicas of the original cells. If you are adventuresome, you can follow the path to the caves. You might find a cave that St. Anthony stayed in, along with several other meditation caves. There are two hotels, camping areas and restaurants in this remote spot. A car is recommended, but Monteluco can also be reached by bus from Spoleto. Spoleto is on the Rome-Foligno-Ancona rail line.
Lake Trasimeno
Lago Trasimeno
The island of Isola Maggiore is 11 miles (18 km) from Cortona and 12 miles (20 km) from Perugia. Legend has it that St. Francis spent the Lenten season here in 1211 with only two loaves of bread, fasting for 40 days. A chapel has been erected where he is said to have landed on the island and another chapel houses the stone he slept on. The boatman who picked Francis up reported that Francis calmed the stormy lake with the wave of his hand, and soon thereafter people made the island a pilgrimage destination. You can reach it by ferry, and it is a very pleasant day trip to walk around the island and enjoy a picnic lunch. By car, exit S75 and follow signs to Passignano sul Trasimeno, where the ferry is located with hourly service. By train, take the Ancona-Foligno-Terontola line and get off at Passignano sul Trasimeno. For more information contact: Servizio Turistico Territoriale del Trasimeno E-mail: urat@lagotrasimeno.net or refer to their website: www.lagotrasimeno.net.
More St. Francis Shrines in Italy
Cortona
Hermitage of the Cells
L'Eremo delle Celle
St. Francis heard about "Le Celle" as a secluded place for solitude, and he was eventually given the land. He first arrived in 1211 and his last visit was in 1226 when he was near death. You can visit his cell and the dormitory of his brothers. This is a fascinating place to visit, for it is still occupied by Franciscan Brothers and has the feel of an authentic cloister. Le Celle is located 2 miles (3 km) east of Cortona in the region of Tuscany, which is west of Assisi about 51 miles (82 km). Refer to the chapter on Cortona for more information.
La Verna
Santuario della Verna
This is where St. Francis received the stigmata and is one of the most inspirational places in all of Italy. It is very quiet and peaceful, a perfect place for meditation and contemplation. The monastery is still run by monks and nuns of the Franciscan order, and the vibration of St. Francis is particularly tangible. La Verna is a small monastery in the mountains in the region of Tuscany about 72 miles (116 km) northwest of Assisi, and 37 miles (60 km) north of Arezzo. Refer to the chapter on Tuscany for more information.
Rieti Valley
St. Francis of Assisi traveled by foot and donkey throughout Italy spreading his doctrine of love. He visited the Rieti Valley on many occasions and founded several hermitages. It is called the Sacred Valley due to the presence of the Saint and for the deep vibrations of devotion he infused into the area. There are four hermitages in the valley that are associated with St. Francis: Fonte Colombo, Greccio, Poggio Bustone, and Convento Foresta Giaccomo. Refer to the chapter on Latium for more information.
Rome
St. Francis of Assisi by the River
San Francesco d'Assisi a Ripa
When St. Francis of Assisi came to Rome, he stayed at 88 Piazza San Francesco d'Assisi. You can visit his cell and relics. Refer to the chapter on Latium under Rome for more information.
Population 3,300
This small town that lies east of Spoleto in rural southeast Umbria began as a medieval village, growing up around an ancient castle in the Como Valley. Little of the original settlement survived, having been destroyed by frequent earthquakes or remodeled into modern facilities. What remains are two quality medieval churches: San Francesco and San Antonio.
The modern Sanctuary of St. Rita, built between 1937 and 1947, is the primary attraction of the town, drawing thousands of pilgrims each year to this remote area to celebrate the life of the saint. The older parts of the town are charming in a typically rural Italian way. Roccaporena, the birthplace of St. Rita, is located 4 miles (6 km) west of Cascia, at the end of a narrow meandering road that winds its way through the ragged hills and sharp peaks of the area, culminating in the tiny picturesque village.
Santa Rita da Cascia 1381-1457
"Sisters, I am not afraid to die. I know already what it is to die.
It is to close the eyes to the world and open them to God."
While some saints enter into a cloistered life at an early age and live in relative innocence of the world, others experience all the trials and tribulations of secular life before they are called to a life in God. Such is the story of St. Rita: daughter, mother, wife, widow, nun, saint. She experienced it all, transcended it all, and is therefore a wonderful channel of grace to those with similar challenges. St. Rita is known as the "Saint of the Impossible" for her many intercessions in seemingly impossible situations.
Rita did not become a nun until her late years, but throughout her life she sought God. As a child she spent many hours praying in her room in the tiny village of Roccaporena, and had a great desire to lead the devout life of a nun. But her parents were very old and feeble, and demanded that she stay home to care for them and to marry in order to fully support them. This she did out of duty, but she still craved God.
Rita's marriage was tumultuous as her husband was violent and frequently unemployed, which caused Rita and their two sons to live in constant fear and uncertainty. For years, Rita prayed daily for her husband's soul and a softening of his heart. After eighteen years, he finally opened himself to grace, and asked her forgiveness. But shortly thereafter, he was murdered by bandits, leaving Rita alone to care for her sons.
Her sons then angrily vowed revenge and plotted to kill the murderers. Rita was afraid that they would only reap damnation for their revengeful acts, and prayed for divine intervention. Her prayers were again answered and, within a year, both sons died, leaving Rita completely on her own. With her earthly responsibilities behind her, she could now live for God alone.
Rita traveled to nearby Cascia to seek admittance into the convent of Saint Mary Magdalene. Each time she asked permission to enter, she was denied because she was a widow and a woman of the world. After a third request was denied, Rita prayed deeply for help, and experienced a vision of St. Augustine, St. Nicholas of Tolentino and John the Baptist. In vision, Rita saw them escort her into the convent. In the morning, the nuns were amazed to find Rita inside the walls, and realizing her zeal for God was greater than they imagined, admitted her to the order. Rita was an example of righteous living, becoming an inspiration to her sisters. She fasted, practiced severe austerities, slept little and battled the devil, all of which strengthened her spiritually.
Rita experienced the Divine in many different ways. During Holy Communion, she often went into ecstasy, becoming completely immobile, engrossed in an internal state of rapture. Once, she was in this state for such a long time her sisters thought her dead, and were prepared to give her last rites before she finally returned to her body. Rita spent the long nights in meditation and prayer, often staying up till dawn, only to be inconvenienced by the morning sun. "Why do you come so quickly?" she would say. "Do you wish to deprive me with your small light of the delights my soul is enjoying? Let me pray, O sun! Let me meditate. My soul sees more when it contemplates under the shadows of the night, than my eyes do when aided by your splendor."
Another time, after hearing a sermon about the passion of Christ, she prayed to share in Christ's suffering. Her prayer was answered in the form of a thorn in her forehead. This was both a blessing and a curse, for she keenly felt the suffering of Christ, but the wound festered and putrefied, isolating her from the other nuns. Once a group of nuns were to travel to Rome on pilgrimage and Rita wished to go along, but she was told she could go only if her wound healed. The wound miraculously healed for the duration of the journey, but when she arrived back at the convent, it returned just as before.
