A Light Portal over Assisi
An unplanned climb to the hermitage of St Francis on Monte Subasio — and photographs filled with extraordinary spirit activity. (4 min read)
After a pretty stressful train ride from Rome, we arrived in one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Assisi has been added to the World Heritage Register by UNESCO and it is easy to understand why. Every aspect of the town is picturesque and the stone buildings and streets create a wonderful sense of harmony and peace. There are few cars on the streets and very little noise — apart from the church bells and the occasional American on vacation. I can’t recall a single neon sign in the town.
Unfortunately, it is not all good taste. There is the predictable tourist tat, primarily related to St Francis and his twin flame St Clare. The offering is mostly statues, crosses, postcards and posters, but sandals are also aplenty and, for les Anglais en vacances, there are toby jugs of St Francis and the friars.
There are many churches in this town. Ranging from tiny little chapels in side streets to the Basilica of St Francis (in which the saint and four of his friars are said to be buried), the church of San Damiano (which was the dilapidated church that St Francis rebuilt after his conversion), the church of St Clare (this church has the original cross from San Damiano. Clare is buried here and the crypt contains a relic of her hair, St Francis’ cloak and stockings which have his blood).
We attended a lovely early morning mass at San Damiano with about 20 people. It is beautiful to go to mass in Italy — the language somewhat softens the Roman Catholic liturgy, as does the singing by the monks and the nuns, which is otherworldly.
I stopped for a prayer in every church I passed and most of them were quite energised, particularly San Damiano and the little chapel in the church of St Clare that contains the original cross from San Damiano. I did not feel much energy on my first visit to the tomb of St Francis, but it had quite a charge on a later visit. It is possible to have a mass said for someone at the Basilica of St Francis, and I requested that masses be said for Jeff and for my nana Joyce.
Assisi is a hill town and there is a lot of opportunity to burn calories. This is essential because there are many opportunities to consume calories. Multiple oral pleasures are the norm here. I have never eaten so well.
The true luxury of the truffle is less obvious here because it is so readily available — in pasta, on pizza, on bruschetta. I even had tartufo dessert (ice cream, not truffles).
I’m not sure of the literal meaning of dessert, but I don’t think one can call it a dessert when it is the main course. I ate many wonderful pastries and cakes, the highlight being a mixed berry flan with the lightest crust, the tartest berries and a custard blended to a fabulous lightness.
Assisi is not a big town and one can readily walk from one end to the other in less than an hour. I love the freedom of walking aimlessly in such a beautiful place and the delight in turning a corner to see a lovingly tended little shrine or yet another pot of bright red geraniums.
On my first day, I set off early to explore the town — visiting every chapel in my path and feeling very much in love with the world. Focused on the energy in the various churches in Assisi, I followed the signs to one church after another, gradually making my way up the hill. Passing through one of the town gates (Porta Cappuccina — named after the holy order), I reached a country road lined with pine trees smelling very much like Christmas time in Australia.
As I kept walking higher and higher up the hill, I expected the next church to appear. Although the mountainside in this area is stunning — from the forest on the high side to the fields and towns on the low side — my enthusiasm for the church was starting to wane after about an hour of uphill slog. But I soldiered on, my attention repeatedly drawn to the beauty of the forest.
Ultimately, and without any plan on my part, I ended up at San Subasio — a sacred mountain on which there is a Franciscan hermitage and a stunning walking trail. Joy, oh joy, I was stunned to discover the hermitage contains the cave of St Francis — a highly energised space. This was the most natural place to say a prayer for Amanda, who is so very fond of St Francis.
Although I had not planned it, my meditation coincided with Balmain meditation current and, as it turned out, there was quite a gathering there at the same time.
Walking back to the town I had the realisation that the area of the forest that had attracted me so much on the way up was the location of the hermitage.
In the Assisi photos, you can see a lot of spirit in this mountainside and in the walking trails of the hermitage. I think there is a portal here. In the photos, it looks like I have been in the current for hours but it was doubtless the result of the work of St Francis’ phalange.
Obrigado San Francesco.
© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
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