Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Greccio

Greccio: Belfries and Pure Natural Springs
Property of the Farfa Abbey, evidence of Greccio is first cited in documents dating 1091. The castle of Greccio was originally ruled by local lords but later ownership was passed on to the city of Rieti. It was sacked by the Napoleonic troops in 1799.
The imposing bell tower of the Church of San Michele Arcangelo is what remains of the original towers of the ancient castle of “Grecce”, or “Grezze”. The surrounding nature exalts the beauty of the town offering precious treasures like the fresh and pure spring waters of Fonte Lupetta.

Greccio and its Franciscan Sanctuary have recently become one of the 754 properties included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
A few hundred meters as the crow flies and at 2 km by means of the provincial street is the ancient town of Greccio, today a pleasant vacation and spa location at 705 meters high. The center is open all around a vast piazza, whose new layout, realized for the Jubilee, has had a few modifications made from the original characteristics. The piazza is dominated from above by the parochial church; its belltower is what remains of an ancient tower of the Greece Castle. From the town you see the valley and in front, the Sanctuary. Attached to the rock from which holm-oak woods emerge, in front of the town with the same name, is the Greccio Sanctuary which overlooks the Reatina basin, in a spot that they say was chosen by San Francesco (St. Francis). In fact, legend says that the Saint asked a boy in the town to throw a lit ember and that it flew all the way to the other side of the valley, hitting the rocky face. If you go there you will understand from the distance that this was something of a miracle. It would not have been an easy throw, but as you know, when it comes to saints, there's no discussion about it not being true. Then, here, according to tradition, the Saint created the first Nativity Scene on Christmas night in 1223 in memory of the birth of Jesus and his poverty and in front of it celebrated mass. From here on it has been a tradition at Christmas-time to make a Nativity Scene. Every year there is a ceremony in costume on the 24th and 26th of December in memory of this event. In the convent, the Chapel of the Nativity Scene, dug into the rock, and, within the dormitory of the friars, the cell in which San Francesco slept, are must-sees.
The 13th-century small church of San Bonaventura is also very charming; in reality, it is the first place dedicated to the worship of San Francesco, with rustic wooden stalls of the small choir still perfect, the Oratory of San Francesco, and the Dormitory of San Bonaventura.
They are small places, put together, partially constructed in stone and wood and partially dug into the rock, which evoke great poetry of the life of mediation and concentration in which you must take part. You will have a more intense experience if you visit here on a less-touristic day. 

Greccio – the First Christmas Crib - The Nativity scene or Christmas crib is said to have originated with Saint Francis in 1223 when he constructed a nativity scene out of straw in a cave in the town of Greccio and held Christmas Eve mass there. Greccio reenacts this event each year and there’s a collection of nativity scenes and a memorial to Saint Francis. Greccio is in the Rieti Province of Lazio.

________________________________________________

Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

Cantalice

Cantalice: A Stronghold on the Borders of the Kingdom of Naples
The earliest records of this town date to the 12th century. Situated within the borders of the Kingdom of Naples, it was in continuous conflict with Rieti. From the 14th to the 17th century many battles were fought between the small village and the capital city. This animosity reached a climax in 1577 when Rieti attempted to take the town by storm but it resisted and fought off its invaders.
Cantalice is rendered unique by its urban layout. It develops vertically along a steep rocky cliff. A very characteristic flight of steps cuts through the entire town. The silent summit if Mount Terminillo looms above. The little village culminates with the watchtower and the imposing Church of San Felice.