Four years following her return from Rome, Rita suffered from increasing pain in her wound, and felt the approach of death. At this time, Rita asked a cousin who was visiting to bring her a rose from her old garden in Roccaporena. The cousin said she would try but that it would be impossible since it was winter. Rita replied; "My dear cousin, there is nothing impossible to God." The cousin went where she was directed and found a red rose in bloom, which she brought to Rita. On another occasion, Rita asked her cousin to pick two figs from a frozen fig tree in the same garden, and this time the cousin dutifully went and retrieved the figs. Rita saw these miracles as a sign that she would soon die. A few days before her passing, she had a vision of Jesus and Mary confirming that they would soon be united in eternity.
In 1456, Rita died at the age of seventy-six, accompanied by a sweet perfume filling her cell, a light emanating from her wound, and the bells of the town ringing of their own accord. Shortly after her death, her body was transformed, becoming more youthful and her face more beautiful. Many miracles surrounded her death, and her body was seen to elevate, and move from side to side. At the time of her beatification, her eyes opened and they remained open for some time. Because Rita was a wife and a mother, many women relate to and find comfort in her life story. When a miracle happens by her intercession, her devotees say a sweet perfume fills Rita's shrine.
The Basilica of Saint Rita
Basilica di Santa Rita
The building of the Basilica began in 1937 and it was consecrated on May 19, 1947. On August 1, 1955, it was declared a Basilica. The design is of a modern eclectic style in the shape of a Greek cross, composed of a central dome and four main apses. The interior ornamentation is very contemporary, including two-dimensional frescoes. The Monastery of St. Rita and information center is outside the Basilica, on the left, as you face it. They do not speak English, but the information center provides a "Guide to the Sanctuary of Saint Rita" in English. We recommend that you purchase this comprehensive guide before visiting the Basilica. It will provide you with all the details of the Basilica and Monastery of St. Rita. (See how to ask for the guide in Italian below, under Monastery of St. Rita.)
When you walk into the Basilica, on your right is the main altar and on the left is the Chapel of St. Rita. Behind the grill in the Chapel of St. Rita is the incorrupt body of St. Rita, placed there in 1947. There are a couple of benches, but for the most part people come up to the grill and pray or stand around. This chapel is always busy, but we found at the end of the day there were fewer people. Sometimes you will see a nun on the left side of the grill place a gray walking stick with a metal tip through the grate for pilgrims to touch. This cane is filled with St. Rita's relics. Every fifty years, they change St. Rita's habit and cut it up for relics.
Enter the Lower Basilica (La Basilica Inferiore) by following the road to the right of the Basilica to the side door. The Lower Basilica is a good place for quiet meditation since there are many rooms and it is not as crowded as the Upper Basilica. As you enter, on the right are the Chapel of the Eucharistic Miracle and the remains of Blessed Simon Fidati resting inside a stone sarcophagus. The crypt of Blessed Mary Theresa Fasce is in the left transept along with a painting by Vincent Cesarino depicting St. Mary Magdalene in tears.
The Eucharistic Miracle contained in the stone crystal tabernacle originated in Siena. In 1330, a priest was called to take Holy Communion to a sick person. In an act of disrespect, he put the Host into his breviary. Upon his arrival he noticed the Host had liquefied and bled. The remorseful priest confessed to Simon Fidati, who eventually took one page of the breviary to Cascia. Pope Boniface IX confirmed the authenticity of the miracle in 1389. Looking at it against the light, the stains of blood are said to make a human outline.
Blessed Simon Fidati (1285-1348) was highly regarded as a preacher and spiritual counselor. He wrote many theological books and founded two monasteries. Born in Cascia, he entered the Order of St. Augustine in his early twenties. His writing focused on devotion to Christ's humanity: "It is absolutely necessary to make oneself similar, in soul and body, to Christ, just as He made himself similar to us, if we want to be crowned with Him." He died in Rome in 1348, was beatified in 1833, and his feast day is celebrated February 16th.
Blessed Mary Theresa Fasce (1881-1947) was born in Torriglia, near Genoa, in 1881, and died in Cascia on January 18, 1947. She was beatified on October 12, 1997. She dedicated her life to spread the devotion of St. Rita and was the moving force behind the construction of the Basilica, overcoming great obstacles in the process. The monthly bulletin, From the Bees to the Rose, was started by Blessed Mary Fasce in 1923 and is published today in five languages to spread the devotion of St. Rita around the world. In 1938, she founded the girls' orphanage, Saint Rita's Hive, which still receives the "Little Bees of Saint Rita," girls from the ages of 6-18 years. Blessed Mary Fasce was known for her tremendous courage and tranquility, especially facing her own ill health and pain. She demanded much from herself and others, but was also well respected and loved for her sweetness. She was elected abbess of the convent nine times. In her characteristic devotional style, she was noted for saying to her sisters while in between tasks, "While we wait, let's talk about God."
The original Church of Blessed Rita (1577) is located to the left of the basilica, as you are facing it. Behind the bronze gate is the portal of the church where the remains of St. Rita were venerated from 1577 to 1947. The building was so severely damaged by the earthquake of 1703 that the body of St. Rita was kept in a wooden hut in the garden of the monastery for four years. In order to build the new sanctuary, the original building was demolished. The portal that you see and some altars are all that remain of the early church.
Just to the left of the Church of St. Rita is the ancient Monastery of St. Rita (1200) originally dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene. The monastery was enlarged during the first half of 1700 due to the generous donation of King John V of Portugal, who recovered from cancer of the eye through the intercession of St. Rita. It has been further expanded in the last ten years. This monastery is where St. Rita lived for 40 years and currently houses about 40 cloistered Augustinian nuns. It can be visited only in groups and at scheduled times. You can find out about the schedule inside the information center to the left of the entrance, but you will have to speak in Italian.
When is the next tour in English?_Quando ci sarà la prossima visita guidata in inglese?
If you can't wait for the next tour in English, ask,
When is the next tour in Italian?_Quando ci sarà la prossima visita guidata in italiano?
Make sure you get the "Guide to the Sanctuary of Saint Rita" in English.
Do you have a guidebook in English?_Avete una guida scritta in inglese?
Be sure not to miss the tour of the Monastery, even if it's in Italian. What you will see downstairs is the well that Rita used, the "Bees of the Wall," the 200-year-old grape vine, and the "Ancient Choir" where St. Rita took the habit and prayed. Upstairs you will find the Oratory of the Crucifix where it is thought that Rita received the stigmata consisting of one thorn in her forehead from Christ's crown of thorns.
There is also St. Rita's cell and a reliquary with the saint's wedding ring, made of two hands together, and her rosary. The baroque gilded urn held St. Rita's remains from 1745 to 1930, and the monastic habit and crown were at one time on the body of St. Rita. She spent all her time in the cell and died there on May 22, 1457 at age 76. Above the altar are some other relics: her habit, a veil, bandages used to clean the wound on her forehead, and a cushion.
