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Photo (c) Roberto
Romano
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Umbria Franciscan Itinerary La Verna - Assisi
La Verna and Montecasale (in Tuscany) have a great importance in
the life of Saint Francis.
In those very places he
performed prodigious miracles. They are places of remarkable
natural beauty, the Hermitage of La Verna in particular,
which is built on a natural precipice, offering breathtaking
views in which everything conspires to create an extremely
elevated spiritual atmosphere. The itinerary continues passing
through Cittą di Castello, where you can visit the Church of
S.Francesco, and then goes on as far as Umbertide with the
Church of S.Francesco (currently being restored), S.Bernardino
(currently being restored), S.Croce (now converted into a
Museum) and finally the Convent of S.Maria della Pietą. |
In Gubbio it is well worthwhile visiting the Churches of
S.Francesco, S.Francesco della Pace, S.Maria della Vittoria and
lastly the Sanctuary of S.Ubaldo. The itinerary concludes with
the town where St. Francis was born: Assisi. The tour of the town could start from the Basilica di S.Maria
degli Angeli, which contains the Porziuncola and the Chapel of
the Transit. Having reached the center of Assisi, you can visit:
the small Church of S.Damiano, the Chiesa Nuova (New Church),
the Oratory of S.Francesco Piccolino, the Cathedral of S.Rufino,
the Church of S.Maria Maggiore, the Basilica of S.Chiara and the
Basilicas of S.Francesco. A short distance from the walls of
Assisi, on Mount Subasio, it is possible to visit the Eremo
delle Carceri, where St. Francis used to retire to pray.
The principal stages of the itinerary
Hermitage of La Verna Chiusi
Hermitage of the Cells Cortona
Hermitage of Montecasale Sansepolcro
Church of San Francesco Cittą di Castello
Church of San Francesco Umbertide
Convent and church of S. Maria della Pietą Umbertide
Church of San Bernardino Umbertide
Church of S. Croce now Museum of Santa Croce Umbertide
Church of S. Francesco Gubbio
Church of S. Francesco della Pace Gubbio
Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria Gubbio
Sanctuary of S. Ubaldo Gubbio
Basilica of San Francesco Assisi
Church of San Damiano Assisi
Basilica of Santa Chiara Assisi
Basilica of S. Maria degli Angeli Assisi
Cathedral of S. Rufino Assisi
Chiesa Nuova (New Church) Assisi
Church of Santa Maria Maggiore Assisi
Eremo delle Carceri Assisi
Church of Rivotorto Assisi
Hermitage of La Verna – (Chiusi)
Immediately after Assisi, La Verna is the place most closely
associated with St. Francis. The mountain was given to him by
Orlando Catani count of Chiusi in 1213, and the Saint stayed
there often and on the last occasion in August 1224 received the
stigmata there.
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After the original small cells made of wood and shrubs, the
walls underwent considerable development, either jointly or
separately, in the 14th and 15th centuries, conferring on the
environment the aspect of a village situated in the wood,
perched on the rocky spur.
The Chapel of the greeting of the birds halfway along the
ancient cobbled path lies near the spot where the saint quenched
the thirst of a mountain dweller who was accompanying him and
accepted his advice.
The small church of S. Maria degli Angeli, much desired
by St. Francis, initiated by count Orlando and enlarged in 1260,
is decorated with marquetry and three Robbian reredorses,
including the Annunciation, the Nativity,the Ascension and the
Assumption by Andrea della Robbia and the Crucifixion by Luca
and Andrea della Robbia, and precious reliquaries including the
blood which dripped from the saint's stigmata.
In addition we find a presbytery (in Christian basilicas the
part reserved for the bishop and the clergy), an altar in
Baroque style in polychrome marbles, an inlaid choir, an organ,
and an outside open gallery on two sides with ancient
inscriptions.
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We then pass into the Piazzale del Quadrante, where we
can admire a breathtaking view of the mountains and valleys,
which gives access to the Sasso Spicco, an inexplicably
balanced rock, and the Cappella del Faggio (Chapel of the
Beech), with the stone of the apparition of Jesus and the
Cappella dell'Acqua Santa (Chapel of the Holy Water).
The first stretch of the open gallery flanking the mountain
contains a Robbian terracotta, biographical frescoes of St.
Francis and a deep hollow which he used as a bed. These are
followed by the Cappella del Crocifisso, the Cappella di S.
Antonio, the Cappella di S. Bonaventura, the Cappella del Palco
and the hollowed-out cave of the devil on the overhanging rock.