________________________________________________

Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

Rieti

Rieti: An Enchanted Place Protected by Imposing Walls
This ancient city, whose origins are steeped in legend, was first owned by the Sabine and later by the Romans. It lived its greatest moment of splendour during the Middle Ages when it was home to many Popes and their followers. The mighty walls surround a fascinating historical centre. The main square in Rieti is the social centre of the city and the charming Flavio Vespasiano Theatre is an acoustic treasure. The three churches dedicated to Saint Francis, Saint Dominic and Saint Augustine mark the urban layout with their grandeur. The Cathedral boasts masterpieces by great masters from Andrea Sacchi to Bernini. The Renaissance “palazzi” and the clear waters of the Velino River complete the scene.
Surrounded by the rocky crests of Mount Terminillo it is located in the middle of the valley shaped by the Velino River. It was first the capital of the Sabinians, later a Roman establishment.
Rieti has been nicknamed Umbilicus Italiae, the navel of Italy, since very ancient times. According to sources, the first reference oto the Rieti valley as being located centrally on the peninsula dates back to Varrone (116-27 BC). The imposing city walls built between the 13th and 15th centuries are well preserved and stretch for about one kilometre around the northeast corner of the town. The city hall on the main square Piazza Vittorio Emanue II was built in the 13th century and later rebuilt in the 17th century. Very close to the building is the Cathedral with a small, beautiful colonnade (1348) approaching a Romanic bell tower. On the right-hand side of the chruch there is the distinctive government building with a stunning recessed balcony designed by Vignola that overlooks the lower part of the town. In the opposite direction to the main square there is the Flavio Vespasiano Theatre, the town's cultural emblem and a small masterpiece of acoustics engineering. Worth mentioning is the dome fresco painting (1901) by G. Rolland representing the triumph of Vespasianus and Titus after the sack of Jerusalem. Walking from the main square all the way down Via Roma to the river you can admire the remainings of the old Roman bridge sticking out over the water. The Velino river has played a key role in the town's history and urban development. Its clear waters and rare ecosystem play a natural performance against an urban background: the river winds its way through old buildings with a strong current drifting trouts, mallards and water rails. This town lies 405 m. above sea level on the southern edge of a large hollow, once an ancient lake, at the foot of the Sabini and Reatini mountains and to the right of the Velino River. An ancient Sabine centre, Rieti was a Roman Municipium in Imperial times. It was continually sacked during the Barbarian invasions and became part of the Duchy of Spoleto (6th century); it was destroyed in 1149 by Ruggero the Norman. It then became a free municipality, and an ally of the Pope. Rieti subsequently came under the Alfani Signoria and in 1397 became part of the Papal States, sharing their vicissitudes.After being annexed to the Kingdom of Italy (1860) it was first part of Umbria and later of Latium.

Monuments: Duomo (of medieval origin, with 17th century alterations), Palazzo Vescovile (13th century) housing the Volte del Vescovado, Arco del Vescovo (13th century), Palazzo Comunale (18th century), Palazzo del Governo (16th century), Church of S. Agostino (of 14th century origin), Church of S. Francesco (13th century, 17th century alterations).
The local economy is traditionally based on agriculture on the fertile surrounding plain (wheat, vegetables, fruit, beetroot, fodder).

________________________________________________
Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

Poggio Bustone

Poggio Bustone: A Spectacular View Overlooking the Sacred Valley
Situated at an altitude of 756 m above sea level, Poggio Bustone dominates the Sacred Valley offering a view and panorama of breathtaking beauty. In the 12th century, it was owned by the Farfa Abbey. It was later conquered by the Normans and at the end of the 12th century it became part of the territory governed by the city of Rieti. Parts of the defensive structures that protected the town in the past centuries can still be seen today. Especially fascinating is the Porta del Buongiorno (Gate of the Good Day). Local legend narrates that Saint Francis entered this gate with his greeting of, “Good day good people”.
Poggio Bustone is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Rieti in the Italian region Latium, located about 70 km northeast of Rome and about 11 km north of Rieti. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,162 and an area of 22.3 km².
St Francis of Assisi went to Poggio Bustone in 1208 and reputedly greeted the villagers by saying "buon giorno buona gente" (good morning good people). A gothic arch named "buon giorno" can be found in the village commemorating this event.
In the oldest section of the Franciscan monastery of Poggio Bustone, a room can be found where St. Francis stayed. On the mountainside above the village are seven small chapels containing, by tradition, impressions of objects relating to St. Francis, such as his knee. This path culminates with the small church Sacro Speco where St. Francis received forgiveness for his sins from Archangel Gabriel.
________________________________________________

Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

Contigliano

Contigliano: Towering Majestically Upon a Hill - Dating back as far as Roman times, it is cited for the first time in 1021. It became part of the territory ruled by the city of Rieti in the 13th century. In 1501 it was attacked by the mercenary leader Vitellozzo Vitelli who led his troops in a violent siege of the castle that ended in the sacking and slaughter of its inhabitants.
The profile of the imposing apse of the baroque Church of San Michele Arcangelo dominates the Sacred Valley. Inside the church we find an extraordinary collection of paintings, church ornaments and stuccoes. Mass is still accompanied by the priceless 18th century organ.
Narrow alleyways and hidden passages lead to this historic centre rich in 16th and 17th century Noble “palazzi”.