The wooden sarcophagus in this cell dates from 1457-1462, and Rita's body was kept in it until 1745. This coffin was made by Master Cecco Barbaro of Cascia, who recovered from a deformation of his hands after visiting the saint. The painting on the coffin is the oldest known of Rita. This is the end of the tour, and we suggest staying here until your guide tells you it is time to go. Since St. Rita lived here for forty years, it is a good place to feel her presence, if there is the opportunity.
Shrine Information
Shrine: Sanctuary of St. Rita of Cascia (Santuario di Santa Rita da Cascia)
Address: The Right Reverend Mother Abbess/Suore Agostiniane Monastero di Santa Rita/06043 Cascia (PG)/Italia
Phone: 074 376221 (no English spoken) Fax: 074 376630
E-mail: mon.santarita@tiscali.it You can e-mail in English, and they will get it translated.
Website: www.santaritadacascia.com -- Official website for the Sanctuary of St. Rita.
Quiet areas for meditation: The Lower Basilica is generally quieter as it is not as crowded. In the Upper Basilica the area in front of St. Rita's crypt (Chapel of St. Rita) although not quiet, is particularly devotional.
English spoken: The nuns in the monastery do not speak English, but in the Basilica they usually have a priest who speaks English for confession.
Hours: Ask at your lodging or call the Basilica.
Mass: There are many masses throughout the day. Check their website under "Schedules."
Feasts and festivities: May 21-22 -- Festival of St. Rita; May 21st -- The Fire of Faith (Incendio di Fede) is a torchlight procession on the feast of St. Rita and starts at 8:00 pm.
Accessibility: There is a ramp for the upper and Lower Basilica, or an elevator through the sacristy. The Monastery is not accessible to wheelchairs, but there is a room available to view a video of the Monastery.
Tours: There are tours of the Monastery of St. Rita in English. Inquire at the information center to the left of the entrance of the monastery. They do not speak English, so refer to the Italian questions in the boxes above.
Bookstore: There is a bookstore in front of the Basilica as you face it, on the right.
Recommended Book: St. Rita of Cascia: Saint of the Impossible by Fr. Joseph Sicardo, O.S.A. Tan Books. (Not available at shrine; buy before you go.)
Lodging: Hotel Delle Rose -- House of the Pilgrim (Casa del Pellegrino), owned by the monastery, is directly across from the Basilica. It is the most convenient lodging for visiting the shrine of St. Rita. It is a large hotel with parking provided underneath the building. It is open from Palm Sunday until November 1st. (It is not recommended to stay during Holy Week because of an annual youth congress that is held in the hotel.) We recommend staying at least one night to visit all the sights related to St. Rita, including Roccaporena. Ask for a room with a view. The small town of Cascia is quiet and pleasant to wander around in.
Hotel Delle Rose/via Fasce 2/06043 Cascia (PG)/Italia; Phone: 074 376241 Fax: 074 376240/ E-mail: hdr@netgen.it www.netgen.it/hdr/
Parking (Parcheggio): If you are not staying at Hotel Delle Rose, there is a large parking lot on the left hand side at the switchback of the road several blocks before the Basilica.
Directions: Once you arrive in town follow the signs on the major road that leads up to the Basilica of St. Rita (Santuario di Santa Rita da Cascia.) It is a small town and easy to get around.
Coming and Going
Cascia
Car: Cascia is a remote 31 miles (50 km) east of Spoleto. It can be reached from Terni and Spoleto on winding roads. Cascia is on S471 from the south and S320 from the north. It is 124 miles (200 km) from the Rome airport.
Train: Spoleto is the closest train station (31 miles (50 km) away) and is on the Rome-Foligno-Ancona line. Buses make connections to Cascia 6 times a day from this station.
Bus: Cascia is served by buses from Rome, Perugia, Terni and Spoleto. The local bus (Spoletina) makes trips to Roccaporena.
Tourist Information
--Ufficio Informazioni Turistiche dell'A.P.T./piazza Garibaldi 1/Cascia/Italia Phone: 074 371147.
--Servizio Turistico Territoriale -- IAT della Valnerina-Cascia/via G. Da Chiavano 2/06043 Cascia (PG)/Italia Phone: 074 31401 Fax: 074 376630.
Other Places of Interest
St. Augustine Church
Sant'Agostino
Sant'Agostino is up the hill from the Basilica. You can walk, drive, or take a bus called the Spoletina. It is thought that St. Rita was christened in the St. John the Baptist's chapel and that she frequented this church.
Roccaporena
Roccaporena, about four miles (6 km) west of Cascia, is where St. Rita was born and lived until entering the monastery in Cascia. It is a small town and, although there are many pilgrims, you can catch some quiet time in any of the churches or chapels. Below are the major points of interest pertaining to the life of St. Rita.
--Parish church of St. Montano (Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Montano) -- This is where St. Rita got married and where her relatives are buried.
--Sanctuary of St. Rita (Santuario Santa Rita) -- On the right there is a side chapel that contains the leather mantle of St. Rita ("Manto di Santa Rita" - Religuia veste al Pelle usate da Santa Rita) This chapel is relatively quiet for meditation.
--On the left of Casa dei Ricordi there is a sign saying "Nativa," which is the house where St. Rita was born (Casa Nativa di Santa Rita).
--There is a path labeled "Lazzareto" that leads to a statue of St. Rita.
--House of St. Rita (Casa di Santa Rita) -- This is now a chapel, but was the house St. Rita lived in with her husband and children.
--As you walk through town there will be a sign, "Scoglio de Santa Rita della Preghiera," directing you to the Rock of St. Rita. It is a steep walk up the mountain with Stations of the Cross along the way. At the top is the Rock of St. Rita enclosed in a small building.
Population 38,500
Sixteenth-century walls circumscribe and embrace this city of the Upper Tiber Valley, and give it a charming urban character. Located east of Arezzo and north of Perugia, the city is well known for its quaint commercial areas. Though originally a thriving pre-Roman town, its glory now is found in its well-preserved medieval and Renaissance buildings. The city is easy to walk around, sprinkled with small piazzas and enlivened with street markets alongside modern shops. The Monastery of St. Veronica Giuliani (Monastero Santa Veronica Giuliani) and the Church of San Domenico (Chiesa di San Domenico) are not major tourist sights in the city, but they house two of Italy's great mystical saints.
Santa Veronica Giuliani 1660-1727
"Let everyone know that I have found Love.
This is the secret of my joy and my suffering, I have found Love!"
The story of our own lives, and how we are striving to know God, is often a story of the heart. For the heart must be open and receptive to grace, and learn how to triumph over the critical mind. The story of Veronica Giuliani is one of these, for she transformed her heart of steel into one of compassion and ecstatic love.
Orsola Giuliani was one of five girls born to the Mancini fam-_ily of Mercatello, Italy. Even as a young child she was given a spiritual test, for she felt both compassion and spiritual pride; giving away her clothes and food to the poor, while still criticizing those who were not as devout and pious as she. Soon after, a vision revealed to her a heart of steel within her own chest, making clear that her primary task was to forge that heart of steel into one of sweetness. This process required many years of devotion and prayer, but she transformed herself, becoming a saint of grace and empathy.
