ASSISI !!

The days have been full since my arrival on Friday, Oct. 19. Our group is staying in the old city of Assisi at Casa Papa Giovanni, named afer Pope John the 23rd. It is run by the local diocese and is simple but clean and comfortable. I have finally located the bar (internet café) in Assisi. I looked yesterday, but missed the location amidst the downpour and the wind!

In California it is 5:17 AM and I am mindful that some of you who are early risers are just finishing your 1st cup of coffee or tea. Here in Assisi it is 14:17 (2:17 PM) and we have already visited the basilica of Santa Chiara, celebrated Sunday Eucharist at San Damiano, (the church where Francis heard the command, "go rebuild my church," and where Clare and the first group of the poor ladies lived), and enjoyed "pranza" (the main meal of the day). I am wandering around Assisi during "ripozo" the afternon rest time. Because Assisi is filled with many tourists, a lot of businesses like this café are open. Later this afternoon, we will visit the cathedral of San Rufino, the place where both Francis and Clare were baptized. The font is still there and is over 1,000 years old. I am slowly learning to use the digital camera and will do my best to bring back some photographs of all the shrines since uploading from the café is just too much of a technical stretch for me at this time. . .

Today is the third day of our pilgrimage. The highlight for me today has been the visit to the dormitory. The place where Clare slept is marked with a rough wooden cross and an oil lamp. Our group, led by Sr. Bobbie, celebrated a ritual of anointing for healing. I remembered many of you who asked for prayers at this holy shrine. Later this afternoon I will go back to the basilica of Santa Chiara to pray in front of the original San Damiano crucifix (it was moved to the basilica when the Poor Ladies moved from San Damiano after the death of Clare) with the names of all who made this pilgrimage possible. It may be of interest to some that the original crucifix is about 10.5 feet high. Its size is dwarfed by the immensity of the chapel in which it hangs, but the icon is truly compelling. If one listens closely, she can almost hear the Christ speaking the same words spoken 800 years ago -- "Go, repair my church!!"

Yesterday (day 2) we visited Chiesa Nova (New Church) which is built over the place where tradition says Francis and his family lived. Our group celebrated Eucharist in the area that was the cloth shop owned by the father of Francis, Pietro Bernadone, and visited the shrine of San Francesco Piccolino, the stable that legend says is the place where Francis was born. Santa Maria Maggiore, the place where Francis gave back everything he owned (including his clothing) was our last stop of the day.

The first day was filled with lots of waiting. Despite my nightmares about missing the plane or missing my connection in Zurich, the flight from New York went perfectly. By the time the NY to Zurich flight landed, several of us had identified each other as pilgrims and we were a solid group by the time we reached Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome. Fortunately, everyone who originated in NY go their luggage. The 15 people who came from Chicago were not so lucky. We waited for several hours while they filled out the endless paperwork for missing baggage. 10 of them still have no luggage - and it will probably not arrive until we are in Rome 6 days from now! I think that I would be absolutely hysterical if I were one of the ten, but most people seem to be taking it in stride. Those with luggage are sharing insofar as possible and there are plans to make a short run down to the modern city for those essentials that cannot be shared.

That is all for today. Many of the punctuation symbols on this keyboard are in different places than the keyboard we use in the States ( I still have not located the apostrophe) and the mouse keeps sticking so I am blaming any mistakes on the hardware!!

I will try to log in tomorrow after we visit the Carceri, the caves where Francis and his early followers prayed. Hopefully, the rain will have stopped by then and it will be bit warmer.
Until then....

Pace e Bene