________________________________________________

Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

Terminello

Mount Terminillo: The Giant Protecting the Sacred Valley
The remains of Saint Francis are preserved in a grandiose Votive Temple on Mount Terminillo. Lush nature abounds all around. Majestic beech groves, stretches of junipers and deep valleys like the Scura Valley make this an ideal place for excursions, downhill skiing and cross-country skiing.


The bold peaks offer the perfect environment for rock climbing, ice climbing and extreme skiing.
Mount Terminillo is dominated by an uncontaminated nature where wolves and eagles have returned to make it their habitat. The tourist facility was built in the 1930s and it soon became one of the most popular skiing resorts for Central and Southern Italy.



Mount Terminillo is the highest mountain in the Lazio Apennines (2216 m) and is situated in the southern part of the Rieti mountain range, bordered to the south and east by the Velino Valley. The Terminillo ski resort, made up of Campoforogna and Pian de’ Valli, is the most important and best equipped in central Italy. Since the road is always passable and public transport is good, it can be easily reached not only from Rome and Rieti but also from Perugia, Ascoli and Pescara. The skiing complex is spread out over the Terminilletto and Terminilluccio slopes and has 15 ski-lifts going up to 2105 m. Pistes of varying difficulty run down from this height with a total distance of 40 km. We would mention the black run “Valle dell’Inferno”, the red run “Cardito nord”, “Giusti” and “Cinzano” in particular. For cross-country skiers there are three circular routes of 5, 7, and 10 km at Campoforogna. The favourite places for Alpine skiers are the peaks of Mount Cambio (2084 m) and Mount Terminillo. Après-ski facilities include mini-golf, volleyball court and five-a-side football pitch, craft shops, cinemas, pubs, pizzerias, restaurants and discos. Amongst local specialities, we recommend the bucatini all’amatriciana, roast kid, roast lamb, and pecorino and ricotta cheese.

________________________________________________

Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

Rivodutri

Rivodutri: The Mysterious Alchemic Gate
Rivodutri’s ancient origins are steeped in legend. It is cited in documents starting from the 13th century. After becoming a free municipality, it entered into the influential sphere of Rieti. In 1375 the town offered exile to the Guelph refugees fleeing from Rieti where the Ghibellines dominated. Mercenary soldiers from Rieti attacked the castle and occupied it. In 1439, Rivodutri was razed to the ground by order of Cardinal Vitelleschi but reconstruction began immediately in 1440. The so-called Alchemic Gate, or Sacred Gate, rises in the heart of the town surrounded by winding streets and alleyways. This gate is enriched by various bas-reliefs with symbolic meanings.

________________________________________________

Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

Posta

Posta: Founded by the Angevin on the Ancient Via Salaria

Posta was founded between the end of the 13th century and the beginning of the 14th century when the borders of the Angevin Kingdom were being decided. This resulted in the reconstruction of the Machilone castle that had been razed to the ground in 1299 by the inhabitants of Aquila. The ancient ruins of Machilone can still be found at La Rocchetta. After its foundation, Posta was included in the Aquila territory and was in constant conflict with the neighbouring towns of Leonessa and Borbona. In 1535 it was given to the Spanish landowner Ferrante Cornejo and later it passed in ownership to the powerful Farnese family. Set in the lush green Velino Valley, Posta preserves important traces of the ancient Via Salaria that has recently been restored. The Romanesque Church of Santa Rufina is also worth visiting.