At age seven, her mother died, leaving the family to fend for itself. Three of Veronica's sisters became nuns, and she would soon follow. Prior to entering the cloister, she experienced two visions of Christ, visions which opened her understanding to his suffering and passion, and more importantly, to His great love. Though her father wanted her to marry, and even brought her suitors, Veronica entered the convent of the Poor Clares in 1677 at the age of seventeen. In the following year, she took vows as a Capuchin Poor Clare in Città di Castello, and took the name Veronica. The Bishop of the city was taken by the depth of Veronica's spirituality and predicted that she would become a saint. This was another test for the young novice, for the Bishop's prediction resulted in resentment from Veronica's fellow sisters and superiors, and they made her first years in the convent very difficult.
Veronica also received tests in more tangible forms, being tested by Satan with temptations, visions and even physical abuse. She had many visions throughout her life, but the satanic visions of her early years were the most arduous, for she was still learning to discern true spiritual visions from ones fostered by evil. Veronica overcame these trials by developing a deeper yearning for Christ and by experiencing his divine love. In one vision, she was offered a chalice of Christ's suffering, and she chose to receive the taste of suffering in order to become closer to him. Finally, her longing became so intense that she directly experienced the suffering of Christ on the cross. In the following year, the imprint of the crown of thorns appeared on her head, causing her great physical pain but also deep inner joy. Ultimately, her identification with Christ became so complete that, on Good Friday in 1697, the five stigmatic wounds of Christ appeared on her body.
Veronica received the wounds with reverence and humility, but the new Bishop viewed them with skepticism and doubt. He ordered examination of the wounds, and many medical procedures were conducted to verify the authenticity of her afflictions. Veronica was under constant surveillance, always in the company of a fellow nun, assuring that no actions were taken to deceive the examiners. She accepted her role with great patience, for she was told in vision, "you are to become an ardent flame of love which will speak to your fellow man."
Veronica was ordered by her superiors to write a spiritual diary to record her many insights and visions, which she commenced on December 13, 1693. She made entries faithfully until completing it on March 25, 1727. The diary portrays a deep inner life of visions and communion with Christ. It is one of the most insightful treatises ever written, but unfortunately, it has never been translated into English in its entirety. Veronica often wrote while in ecstasy, stating: "For the most part I write estranged from myself, and I don't know what I'm saying." In her later years, Veronica attributed many of her entries as direct dictation from the Virgin Mary. As her visions became ever deeper and her experiences of divine love more profound, she wrote: "My love of God is so intense that already on earth I live a heavenly experience, becoming kind and gentle through Divine love."
Veronica was eventually allowed to return to a normal conventional life, but her stigmata and visions continued throughout her final 30 years. Although a deep mystic, she was also very practical. Veronica was the novice mistress for 34 years and the abbess for her last eleven years. She was also responsible for bringing a clear source of water to the convent and enlarging the facilities of the monastery.
Suffering of the physical body accompanied Veronica's stigmatic wounds, yet she felt that compassion and love were the essence of her life. She had succeeded in transforming her hardened heart into one of infinite love and joy. At the age of 66, she suffered a stroke and died 33 days later, on July 9, 1727. She was canonized on May 26, 1839.
Monastery of St. Veronica Giuliani
Monastero Santa Veronica Giuliani
The church and monastery are nondescript and are easy to miss while walking along "via XI Settembre." The tiny church contains the urn with St. Veronica's bones, encased in wax, on the main altar. A death mask was made of the saint, so the wax figure is an accurate representation of Veronica. There is a small urn with the remains of Beata Florida Cevoli on the left side of the church.
Beata Florida Cevoli (1685--1767) was born Lucretia Helen in Pisa to a family of nobility on November 11, 1685. On June 3, 1703, at the age of 18, she entered the Capuchin Poor Clare monastery in Città di Castello and took the name Florida. Sister Florida held many jobs and offices, including that of vicar after St. Veronica was elected abbess. She assisted St. Veronica for eleven years, becoming her closest confidant. When St. Veronica died, Sister Florida became abbess at age 42. She had "one hundred eyes and as many hands" when dealing with her sisters and the poor who asked for help. She was very generous in helping those in need, especially with prayers and intercessions. Beata Florida was greatly admired for her wisdom and generosity of spirit within the convent and in the community at large.
This is a quiet church with some local people coming and going, so you can take all the time you need to meditate and pray. On the right side of the church is the monastery entrance. You can enter the monastery's vestibule from the street or from inside the church. From inside the vestibule, ring the bell, and after some time a sister will come and talk to you from behind the wooden wheel. They do not speak English, so you will say in Italian,
Can I see the relics of St. Veronica? _Posso vedere le reliquie di Santa Veronica?
The sister will open the door to the left of the wheel. When you enter, there is a display of postcards, pictures and pamphlets about the saint. You can review their selections before or after visiting the museum. Ask if they have any books in English. They have a small booklet in English (the only English translation of her life that we have found) on the life of St. Veronica, Saint Veronica Giuliani, the Nun of Fire.
Do you have any books in English? _Avete libri in inglese?
You will be led through the courtyard to a small museum where the saint's relics are displayed in glass cases. Everything is in Italian, but make sure you see the reliquary with the saint's incorrupt heart with an imprint of the cross. You will probably be left alone with the relics, so you can stay as long as you like. On one visit a sweet nun talked to us in Italian the whole time we were there, but another time we were left alone.
Remember that you are in a cloistered monastery, so be respectful of the nuns' privacy. After you have seen the museum, you may leave on your own. As you walk back to the entry, look through the courtyard on your left, to the second floor, and you will see a sign that says, "Cella di Santa Veronica Guiliani" (St. Veronica Guiliani's cell). No one is allowed to visit her cell, but this is where she received the crown of thorns from Christ and later His other wounds. There is a postcard with a picture of her cell in their bookstore. You pay by donation for the postcards and pamphlets. If no one is around when you leave, just leave the money on the table.
Shrine Information
Shrine: Monastery of St. Veronica Giuliani (Monastero Santa Veronica Giuliani)
Address: Via XI Settembre 21-A/06012 Città di Castello (PG)/Italia
Phone: 075 8550956 Italian only Fax: None
E-mail: None
Website: None
Quiet areas for meditation: The church is very small with locals coming in and out, and very suitable for meditation. When you are in the museum there is no place to sit, so the church is the best place.
English spoken: Rarely
Hours: 8:30am-12:00; 3:00pm-6:30.
Mass: 7am
Feasts and festivities: July 9 and June 30
Accessibility: There is one step outside and two inside.
Information office: None
Tours: None
Bookstore: Once you are let into the cloister, there are postcards and a booklet called Saint Veronica Giuliani, the Nun of Fire that you can pay for by donation.
Recommended booklet: Saint Veronica Giuliani, the Nun of Fire published by the Monastery of the Capuchinesses, Città di Castello. Available in their bookstore.
