Just letting everyone know, I’m moving to Assisi and that I now consider myself a Franciscan Presbyterian. I probably should have already known that, though. Most of his ideals (and that of St. Clare) have always been the foundation of my own belief system. I’ll mention those a bit later. Seriously; this town, the architecture, the simplicity AND grandiose design of the churches, the spectacular views, the hills, and surrounding countryside have all taken a hold of my heart. Of course, I’m only kidding (sort of).
I woke early this morning to do a city walk and tour of the major sites so that I’d have time for a day of retreat into the surrounding woodlands and along the ridges of the town, as St. Francis may have done in his own day. There is a dedicated section below the Church of St Francis for such a day with an hour return trip just outside of town that goes along the hillside. The location of my apartment here in Assisi was perfect as I’m located at the top of the town and was able to wander my way down through the winding streets to catch each spot of importance.
Earlier, I was complaining about Siena being sort of boring with not a lot to do, but I think it gave me a break to prepare me for Assisi from the hectic touristic and experiential pace of Venice, the Greek Islands, and Florence. It’s sort of funny and endemic of how God makes these things happen in my life. On my way from Siena to Assisi I took the bus rather than the train and we got caught in traffic due to an accident which made me an hour late from the time I’d told my host that I’d meet her in Assisi. I kept updating her on my gps’s time of arrival. Finally, when I arrived in Assisi with still yet another local bus to catch to get to the Old Town, I told her that I was still about half an hour away. She sent me this response “Go calmly, there is no hurry!” Obviously, I needed to hear that.
I started the morning going to the old Roman Forum, which has been nearly completely covered by the “new” 12th and 13th Century houses that now occupy the spot. However, you can still see the old form and function of it from above.
An entire wall of Rosemary cascading down.
Some street views of houses and great architecture.
Now the significant churches in the town. The first one is the Cathedral of San Rufino, the patron saint of Assisi. It is at this church where both Francis and Clare were baptized. She was eleven years his junior. As a teen she heard him preach and asked him to help her live in the manner of the gospels. She founded an order of sisters (after her death known as the Order of Saint Clare or the Poor Sisters of Saint Clare) that closely resembled that of what Francis has done with his brotherhood of Friars. Clare wrote, Rule of Life, the first set of monastic guidelines known to have been written by a woman.
The town’s emergency cistern, within the church, for when the town was under attack (a common event in the Middle Ages).
Basilica of St Clare:
This church is dedicated to the founder of the Poor Sisters of Saint Clare. Her tomb is here at this church. Above the altar hangs a wooden cross (which originally hung in the Church of San Damiano). Beneath this cross, a confused, emaciated, soul-searching young man bowed to pray for guidance after his return from imprisonment during war. Legend says that the crucifix spoke to Francis saying, “Go and rebuild my Church, which you can see has fallen into ruin.”
Church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva (sopra meaning over). This church is a church built over top of the Roman Temple to Minerva. In the floor underneath the church’s flooring, you can see the drainage tiles and pipes that allowed the flow of the blood sacrifices to leave the building.
Here is the door to Francis’s family home. He grew up as the son of a rich cloth merchant and lived his young life as a wealthy, well-to-do young man among Assisi’s elite. When he told his father that he was going to become a priest (there is a much longer story about that) his father beat him and locked him in a closet. After his death, a church was erected upon the site of the family home and the closet in which his father locked him. The church is called The New Church.
And finally, the Basilica of Saint Francis
It stands where St. Francis was buried and, in contrast to his life, is a fabulous, ornate, and splendid contribution to the houses of worship. There are four main sections to the Basilica; the tomb, the lower Basilica, the courtyard, and the upper Basilica.
St Francis’ Tomb
The Lower Basilica
The Courtyard
The Upper Basilica
I spent the rest of the day reading and contemplating on a number of St. Francis’ Prayers.
As I did so, I wandered in the “Bosco di San Francesco” and then along my way back up into the Old Town.
Canticle of the Sun
Good Lord, all your creations being praise to you!
Praise for Brother Sun, who brings the day. His radiance reminds us of you!
Praise for Sister Moon and the stars, precious and beautiful.
Praise for Brother Wind, and for clouds and storms and rain that sustain us.
Praise for Sister Water. She is useful and humble, precious and pure.
Praise for Brother Fire who cheers us at night.
Praise for our sister, Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us.
Praise for all those who forgive because you have forgiven them.
Praise for our sister, Bodily Death, from whose embrace none can escape.
Praise and bless the Lord, and give thanks, and, with humility, serve him.
The Prayer of St Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
And lastly his Vocational Prayer
Most high, glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our minds. Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity, so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will.
Although, I did not grow up in the Catholic tradition, The Prayer of St. Francis was on a poster or a picture in our home while I was growing up. It had a huge impact on my faith and how I have sought to live out my beliefs. The Canticle to the Sun is a new prayer for me, but it also fits my understanding of God’s perfection of Creation and how all things in that Creation are part of God’s eternal order and need to be revered as brother/sister. And, at this juncture in my life, in my vocation, I needed Francis’ words in his Vocational Prayer.
There was a lot revealed to me today in those hours of prayer and contemplation, but they are for me alone. However, I will share this one image and some thoughts about it.
On the mountain where Assisi sits, I found this old boat. It’s a bit jarring to find a boat on a mountain. It doesn’t really belong there. There have been so many moments in my own life where I just don’t fit and have been confused about my purpose. What is the purpose of an old boat on a mountain? But, every time I felt out of place/or in a world that seems foreign, God has always provided a way forward, a purpose, a plan, a new perspective. I’m reminded of a book I read fairly recently, “Canoeing the Mountains.” Lewis and Clark began an expedition across America to find a route from East to West. They expected to find a water route, but instead they found mountains. They were familiar with water. They were not familiar with climbing mountains. So, how do you learn to do something new that you’ve never done before? How do you begin a new path, when the old one no longer exists? Life changes all the time. For me, I’m learning to be resilient and waiting for God to show me a new vision forward wherever that may take me.
And now to leave you with some pictures of the rest of my day:
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