Posta è un comune di 766 abitanti della provincia di Rieti.
Il nome "Posta" si riferisce alla posizione che in passato aveva l'abitato, situato circa a metà strada tra Roma e Ascoli Piceno e quindi usato per la sosta ed alloggio dei viaggiatori.
La frazione di Bacugno - situata nel territorio del Comune di Posta - è stata identificata da un'iscrizione, attualmente nella chiesa di Santa Maria, con l'antico centro di Forum Decii, citato da Plinio tra le località sabine.


________________________________________________

Web Vision - Comuni Italiani - Umbria - Bella Umbria
Sacred Destinations - Turismo Verde

Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA

La Foresta

Also in Rieti Province (see Lazio map), 4 kilometers from the town of Rieti, is La Foresta Franciscan Sanctuary. Francis stayed here in 1225 and it’s believed that this is where he composed the Song of Brother Sun. There’s a 13th century church and a cave used by Francis. In addition to Greccio and La Foresta, Francis visited other parts of the Rieti Valley and it’s sometimes called the Sacred Valley. The Saint Francis Walk, an 80 kilometer walk, is a pilgrimage walk along paths used by Francis that includes eight stops important to Francis.

La Foresta

La Foresta
This is a sanctuary that is well preserved and the vines are still there.
La Foresta is in a valley just five kilometres from Rieti – a peaceful retreat to which Frances came in the summer of 1225 to find rest because his health was failing: his sight was almost gone and the pain of the wounds of the stigmata was constant. He had been persuaded by Brother Elias to have an operation on his eyes and in the time of waiting he took refuge with the kindly priest who served the small church of Saint Fabian and who made wine from the grapes that grew right beside the house.
Legend has it that the many people who came to see Francis ate the grapes or trampled them so that the priest feared he would have no vintage that summer, but in fact his harvest was plentiful and his wine doubled.
La Foresta Ceramic
An artist commemorated
 the grape harvest at La Foresta in ceramic

A somewhat disputed tradition claims that the Canticle of the Creatures was written during the fifty days that Francis spent at La Foresta and on a rocky outcrop not far removed from the house there is statuary of Francis with his Friars to commemorate that event.
               
Another interesting feature of La Foresta is the Way of the Cross at the entrance to the shrine. This is a work of the Neopolitan School of the 18th Century brought here from the Convent of Saint Bonaventure in Frascati and blessed by Saint Leonard of Port Maurice who was the Franciscan originator of erecting the Way of the Cross in Churches.
The Canticle of the Creatures has been celebrated in song and in art throughout the centuries. You may like to pray it pondering the blessings of creation.


Canticle of the Creatures
Most High, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honour
And all blessing.

To you alone Most High do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made,
And first my Lord Brother Sun,
Who brings the day, and light you give to us though him
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendour!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars;
In the heavens you made them bright and precious and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy … all the weather’s moods,
By which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
So useful, lowly, precious and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how bright! Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty
And produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord,
Through those who grant pardon for love of you;
Through those who endure sickness and trial.
Happy those who endure in peace,
By you, Most High, they will be crowned,
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death.
Woe to those She finds in mortal sin!
Happy those She finds doing your will!
The second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,
And serve him with great humility.
St Francis of Assisi

Greccio

Greccio and its Franciscan Sanctuary have recently become one of the 754 properties included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
A few hundred meters as the crow flies and at 2 km by means of the provincial street is the ancient town of Greccio, today a pleasant vacation and spa location at 705 meters high. The center is open all around a vast piazza, whose new layout, realized for the Jubilee, has had a few modifications made from the original characteristics. The piazza is dominated from above by the parochial church; its belltower is what remains of an ancient tower of the Greece Castle. From the town you see the valley and in front, the Sanctuary. Attached to the rock from which holm-oak woods emerge, in front of the town with the same name, is the Greccio Sanctuary which overlooks the Reatina basin, in a spot that they say was chosen by San Francesco (St. Francis). In fact, legend says that the Saint asked a boy in the town to throw a lit ember and that it flew all the way to the other side of the valley, hitting the rocky face. If you go there you will understand from the distance that this was something of a miracle. It would not have been an easy throw, but as you know, when it comes to saints, there's no discussion about it not being true. Then, here, according to tradition, the Saint created the first Nativity Scene on Christmas night in 1223 in memory of the birth of Jesus and his poverty and in front of it celebrated mass. From here on it has been a tradition at Christmas-time to make a Nativity Scene. Every year there is a ceremony in costume on the 24th and 26th of December in memory of this event. In the convent, the Chapel of the Nativity Scene, dug into the rock, and, within the dormitory of the friars, the cell in which San Francesco slept, are must-sees.
The 13th-century small church of San Bonaventura is also very charming; in reality, it is the first place dedicated to the worship of San Francesco, with rustic wooden stalls of the small choir still perfect, the Oratory of San Francesco, and the Dormitory of San Bonaventura.
They are small places, put together, partially constructed in stone and wood and partially dug into the rock, which evoke great poetry of the life of mediation and concentration in which you must take part. You will have a more intense experience if you visit here on a less-to