Lodging: None
Directions: To find the Monastero Santa Veronica Giuliani, start in piazza Matteotti, at the center of town. Take via M. Angeloni, which becomes via XI Settembre. The Monastery is on the right, #21. It is easy to miss. Look for a simple cross on the side of a terra-cotta-colored building.
Beata Margherita de la Metola 1287-1320
There is a spiritual axiom that states "All circumstances are neutral; it's our reaction that makes them good or bad." Margaret of Metola became saintly because she perfected this tenet, by accepting her difficult circumstances as God's will and by reacting to all situations in a positive manner. If we ever find ourselves indulging in self-pity, meditating on the life of Margaret can inspire us to see God's hand in all things, and teach us to accept our trials and tests as gifts from God.
Margaret was born into wealth and nobility in rural Metola in 1287, being the first child born to the local nobleman Parisio and his wife Emilia. Their great anticipation turned to great disappointment when the newborn was a girl instead of the longed-for first son, and then even greater agony when her body was discovered to be deformed and her eyes void of sight. Margaret's very existence was an embarrassment to her aristocratic parents, so she lived hidden away in the back rooms of the castle, never allowed to be seen in public.
Despite her parents' neglect, Margaret's early childhood was happy, for she was joyful at heart, playing and living in a delightful world of her own making. One day, at the age of six, when wandering too far from her allotted rooms, she encountered a local noblewoman and, in playful conversation, Margaret almost revealed her heritage. Her father was furious about the incident and decided it was too "dangerous" to have Margaret in a situation where her true identity could be easily discovered. As a solution to his problem, he had a small cell built a short distance from the castle and placed Margaret inside, permanently walling her into the tiny prison.
Two small windows were her saving grace. One window faced the adjacent church, and here she would receive the sacrament from Padre Capellano. The other small aperture was used to pass Margaret her daily meals. Her truest window was her inner window to God, for although she couldn't understand the actions of her parents, she opened her inner sight to the omnipresence of God and found solace in that joyful experience.
Margaret lived in abandonment for a total of twelve years until the age of eighteen, with her only personal contact being with Padre Capellano. The only break in the monotony of her existence came when she was sixteen, when war broke out in the surrounding region and she was moved to another cell in the local town of Mercatello. Her situation was different, but worse, for she could no longer converse with her Padre or receive the Blessed Sacrament. After two years of war, peace returned to the area, but Margaret was forced to remain in her isolated cell.
When Margaret was eighteen, rumors of miraculous healings were reported from the nearby city of Città di Castello, and reached the ears of her family. The shrine of the deceased Fra Fiacomo of Castello was the site of these healings, and Margaret's parents decided to take her there secretly for one last chance at transforming Margaret into a "normal and acceptable" daughter. They took her to the shrine early in the morning, leaving her there, and instructing her to pray for healing of her small, feeble, hunchbacked body and for vision in her sightless eyes. Margaret prayed deeply, as she did every day, but she only prayed that God's will be done. If God wanted her healed, she would accept it, but if he wanted her to remain in her present physical condition, she would accept that, too.
She passed the entire day at the shrine and enjoyed being in a new environment, especially one as holy as this. When her parents returned later in the day they saw their daughter was not miraculously changed and decided to abandon her completely, leaving her to care for herself. Margaret was not aware of her parents' decision and waited all day for their return. Finally, at day's end, the shrine was closed and Margaret was ushered outside, forced to spend the night on the city streets.
As morning broke, two beggars, Roberto and Elena, discovered Margaret on the steps of the church. Margaret explained her situation to her new companions, and they were moved to help her. Elena taught Margaret to beg and introduced her to the streets and people of Città di Castello. Margaret's bright countenance and cheerful attitude impressed all those she met, and she was watched over by various poor families of the community. They would take her into their meager homes for a short period, then pass her on to another family when it became financially difficult. After some time, people began to notice that families that cared for Margaret received special blessings from her presence. Margaret's reputation as a deeply devout soul began to spread throughout the city.
Margaret eventually entered a local convent and took vows as a nun. After her acceptance as a novice, she was once again rejected, for Margaret believed in a strict interpretation of the order's rule while her fellow sisters preferred to practice a looser version. The devout nature of Margaret was an embarrassment to the less committed sisters, so she was expelled from the convent. Once again, various families took her in, but this time they were wealthy families who had by now heard of her virtue and were eager to help the cheerful Margaret.
She soon became a member of the lay order of the Penance of St. Dominic, serving the people of Città di Castello with love and devotion. As the first unmarried Dominican mantellate, Margaret followed the strict rule of St. Dominic, rigorously praying and fasting. After midnight prayers, she would not sleep but would remain in prayer and meditation long into the night. She also practiced severe austerities, and when friends approached her to stop, she said "If by undergoing suffering I can help save just (one) soul, I would gladly endure the utmost agony from now to the day I die!"
Miracles began to happen around Margaret, for she predicted future events, cured a fellow tertiary of blindness, and put out a raging fire with her cloak. She was also well known for her compassion, especially for those in prison, as she could relate directly to their suffering and isolation. When hearing of the deplorable conditions in the jails, she visited the cells to comfort the prisoners. Upon witnessing their suffering, Margaret would think of Christ's suffering and levitate, rising high in the air above the dank prison floor. Her frequent visits and levitations became quite a phenomenon among the townspeople, so much so that they began to come to the cells just to see her levitate, despite their revulsion at the prison conditions. In this way, Margaret was able to help the prisoners and raise the consciousness of others about the conditions in the prison.
When Margaret was thirty-three, she had a premonition of her approaching death and requested the last rites. She died on April 13, 1320. In keeping with the rule of the Dominicans, a rule of simplicity and poverty, Margaret was to be buried without a coffin in the cloister cemetery. The citizens of Città di Castello objected and had other ideas. When the friars attempted to take the body outside of the church to be buried, the huge crowd demanded she be buried in the church because she was a saint. A standoff ensued between clergy and congregation, until a couple with their crippled, mute child made their way through the crowd. They devotedly knelt in front of the corpse of Margaret and began to pray for a miracle. The crowd and the friars all began to pray with them, pleading for Margaret's intercession, when suddenly Margaret's arm reached out and touched the child, instantly curing her. This miracle changed the Prior's mind, and Margaret was laid to rest in a coffin inside the church. Pilgrims came from all over Italy to venerate Margaret. Over two hundred miracles were documented following her death and many blessings are still felt today when visiting her shrine. In 1558, her body was exhumed and found to be incorrupt after more than two hundred years, and is still incorrupt today. Because of the plague and wars, the procedures for Margaret's formal recognition as a saint were not begun for nearly 300 years. Finally, in 1609, she was beatified.
