I finally am making time to blog about our trip around and across Europe. Our first stop was Assisi. We drove 1200km the first day from Banska to Assisi. And slept in tents. The tents that are already set up for you.
And inside the tents were four cots with mattresses. So we had some insulation... but it was by far the coldest night we endured. It was very chilly.
But the next day was beautiful. We had breakfast together in the sun with two stray cats and tea and coffee made from water boiled with our kettle in the bathroom. Oh, I forgot... that was the coldest shower of the trip as well. The bathrooms essentially were open air. I expect they don't get many people at the end of October.
But then we headed into the town of Assisi, and we were amazed by the beauty. We stopped on this driveway to take pictures of the city on the hill ahead of us. But really the best part was the driveway with olive trees on both sides! FYI: Olives are not tasty right off the tree. Everyone else tried one, but I learned my lesson from watching their reactions!
So we first wanted to go to some monastary or something... but on the way we got lost and ended up at the absolute top of this mountain. Which turned out to be great fun. Saw some Italian cows.
But the whole reason we were in Assisi was because of Francis.
That is St. Francis to you.
We actually had learned his story before we left on the trip so we really could enjoy Assisi. He began the Franciscan monks (funny how names are so easy in the Catholic church) and St. Clare began the Poor Clare sisters. So we visited the church the St. Francis rebuilt because God told him to, we visited his "cave" at a monastery, and we visited his "grave" under a big basilica that they built.
This is the church he repaired. Which was really cool because we understood why he did it (God told him too) and the attitude of the people around him (they all thought he was crazy, not to mention the fact that the only people who used the ruined church were lepers and he was hanging out with them too). Essentially the story of Francis is of a guy who God has a call on, he gives up his earthly inheritance to love the lepers, help the poor and sick, and live the gospel. Some other guys decided that they wanted to do that too, so they gave up everything to be part of his group, and they helped with the church. He also walked to Rome and EGYPT! without wearing shoes. CRAZY!
But today the church doesn't allow anyone to take pictures inside. Its obviously a pilgrimage place. And there is an active monastery connected. Which was pretty cool. St. Clare actually lived with her "sisters" here, and they have different rooms significant to her as well.
I'll let you look up St. Francis' story for yourself. There actually is a very good movie called Francis and Clare that we watched. But I'm sure Wikipedia will do as well. If you don't know their story, it will inspire you to live for God, and listen to his calling.
So this is the Basilica in Assisi:
It is another church with no cameras. So I don't have many pictures inside. But it is a two story church! I don't know how architecturally that works but there is an entire huge sanctuary at the bottom, which is full height with frescos on the ceiling and everything, then you go upstairs and there is another one! They could have two mass services going at once!
But Francis is buried with some of his other "companions" in the basement. He has his own room kinda. Very obviously built because of Francis. The church actually has frescos all around the top floor of Francis' life, so that was really cool. According to the pictures, he drove all the demons from some town. That wasn't in the movie, but it is a really cool supernatural feat in my mind!
Francis and Clare probably will continue to be some of my favorite saints (as canonized by the catholic church) and examples in going against the grain in order to follow God.
Assisi is such a pretty place. I don't even have room for all the pictures and to describe all we did.
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