Le Celle

Le Celle is referred to as "Santuario Le Celle" or "Convento delle Celle" (Convent of the cells). A forty-five minute's walk outside the walls of Cortona will take you through the woods to an amazing complex of stark beige buildings spilling down the slopes of Monte Sant' Edigio. Saint Francis founded the monastery in the early 13th century, preaching here in 1211. Locals and pilgrims alike find great spiritual inspiration from visiting Saint Francis' spartan cell with its stone bed and wooden pillow.
This Franciscan hermitage is just five kilometres from Cortona at the feet of Mount Sant’Egidio. In 1211 St Francis along with a few of his followers built the first nine cells of the hermitage and the place has taken the name of Celle ever since. Before their arrival there were only a few small hermit’s cottages and peasant dwellings, along with a small chapel that had been built during the Longobard invasions and dedicated to the Archangel Michael.
This is believed to be the place where, in May 1226, four months before his death, St Francis dictated his Will. Following the death of the saint in Assisi, in October of the same year, Brother Elia withdrew permanently to the Le Celle hermitage in 1239 and carried out a number of improvements and restoration works that ensured the hermitage became a Franciscan property in every right. Brother Elia is in fact considered responsible for having broken up the stone of the caves and created a chapel that was formerly used as a dormitory by the monks. Behind there is the small cell where St Francis lived. The walls built under Brother Elia are rough but solid, and the hermitage contains eight small rooms large enough for a bed, a table and a chair – the essential furnishings prescribed by St Francis himself for a Franciscan hermitage, where the prime importance was to lead a life given over to contemplation.
After Brother Elia’s death in Cortona in 1253, the Franciscan order fell into a complicated series of internal divisions. The hermitage was occupied by a community of "Spirituali", or "Fraticelli", until they were banished in 1363 after suffering excomunication from Pope John Giovanni XXII. Le Celle stood abandoned until 1537, when it was granted by the Bishop of Cortona to the recdently founded Third Order of Franciscans, known as the Capucins. The hermitage was considerably enlarged by the Capucins, who in 1634 erected a new chapel to take the place of the ancient chapel dedicated to St Michael. This new chapel was consecrated to St Anthony of Padua and reflects the simple, unpretentious architectural and decorative style of the Capucins. Unadorned by works of art, the chapel still has wooden altars.
Currently the hermitage is inhabited by seven friars who continue to practice the preachings of St Francis.
Links to some great Photos: Le CelleIl ConventoLe CasetteL’eremo San MicheleArte
Board: The convent is able to offer lodgings to those contemplating a vocational life and who are willing to take part in all of the community’s activities. Near the convent there are some 40 bed spaces available in houses for independent groups of visitors.
Spiritual retreat: Le Celle is able to offer a period of solitary prayer to priests for a minimum period of one week and lasting up to a month if necessary. This facility is available in a small hermitage above the convent itself.
For further information access the website www.lecelle.it. For more information on the city.