Monumental Church of San Domenico
Chiesa Monumentale di San Domenico
The Church of San Domenico is large and uninhabited except for the urn of Blessed Margaret of Metola on the altar. It was built in the fourteenth century and "has a single aisle and a cross-shaped choir, revealing a structure that is both severe and solemn." Since our last visit, we have heard that because of numerous thefts the church is open only limited hours (see hours below). When we were there you could kneel in front of the urn and view Blessed Margaret's incorrupt body, which is in perfect condition, considering she died in 1320. There is a brochure in Italian and English to the side of the altar. We could take all the time we needed here to pray and meditate with few interruptions. So take a chance, and hopefully the church will be open, and you will have an opportunity to spend quiet time with Blessed Margaret.
Shrine Information
Shrine: Church of San Domenico (Chiesa di San Domenico)
Address: Via Luca Signorelli 8/06012 Città di Castello (PG)/Italia
Phone: 075 8554389 Fax: None
E-mail: None
Website: None
Quiet areas for meditation: The church is large with very few visitors, so as long as they are open, you can stay as long as you want. At first, the church appears dark and somber, but after you sit and close your eyes, you can focus on the inner light of Blessed Margaret's unique life.
English spoken: Rarely
Hours: There have been numerous thefts since we were there, so they don't keep it open much anymore. The church is closed in winter. At other times it is open from 10am-12 and sometimes from 3:30-5:30pm. It is possible to phone a parish priest and arrange a visit, but they only speak Italian.
Mass: Sundays 8:30am, 11; Winter 8:30am
Feasts and festivities: April 13
Accessibility: There is a side entrance from via Luca Signorelli in front of piazza San Giovanni in Campo.
Information office: None
Tours: None
Bookstore: None
Recommended book: The Life of Blessed Margaret of Castello by Father William R. Bonniwell, O.P.
Lodging: None
Directions: To find Chiesa di San Domenico, start in piazza Matteotti in the center of town. Take corso Vittorio Emanuele to via Signorelli and turn right. The church is several blocks down on your left.
Coming and Going
Città di Castello
Car: Città di Castello is north of Perugia on E45 about 46 miles (74 km). There are multiple exits from the north and south. Park outside the city walls and walk into town.
Train: Sansepolcro-Terni Line to Arezzo, then by bus to Città di Castello.
Bus: Accessible by bus with connections to major cities.
Tourist Information
--Servizio Turistico Territoriale -- IAT dell'Alta Valle del Tevere/via San Antonio 1/06012 Città di Castello (PG)/Italia; Phone: 075 8554817 Fax: 075 8552100 E-mail: info@iat.citta-di-castello.pg.it - Italian
--Servizio Turistico Territoriale (IAT) Perugia/via Mazzini 6/06100 Perugia/Italia; Phone: 075 5728937 Fax: 075 5739386 E-mail: info@iat.perugia.it
Websites
Comune di Città di Castello www.comune.citta-di-castello.perugia.it -- Italian.
Città di Castello www.cittadicastello.com -- Italian.
Population 53,000
One of the region's larger urban areas, Foligno rests in the plane of the Umbrian Valley nestled between Mt. Subasio, Mt. Aguzzo, and the Topino River. The city is easily accessible, located just east of Assisi on major highways and rail lines. Known for its handicraft industries, Foligno is primarily an industrial hub with modern buildings and business areas. The heart of the city resides within the walled town center, containing the central piazza della Repubblica with its Romanesque duomo, and other medieval structures. A few blocks away is the Church of St. Francis, which houses the sanctuary of Blessed Angela, the city's saintly mystic.
Beata Angela da Foligno 1248-1309
"Lord tell me what thou dost want of me; I am all Thine."
Saints are not usually born into this world as such, but evolve by overcoming all obstacles along their path to God. Even after reaching higher levels of spiritual consciousness, they are often given more severe tests to purify their souls of any remaining shortcomings. We, too, may know this roller coaster ride of the spiritual life. But we can gain solace by studying the life of Blessed Angela of Foligno, for she transcended both the heights and depths of spiritual trials.
Angela's journey began on a seemingly high note, for she was born to a prosperous family of Foligno and grew up enjoying the pleasures and passions of a worldly woman. By her own account, she was sinful and vain, completely indulging in the pleasures afforded by her station in life. Her mother encouraged this worldly life, and Angela eventually married a wealthy nobleman. Together they produced a family with several sons and lived contentedly in a castle nearby.
Unexpectedly, at the age of thirty-seven, Angela's world was shattered by a vision of light which showed her the futility of her earthly ways and the joy of love she could experience in the presence of the divine. This was her first taste of ecstatic vision, and her first look into her future life. Though her inner world went through a metamorphosis, for a time Angela's outer world of family and position remained the focus of her life. But not long after this first vision, Angela's circumstances changed dramatically, for her mother died, then her husband, and finally her sons. Angela felt great sorrow at the loss of her family, but she was gradually able to transform this feeling of loss into the joy of giving all to God. She then realized the blessing of being free to follow her soul call.
Six years after her dramatic vision, Angela went on pilgrimage to Assisi to visit the Basilica of St. Francis, home of her spiritual mentor. She had joined the Third Order of St. Francis as a tertiary, and wished to pray to the saint at his crypt. Upon entering the shrine, Angela had an ecstatic mystical experience, falling to the floor and shouting incomprehensibly. The attending priest was embarrassed by the display and expelled her from the Basilica, forbidding her to return.
The following year, this same priest, Brother Arnold, went to Foligno to interview Angela, for he had heard of her continuing ecstatic episodes and suspected that evil spirits were at work. Instead of finding a case of possession, he was so taken with her sincerity and spiritual depth, that he became her scribe and confessor. For many years he recorded the divine experiences and visions of Angela in what is called her Book. Due to his dedication, we are fortunate to have a thorough record of her inner conversations with God, and a detailed insight into the development of a devout soul.
In these writings, Angela described her evolution as a series of steps, which took her from a life of sinful preoccupation with the world to one of unification with God. These eighteen steps included the painful understanding of the emptiness of a life without God, the comfort of living in God's mercy, the joy of complete self-knowledge, and finally, the deep love experienced in comprehending the passion of Christ.
As her inner life evolved, so did her outer life change. After joining the order of St. Francis, she embraced Lady Poverty and eventually shed all her earthly possessions. Her toughest test was to relinquish her beloved castle. Brother Arnold tells us that Angela gave up her possessions against the advice of the friars and her family, following a vision of St. Francis in which he instructed her to follow him in absolute poverty.
Angela's example of righteous living attracted a pious family of lay men and women, so she created a fellowship called the "Cenacolo" (Last Supper) to foster a more spiritual life. The Cenacolo continued throughout her life but faded after her death. In 1989, the Cenacolo became active again, encouraging a life in God for the citizens of Foligno.
After reaching a high state of awareness, Angela was once again tested. From the heights of ecstatic communion with God, she fell into a chasm of doubt, surrounded by darkness and despair. She felt nothing of the presence of her beloved God, feeling only loss and emptiness. Her visions turned to wild temptations, and she was keenly aware of her worldly past corrupting her inner peace. For two full years she lived in this tormented state, praying for redemption, but receiving only silence. At long last, she beheld another vision of God, and the power of His love broke through the veils of darkness, lifting her out of the abyss of despair. She at last fully understood the teachings of St. Francis and saw love as the binding force that "makes all things one."
