"e quanto le sue pecore reomote e vagabunde più da esso vanno, più tornano a l'ovil di latte vòte."
"and the farther his roaming sheep wander from him, the more they return empty of milk to the sheepfold." Paradiso 11: 127-129
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St. Francis
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Assisi has both the color and perfume of an olive grove. It is stunning in its beauty and in the contrast between stretches of fertile valleys and abrupt hills. On top of the hills are the towns of this Umbrian region. We passed through the large city of Perugia (famous for candies and for Italian language study programs) and arrived at Assisi at about 9 a.m. The first thing one sees on the approach is a large Cathedral jutting out from squat buildings in the outside town of Santa Maria de l'Angeli. The Cathedral is built literally around the Porziuncola-the small chapel at which St. Francis first prayed and ministered to the poor. In the distance is the sprawling complex of San Francesco-a lower and upper church and large Franciscan monastery that has grown enormously since Francis's death in 1226.
This post will be added to when I get time as it was a momentous field trip. We had an amazing lecture on the frescoes of the Upper Basilica on the life of St. Frances, and I was able to visit the Lower Basilica, St. Francis's tomb, St. Clare's church and tomb and many other sites here. For now, I want to record two impressions: first the natural beauty. The town and countryside just envelope you-the pink stones unique to the buildings hugs the sunlight firmly to it and gives back just enough to light the narrow streets and warm you. It is a phenomenal place. Second, I was struck by the contrast between the grandeur of the Franciscan institution that grew up around Francis's teachings, and his message of simplicity and hard work.
Dante's words above express this contradiction. As Francis's message expanded, so too did the institutional grandeur of the order. Many resisted but it is a very difficult balance. I will leave you of some images of the day and a promise to expand this post.
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| Approach to Basilica di San Francesco |
The architectural feat alone is almost excessive-the building springs out of the hillside and hovers over one end.
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The motto of Franciscans: Pax et Bonum (peace and moral good)-I found this tile in Italian on a house front.
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St. Francis's tomb was a very moving place-a simple tomb with a vault leading down from the lower Basilica. The tiny chapel was lit by candles.
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