Gubbio

The wolf of Gubbio was a wolf that, according to the Fioretti di San Francesco, terrorized the city of Gubbio until it was tamed by St. Francis of Assisi  acting on behalf of God. The story is one of many in Christian narrative that depict holy persons exerting influence over animals and nature, a motif common to hagiography.
During the period when Francis was living in Gubbio, a fierce wolf appeared in the country and began attacking livestock. Soon the wolf graduated to direct assaults on humans, and not long after began to dine upon them exclusively. It was known for lingering outside of the city gates in wait for anyone foolish enough to venture beyond them alone. No weapon was capable of inflicting injury upon the wolf, and all who attempted to destroy it were devoured. Eventually mere sight of the animal caused the entire city to raise alarm and the public refused to go outside the walls for any reason. It was at this point, when Gubbio was under siege, that Francis announced he was going to take leave and meet the wolf. He was advised against this more than once but, irrespective of the warnings, made the sign of the Cross and went beyond the gates with a small group of followers in town. When he neared the lair of the wolf the crowd held back at a safe distance, but remained close enough to witness what transpired.
The wolf, having seen the group approach, rushed at Francis with its jaws open. Again Francis made the sign of the Cross and commanded the wolf to cease its attacks in the name of God, at which point the wolf trotted up to him docilely and lay at his feet, putting its head in his hands. The Fioretti then describes word-for-word his dealings with the wolf:
 “Brother wolf, thou hast done much evil in this land, destroying and killing the creatures of God without his permission; yea, not animals only hast thou destroyed, but thou hast even dared to devour men, made after the image of God; for which thing thou art worthy of being hanged like a robber and a murderer. All men cry out against thee, the dogs pursue thee, and all the inhabitants of this city are thy enemies; but I will make peace between them and thee, O brother wolf, is so be thou no more offend them, and they shall forgive thee all thy past offences, and neither men nor dogs shall pursue thee any more.”
The wolf bowed its head and submitted to Francis, completely at his mercy.  “As thou art willing to make this peace, I promise thee that thou shalt be fed every day by the inhabitants of this land so long as thou shalt live among them; thou shalt no longer suffer hunger, as it is hunger which has made thee do so much evil; but if I obtain all this for thee, thou must promise, on thy side, never again to attack any animal or any human being; dost thou make this promise?”
In agreement, the wolf placed one of its forepaws in Francis’ outstretched hand, and the oath was made. Francis then commanded the wolf to return with him to Gubbio. Meanwhile the townsfolk, having heard of the miracle, gathered in the city marketplace to await Francis and his companion, and were shocked to see the ferocious wolf behaving as though his pet. When Francis reached the marketplace he offered the assembled crowd an impromptu sermon with the tame wolf at his feet. He is quoted as saying: “How much we ought to dread the jaws of hell, if the jaws of so small an animal as a wolf can make a whole city tremble through fear?” With the sermon ended Francis renewed his pact with the wolf publicly, assuring it that the people of Gubbio would feed it from their very doors if it ceased its depredations. Once more the wolf placed its paw in Francis’ hand.

Laying on the slopes of Monte Ingino, Gubbio is one of the most ancient towns of Umbria, extremely well preserved during centuries and rich of monuments testifying its glorious past.
Two important witnesses of the past are the Tavole Eugubine, one of most important documents referring to the ancient people called Italici and the Roman Theatre just outside the walls of the town. Dominated from the top by the Basilica on which the rests of St. Ubaldo are buried, Gubbio keeps architectonic masterpieces testifying the beauty and the imprtance of what used to be during the Middle ages, a real town-state.
At the beginning of the XIV century the Consuls Palace, today symbol of the town, was constructed together with the square Piazza Pensile and Pretorio Palace. To remind the palaces Beni, del Bargello with the famous fountain, of People Captain , in typical renaissance style, Dukes Palace by Francesco Giorgio Martini which testity the importance of the period on which the Montefeltro's family had the administration of the town.
Very interesting are also the Cathedral (XII century), St. Maria Nuova (inside which one can admire the Madonna del Belvedere painted by Ottaviano Nelli on 1413), Church and Convent of St. Agostino (XIII century ) with inside frescoes of Nelli, Church and Convent of St. Francesco (XIII century), St. Giovanni (XII century) characterised by the facade and bell tower in romanic style, St. Peter enlarged in 1505 and St. Domenico enlarged in the XIV century.
Among the most important manifestations taking place in the city we should absolutely mention the Racing silk of the Crossbow 2010 and the Ceri Race.