In 1308, at age sixty, Angela knew she was near death. In vision, God presented her with a robe of light that clothed her soul, and said to her, "Come to me, my beloved, my beautiful one, my dearest, whom I love so much. Come, for all the saints are waiting for you with great joy." Shortly thereafter, she gathered her spiritual children together and blessed them, exhorting them to be charitable toward everyone. For many days before her death she was consumed with pain, but on the day she died, January 4, 1309, she was in a "joy-filled state" of great peace and happiness, and passed on to a life enveloped in God. One of her disciples commented simply that Angela was a "great teacher in the discipline that leads to God."
Blessed Angela demonstrates that no matter what our past, we can always change direction and seek God. No matter what our tests, we can pass them by clinging to the knowledge that we are always supported by the love of God. We can choose at any time to turn toward living our life for God and, in that divine pursuit, find lasting contentment.
The Church of St. Francis
Chiesa di San Francesco
Inside the walls of Foligno, the Church of St. Francis is on piazza San Francesco and houses the remains of Blessed Angela of Foligno and Blessed Angelina da Marsciano. The church was built in honor of St. Francis in 1309 over the previous Church of San Matteo. It was modified in the nineteenth century in the neo-classical style. The apse of the interior of the church remained Gothic and displays the urn of Blessed Angela of Foligno located on the left, halfway into the church. Angela's body was interred here on the day of her death. In 1961, her skeleton was covered in wax.
Blessed Angelina da Marsciano (1357-1435) is interred in an urn on an altar opposite Blessed Angela's. Born into wealth, married at fifteen, widowed at seventeen, Angelina embraced the life of a Franciscan tertiary. She and her small group were so successful at preaching celibacy to young girls that she was charged with sorcery. Summoned before the King of Naples, she explained herself, declaring that she was ready to be punished if she was in error. The charges were dismissed, but she was eventually exiled. After reaching Assisi, she established the first enclosed monastery for tertiaries.
Shrine Information
Shrine: The Church of St. Francis (Chiesa di San Francesco)
Address: Convento San Francesco, piazza San Francesco/9/06034 Foligno (PG)/Italia
Phone: 074 2351402 Fax: 074 2344080
E-mail: beataangela@tiscalinet.it or direttore@beataangeladafoligno.it
Website: www.beataangeladafoligno.it -- Official website: La Beata Angela da Foligno.
Quiet areas for meditation: When we visited, the church was under repair following an earthquake, so we did not see the inside of the building. However, a friendly priest took us to a side room where Blessed Angela was temporarily placed. We assume that the church is suitable for quiet contemplation.
English spoken: Rarely
Hours: 7am-12:30pm; 4pm-7.
Mass: Weekdays: 8am, 9, 6pm; Sun/Hol: 8am, 10, 11:30, 6pm.
Feasts and festivities: February 28 -- Feast day; January 3 & 4 -- Transit and liturgical feast; Every Friday, 4:30pm-6:30 -- Contemplative adoration of the Holy Sacrament; Last Sunday of September -- Pilgrimage on foot from Foligno to Assisi.
Accessibility: There is access in front of the church on piazza San Francesco.
Information Office: None
Tours: None
Bookstore: In the convent, Cenacolo Beata Angela Da Foligno, there is a small booklet in English.
Where is the bookstore? Dov'è il negozio con i libri?
Do you have any books in English? Avete libri in inglese?
Recommended book: The only book we could find in English is Angela of Foligno: Complete Works, Transl. Paul Lachance, O.F.M. Paulist Press. It is a big hardbound book (not available in the church bookstore), so we suggest reading it before you go.
Lodging: For groups only, in the convent. Phone: 074 2354459 / 074 2349854 Fax: 074 2340545.
Directions: Walk into the center of the city and find piazza della Repubblica. Follow corso Cavour in the direction of Porta Romana. Turn right on via Rutili ending up at piazza San Francesco.
Coming and Going
Foligno
Car: Foligno is at the intersection of S75 and S3. Leave the highway at any exit with signs to Foligno "Centro." Follow signs to "Centro" and park outside the walls of the city.
Train: Foligno is accessible from all major cities. From Stazione F.S. it is a short walk to piazza della Repubblica in the center of the walled city.
Bus: Accessible by bus with connections from all major cities.
Tourist Information
--Ufficio Informazioni Turistiche dell'APT/corso Cavour 126/06034 Foligno (PG)/Italia Phone: 074 2354459 Fax: 074 2340545
--Servizio Turistico Territoriale -- IAT del Folignate/Nocera Umbra/piazza Garibaldi 12/06034 Foligno (PG) /Italia Phone: 074 2350493 / 074 352814 Fax: 074 2340545
--Comune di Foligno Ufficio Stampa Palazzo Comunale/piazza della Repubblica 10/06034 Foligno (PG)/Italia Phone: 074 2330269 info@commune.foligno.pg.it
ww.comune.foligno.pg.it - Italian
Population 5,600
This prototypical medieval hill town is called "the balcony of Umbria," for it rests atop one of the highest hills in the Umbrian valley, providing wonderful panoramic views. The distant cities of Perugia to the northwest, Assisi to the north, and Spoleto to the south can all be viewed from various vantage points around the diminutive municipality. The rolling hills surrounding Montefalco are adorned with ancient olive groves and abundant vineyards, making the short drive from Assisi or Foligno a pleasant ride. In the middle of the walled settlement is a circular piazza, the piazza di Commune, which is fronted by historical buildings, both civic and religious. The medieval Church of St. Francis now contains the city's art collection, including splendid fifteenth-century frescoes.
Santa Chiara della Croce 1268-1308
"The life of the soul is the love of God."
While some saints grow into their lives of piety over time, others seem to be born into the role. Clare was one of the latter, for the devout young girl was only six when she entered the cloistered hermitage outside the small town of Montefalco. The hermitage was built by her father Damiano Vengente and established by her twenty-year-old sister Giovanna. Clare was the first candidate accepted into the cloister, and she filled her new home with her youthful energy, intelligence and devotion to spiritual practices. The hermitage of Damiano still stands today, now known as the Church of Santa Illuminata.
The small band of devotees soon attracted others to the sacred life and began to outgrow their humble abode. Damiano Vengente once again took on the task of building a new home for his daughters, but this time closer to the city. The new project was ill fated from the beginning, for Damiano died halfway through construction, and there was much local resistance to the new cloister. The townspeople of Montefalco and other existing monasteries were opposed to the convent, for they felt another religious group reliant upon the charity of the town was too great a financial burden for the small population. As a result, the women were persecuted for several years, exiled from the community, and forced to forage in the countryside for their meager sustenance. The half-built hermitage also lacked many comforts, being open to the various torments of the seasons. Clare offered to do her part for the survival of the group and willingly ventured into the countryside to beg for food. She was often met with denigration and disrespect, but she bore the tirades with humility and love. Her fellow sisters felt it was too dangerous for a young girl of fifteen to venture alone into the hostile countryside, so they ordered her to remain in the cloister. She thus remained cloistered from the age of fifteen until her death at the age of forty.