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Finally, the small Church of the Stigmata built on the
small terrace where the miraculous event took place, rich in
engravings and inlay work and decorated with a large Robbian
reredorse. On the slope of the mountain lies the chapel of the
Blessed Giovanni della Verna and on the summit the panoramic
Cappella della Penna. This place is also replete with reminders
of St. Francis' companions, including brother Leo and St.
Bonaventure.
Hermitage of the Cells – (Cortona)
During his stay in Cortona St. Francis of Assisi took shelter in
a place that became very dear to him and he begged the local
citizens to build a small hermitage there. The people of Cortona
granted the holy man's request and between 1211 and 1221 built a
chapel on the site and some small cells scattered about the
wood, a feature from which the name of the hermitage probably
derives. It consists of a group of small houses spread about the
wood, heaped together and linked by steps, small gardens and
terraces, surrounded by trees and by a wood of oaks and black
cypresses. The only reminder of the saint that remains there is
the cell where he used to pray. This is a small dark room, cold
and humid with a small skylight that looks out onto a torrent
and the mountain above. In addition to the cell it is possible
to visit a small church dating back to 1573. In 1972 a small
panel was stolen from this place, depicting a Madonna and Child
with Angels, in the Sienese style and dating back to the 13th
century.
Hermitage of Montecasale – (Sansepolcro)
This place is dedicated to St. Francis and is very important for
its miracles and prodigious events.
Here we find the pallet of
St. Anthony of Padua and the cell containing the bed of St.
Bonaventure, the pyx (sacred vessel in the form of a cup
generally made of precious metal with a lid and used to hold the
consecrated hosts), the tin chalice and the paten (gold and
silver plate which the priest uses during the mass to place the
host upon and to cover the chalice), which both Saints used to
celebrate the mass.
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Here, the images of Jesus Christ and of his Mother are
venerated, both placed in this church by St. Francis. In the
oratory is a statue of the Virgin of the Sorrows, which, having
been taken away, was brought back by the angels. The hermitage
contains the bed and the cave of St. Francis. The most famous
episode of the hermitage concerns the conversion of three
thieves.
The sanctuary of Montecasale recalls an episode of charity and
humanity in the life of St. Francis. One day when he was absent,
three thieves arrived, infamous throughout the district for
their robberies. The guardian of the convent, upon their request
for food and drink, rudely chased them away.
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When the saint returned and learnt of the behavior of the
father guardian, he admonished him and ordered him to take
everything the friars had in the house, run after the thieves
and politely offer them food and drink, inviting them to the
convent as guests. Brother Angelo obeyed, humbling himself for
not having behaved towards the thieves as a brother should have:
at his summons the thieves rushed up to him and accepted what
the friar had to offer: they then went to the convent where they
asked to be welcomed into the fraternity and became exemplary
friars minor.
The sanctuary of Montecasale is also famous for an episode of
humility and obedience. It is said that here St. Francis ordered
the friars to plant cabbages with their leaves downwards and the
roots outside the earth. One friar's response was that St.
Francis knew nothing about agriculture. The saint replied to the
man that if he knew nothing about being a friar he should return
among the learned of this world rather than stay among those who
placed the orders of the Superior above their own convictions.
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In 1268 the brothers of the first order moved to the more
comfortable convent of S. Sepolcro, leaving their convent to
those of the third order, who settled there, thus providing the
only proof of their existence previous to 1290.
Church of San Francesco – (Cittą di Castello)
It was built in the Gothic style in 1273 and then altered in
1707. All that remain of the first construction are three
polygonal apses and the right-hand side with blocked double
lancet windows and an oval shaped door. Here a plaque recalls
the paintings executed by Raphael for the town.
The interior has a single, very graceful, nave, on whose left
opens the Vitelli chapel, the work of Giorgio Vasari, which is
closed off by an artistic wrought iron gate executed by Pietro
di Ercolano in 1566. Inside are 26 stalls (choir seats) inlaid
with scenes from the life of Mary and from the life of St.
Francis. On the next altar in the nave is an enameled
terracotta piece of the school of Della Robbia depicting the
Stigmata of St. Francis.
The high altar, in the Gothic style, was sculpted by the Blessed
Giacomo from Castello. The altar in the fourth span used to
accommodate the very famous Wedding of the Virgin, now exhibited
at the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan. In the sacristy we find the
16th-century reliquary of St. Andrew. In a smaller chapel on the
right of the presbytery which opens onto the fifth span on the
left is a polychrome wooden work depicting the pietą which dates
back to the 15th century and is of the German school. The church
houses an important oil on panel, the work of G. Vasari,
entitled Coronation of the Virgin and Saints, of 1564.
continue... >>>
Courtesy of Umbria 2000
(c) 1997-2008 E. Massetti
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