Greccio

Eremo delle Carcere

Much of this main complex was here six hundred years before Francis was born. No visit is complete without the (possibly) head-jarring peek into the tiny cave  Francis was known to retreat to occassionally–and when you get out, look for the old tree carefully propped up, reputed to be the very tree holding the birds St. Francis preached to, but there is, of course, some controversy.
In the caves on the slope of Monte Subasio just outside the walls of Assisi, St. Francis (1181-1226) and his followers established their first home at the Eremo delle Carceri (Carceri Hermitage). He often returned here during his life to pray and contemplate. The word Carceri is from the Latin carceres and means “isolated places” (as well as “prisons”).  READ MORE









________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________


Peace And All Good - peaceandallgood.com - Wellington, Fl, USA


Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Di qui passo' Francesco

350 chilometri, o forse qualcuno di più, da La Verna, dai boschi delle ultime propaggini della Toscana, alla bella e ampia valle di Rieti in Lazio attraversando i luoghi più significativi della vita di San Francesco, percorrendo valli e monti della splendida Umbria, cuore geografico d’Italia, anima antica di questa minuscola nazione nel centro del mare abbracciata dall’Europa.
Nella prima edizione della guida “di qui passò Francesco” le tappe consigliate erano 15, nella nuova se ne è aggiunta una nuova che spezza in due il percorso Spoleto-Collescipoli, permettendoci di sostare e gustare il sapore vero di un antico eremo francescano alla Romita di Cesi.
Un cammino da continuare che ora termina nella significativa Poggio Bustone al Convento di San Giacomo, bello per chi è stato pellegrino di Santiago finire lì un cammino! In un luogo caro a Francesco perché così importante nel suo percorso di Ricerca. Da continuare perché il sogno è proseguire in futuro individuando un percorso che attraversi l’Abruzzo, di Tommaso da Celano la Maiella di Pietro da Morone, Celestino V, per giungere a Monte Sant’Angelo nelle Puglie, meta di pellegrinaggio per Francesco e per i pellegrini antichi che si muovevano da luogo a luogo segnato dalla presenza, dal culto di San Michele Arcangelo per poi, magari proseguire fino all’imbarco per la Terra Santa. Un’ideale ponte fra La Verna dove durante la quaresima di San Michele Francesco ricevette le Stimmate, al santuario principe del culto Micaeliano in Italia.
tappa
Itinerario
Distanza
Tempo
tappa 1
tappa 2
tappa 3
tappa 4
tappa 5
tappa 6
tappa 7
tappa 8
tappa 9
tappa 10
tappa 11
tappa 12
tappa 13
tappa 14
tappa 15
tappa 16
La Verna - Cerbaiolo
Cerbaiolo - Sansepolcro
Sansepolcro - Città di Castello
Città di Castello - Pietralunga
Pietralunga - Gubbio
Gubbio - Biscina
Biscina - Assisi
Assisi - Spello
Spello - Trevi
Trevi - Spoleto
Spoleto - Romita di Cesi
Romita di Cesi - Collescipoli
Collescipoli - Stroncone
Stroncone - Greccio
Greccio - Rieti
Rieti - Poggio Bustone
27 km
29 km
27 km
29 km
27 km
22 km
27 km
24 km
14 km
18 km
28 km
15 km
23 km
13 km
26 km
18 km
8 ore
9 ore
8 ore
9 ore
8 ore
6/7 ore
8 ore
7 ore
4/5 ore
5 ore
9 ore
4/5 ore
6/7 ore
4/5 ore
6/7 ore
5/6 ore

E’ un nuovo cammino:
la guida, solo per ora nelle librerie italiane dal giugno del 2004, ha avuto un’accoglienza al di sopra di tutte le possibili speranze e, da allora, tantissimi si sono già cimentati lungo i suoi sentieri.Pionieri pellegrini come quelli che partirono per Santiago negli anni ottanta quando pochi erano gli ostelli e scarse le frecce gialle.
C’è una certezza che anima e spinge a proseguire il lavoro e il sostegno al cammino in tutti coloro che se ne sentono responsabili: questo cammino diventerà come quello di Santiago e le difficoltà dell’oggi diverranno presto un ricordo dei “tempi pionieristici” forse anche con quella punta di rimpianto che sentono quelli che percorsero la Spagna quando tutto era meno costruito ma più avventuroso e fresco.