After several years, the hostilities receded, and the sisters were able to complete the hermitage of Santa Caterina. Up to this point, the women were not a formal part of the church, for they were self-evolved and not under the direct auspices of any order. In 1290, they chose to accept the rule of St. Augustine and became an official monastery, with Giovanna elected as their abbess. Eighteen months later Giovanna died, leaving Clare alone to grieve for her beloved sister. "I weep neither for her soul nor her body, but only for myself. Giovanna was to me an example and a mirror of life and every day she spoke to me of God and of always new and profound spiritual matters." Though only twenty-three, Clare was elected as the new abbess. She humbly attempted to refuse the responsibility, but her sisters insisted upon her appointment.
Clare had no formal education, but she was blessed with infused spiritual knowledge of theology and the scriptures. She was well known for her insights and intuition, and attracted many theologians, religious and lay people from all over Umbria. She would graciously serve as counselor and guide to anyone who asked. Clare spoke freely to both men and women, but only through the cloth-covered grill of the interview room, because she was very aware of the sensual magnetism of the secular life. She was very serious about her spiritual practices and spent eight to ten hours a day in prayer, and would sometimes fall on her knees a thousand times in the night reciting the Lord's Prayer. Clare always gave willingly to the poor and sick, even though she had very little herself. Even to those who were against her, she would offer help when they were ill or in need in any way.
In 1294, Clare fell into a deep interior crisis, feeling the loss of God's presence in her inner life. She prayed fervently for resolution. Finally, on the Epiphany, she went to confession and became absorbed in a profound ecstasy. She remained absorbed in God's presence for over two weeks, living only by His grace, and the small amounts of sugar water administered to her by the other nuns. While entranced, Clare beheld a vision of herself in judgment before God, and witnessed heaven and hell, seeing how she must live in order to be fully in God. When she recovered, she resolved never to think, say or do anything contrary to that understanding. In another vision, she beheld Christ searching for a place to set his cross, but finding no place strong enough. Later on, she envisioned Christ placing the cross in her own heart, saying "I have found a place for my cross." From this time on, Clare continually experienced the interior presence of Christ and felt the cross impressed upon her heart. After her death, her heart was removed, and an actual imprint of the cross was seen upon it. This is how she became known as St. Clare of the Cross.
At age forty, Clare became increasingly weak and was confined to a bed consisting of boards and a blanket. There was great concern for her well being, but she refused all care, sending the doctors away. Though ill and weak, Clare still experienced frequent ecstasies. At times her great inner joy caused her to break into song: "We are all happy and sing Te Deum Laudamus that my Jesus reveals himself to me." One evening, in August of 1308, Clare called all her sisters to her and gave them her final spiritual testament. She received the last rites, and appeared ready to die. But the next morning, she unexpectedly sat upright in the Chapel of the Holy Cross looking healthy and well. Clare called for her brother Francis, and held a lengthy discussion with him. Finally she said to her sisters, "Now I have nothing more to say to you. You are with God because I am going to Him." She then turned her eyes upward toward heaven and quietly left her body. It was Saturday morning, August 17th.
St. Clare of Montefalco demonstrates to us that a person can be holy from a very young age, and if nurtured on the spiritual path, can become a beacon of light for all those who are seeking God.
Church of St. Clare
Chiesa di Santa Chiara
The Church of St. Clare was initially built by the saint in 1303, but the nun's choir and cloister are all that remain of the original structure. A larger church was started in 1615 and completed around 1643. The present church is from the eighteenth century. The incorrupt remains of St. Clare of the Cross rest inside a side altar, to the right of the main altar. If the small doors on the altar are not open to the saint's urn, ring the bell to the convent on the right of the main altar and ask to see the remains of St. Clare. They will open the doors to the crypt and the lights will go on, enabling you to see the saint. The nuns will also open the windows on either side of the crypt to view other relics: the saint's heart imprinted with the passion of Christ and her three gallstones representing the trinity. Also ask to see the Chapel of the Holy Cross, decorated with frescoes from 1333, which is to the left of the main altar. They will buzz you into the chapel. This is where St. Clare experienced visions of Jesus and the Virgin Mary, and where the saint died in 1308.
Can I see the saint's relics? _Posso vedere le reliquie della santa?
Can I see the Chapel of the Holy Cross? _Posso visitare la cappella della Sacra Croce?
Shrine Information
Shrine: Monastery of St. Clare of the Cross (Monastero Santa Chiara della Croce)
Address: Monastero Santa Chiara Della Croce/06036 Montefalco (PG)/Italia
Phone: 074 2379123 Fax: 074 2379848
E-mail: scdcroce@tin.it -- Italian
Website: www.parrocchie.org/montefalco/chiara -- Official website: Monastery of St. Clare of the Cross, Italian.
Quiet areas for meditation: The church is very quiet, with few visitors. The Chapel of the Holy Cross, to the left of the main altar, is accessible by ringing the bell to the convent and asking in Italian to see the chapel. They will buzz you in. You can stay and meditate only for a short while, because they keep a close watch on you from their cloister. Picture taking is not allowed in the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
English spoken: Rarely
Hours: 9am-11:30; 3:30pm-6
Mass: Weekdays 7:45am; Sun 6:30pm
Feasts and festivities: August 17
Accessibility: There are a few steps into the church.
Tours: None
Bookstore: As you enter the church, to the right is a bookstore down some stairs. The lights might be off, but just ring the bell for assistance. There is a small booklet, St. Clare of the Cross of Montefalco Augustinian, and a brochure in English on the life of St. Clare of the Cross.
Lodging: None
Directions: The Church and Monastery of St. Clare of the Cross are just outside the city walls of Montefalco at the corner of via Cavour and via Giuseppe Verdi. It is a short walk from the town center. Beginning in the center of town at piazza del Comune, to the right of the Town Hall, take corso Goffredo Mameli to Porta San Agostino. Go through the wall, take a short right, then a left on Borgo Garibaldi. The city wall will be to your left. After several blocks you will see Santa Chiara Church on your right.
Coming and Going
Montefalco
Car: Take SS316 from Foligno 5 miles (8 km) to Bevagna. Follow signs to Montefalco about 4.5 miles (7 km).
Train: Closest train station is Foligno with frequent buses connecting to Montefalco.
Bus: Accessible by bus with frequent connections to and from Foligno with transfers to major cities.
Tourist Information
--Museo Civico di San Francesco/via Ringhiera/Umbria Phone: 074 2379598
--Ufficio Informazioni Turistiche dell'A.P.T./Palazzo Comunale Phone: 074 2354459 / 074 2349854
--P. del Comune/ 06036 Montefalco (PG)/Italia Phone: 074 2378673 Fax: 074 2379506
Websites
Monastery of St. Clare of the Cross www.parrocchie.org/montefalco/chiara -- Official website, Italian.
Comune di Montefalco www.comunemontefalco.it -- Italian
