Pilgrimage Stop: La Verna, Italy
Travel | Italy | La Verna | Pilgrimage | Sacred Travel | St Francis of Assisi | Stigmata
8 September 2016
For two years before his death, St Francis of Assisi carried the stigmata — the crucifixion wounds of Jesus — received at La Verna, a mountain sanctuary less than two hours from Assisi. A pilgrimage to the spot where it happened. (4 min read)
For two years prior to his death, St Francis of Assisi carried the stigmata — the crucifixion wounds of Jesus — on his hands, feet and right side. He is the first known case of this phenomenon.
Francis received these holy wounds while praying at La Verna — a mountain sanctuary gifted to the Franciscans — in September 1224. La Verna is less than 2 hours drive from Florence or Assisi. Aside from a relatively small church and hermitage and a little village, the area remains untouched by development and offers the most beautiful mountain environment.
One hikes from the village to the Sanctuario in under an hour. It is steep at times and a challenge for those who are not sure-footed but my sister, who is healing her knee and shoulder, managed it without complaint.
We attended a service at the Sanctuario at 3pm and joined in the procession to the Chapel of the Stigmata — which marks the spot on which St Francis received the wounds.
The service was very moving (all sung in Latin, of course) and the energy in this chapel was intense and beautiful. In fact, I went back for another dose and charged the rosaries I am carrying on the spot of the stigmata.
There are a few other chapels in the Sanctuario to visit, including one dedicated to St Peter Alcantara (a contemporary of St Teresa d’Avila and St Ignatius of Loyola).
The Sanctuario also includes the Sasso Spicco — a chunk of rock that sits out on the edge of the mountain — which the tradition holds was split in two at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. I have no opinion about that tradition but I can say it is a beautiful rock formation in an extraordinary place.
For us, La Verna was the perfect preparation for our visit to Assisi. It was very worthwhile and beautiful but one day was enough.
© Paul McCarthy & Iluminar.au
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