Che cosa è la credenziale?
Nei tempi antichi i pellegrini partivano per i pellegrinaggi con una lettera del parroco o del vescovo che testificava la loro intenzione di compiere quel determinato cammino.
Ai nostri giorni questa lettera è sostituita dalla Credenziale che, per quel che riguarda il Cammino di Santiago, la Francigena e quello per raggiungere Gerusalemme le varie confraternite nazionali di Santiago o le associazioni degli “amici del cammino”, distribuiscono a chi ne fa richiesta possibilmente parlando di persona o attraverso email o telefono al futuro pellegrino. In Italia la Credenziale per questi cammini è distribuita dalla Confraternita di Santiago di Compostella che ha sede in Perugia. Sul Cammino di Santiago la Credenziale ha il valore di un “passaporto del pellegrino”, con essa si accede agli ostelli e la lunga fila di timbri permette poi di vedersi assegnare la meritata Compostela, il documento rilasciato dalla Cattedrale di Santiago che testifica l’avvenuto pellegrinaggio.
La Credenziale non è comunque un documento che ha il valore di documento di identificazione come, ad esempio, la carta d’identità e chi la dà non si accolla e non ha nessuna responsabilità per ciò che riguarda il comportamento del pellegrino, come del resto un comune che rilascia una carta d’identità non ha nessuna responsabilità nei confronti della moralità o del senso civico dei cittadini.

Come e dove ottenerla
Nel caso specifico di questa Credenziale per il percorso francescano la Credenziale è rilasciata dalla Provincia Serafica dei frati Minori dell’Umbria e per poterla ricevere si deve chiamare il numero 333 9985141oppure scrivetemi all’email jacopadue@yahoo.it o la si può ritirare alla “Foresteria della perfetta letizia” - via Protomartiri francescani 4b 06081 Santa Maria degli Angeli – Assisi (Pg). In questa fase iniziale la Credenziale Francescana non è tecnicamente necessaria per accedere ad ostelli specifici, eccezione fatta per quello di Assisi, primo vero ostello per “pellegrini di Francesco”, ma è una traccia, un segno, un modo per far tesoro a suon di timbri, del cammino percorso, un bel ricordo da conservare gelosamente.
Ora è anche un modo per far conoscere il Cammino sul territorio che attraversa rendendo noto a parrocchie, conventi, comuni, enti locali… che le “persone con il grosso zaino” che rifiutano di prendere treni e corriere, che camminano anche sotto la pioggia e preferiscono i sentieri alle “comode” strade asfaltate, non sono dei soggetti un po’ matti amanti dei disagi ma sono persone con un intento, un’idea in testa, un’aspirazione, una Ricerca.
La credenziale ha un piccolo costo sia per stamparla, che per inviarla e per poter rendere questo servizio autonomo e favorire altre iniziative legate a questo cammino che via, via andranno nascendo, si richiede un contributo che è a discrezione e secondo le possibilità del pellegrino.
E’ anche questo un modo per sentirsi parte di questo progetto.

Foresteria della "Perfetta Letizia"
A Santa Maria degli Angeli in via Protomartiri Francescani 4b.
Venendo da Assisi arrivati alla basilica girare a sinistra costeggiando l’abside e proseguire per 200 metri; sulla destra troverete un portoncino nel muro di cinta del convento.
La foresteria per i pellegrini è piccolina ma funzionale e offre alloggio per la notte, cena e colazione, ha anche una sua minuscola cappelletta per sostare insieme!
E’, inoltre, il luogo da cui partono le Credenziali e centro del cammino francescano.
Ma, soprattutto, è la prima accoglienza veramente nello spirito degli ostelli di Santiago di questo giovane cammino, saremo lì ad accogliervi.
Telefonate in anticipo al 333 9985141