The Unusual Beauty of Rome

One of the unique gifts of being in Rome for such a long period of time is that you can wander anywhere on any particular day and find yourself surrounded in the beauty of ancient churches, architecture and masterpieces.

This weekend I was privileged to do all of that.  Friday afternoon I journeyed to the Sisters of Notre Dame Motherhouse to "scout" out the route before actually having Mass on Sunday morning.  I took the 32 bus to the 911 bus and got off at the Notre Dame stop.  So much for traveling incognito.  Two of the Indonesian nuns were also traveling on the bus and the "caught" me.  I got invited in for a cup of coffee and we enjoyed laughing about their discovery of me sharing the same bus with them.

Saturday I left the Casa O'Toole and trekked all through Rome.  My first stop was a beautiful museum called the Doria Pamphilii.  This gorgeous place was given to Pope Innocent X's nephew when he appointed him a cardinal. You've undoubtedly heard the word "nepotism."  The word comes from the Italian word nepotismo which is based on the Latin word nepos meaning nephew or grandson.  Since the clergy were celibate, they would often bestow special favors on their nephews, as was in the case of the Pamphilii palace.  Innocent's nephew, however, ended up marrying, giving up his position and collecting massive amounts of art.  He married into the Doria family, thus producing the "Doria Pamphilii" palace and wanting everyone to know him as a major patron of the arts.  Even the wallpaper here was considered rare and valuable.  In rooms without fabric wallcovering, he'd utilize paintings as a sort of wallpaper.

One painting which struck me was called, the Sacrifice of Isaac, by Pasquale Chiesa.  It was painted in 1666 and features the gnarled hand of Abraham, knife in hand, just about to enter into Isaac.  You can sense the danger, the fear, the trepidation, and the doubt as Abraham peers into heaven to hope for God's relent.  The interesting thing is that no one has ever heard about this artist yet his brilliance is recognized in this magnificent piece.

Later I visited the Church of San Marcello al Corso.  This church on the Via del Corso was a simpler church yet stunningly beautiful as well.  Though it suffered almost total destruction in the year, a crucifix was left completely untouched.  This was considered a miracle and, to this day, the cross is venerated and prayed before because of what had occurred.

On Sunday after Mass with the Sisters of Notre Dame I wandered to St. Peter in Chains, near the Roman Colloseum.  A reliquary near the sanctuary displays a set of chains supposedly used to bind the hands and feet of St. Peter before his crucifixion.  But the most visited spot in the church is the sculpture of Moses carved by Michelangelo commissioned by Pope Julius II for his tomb.  He is 8
feet tall sitting down, wearing a beautiful garment, filled with power and energy.  He looks as if he's about to stand, with left leg pushed back and commandments in hand.  His anger and fury are evident because, when he came down from Mt. Sinai, he finds the Israelites unfaithful.  Even in his beard there is energy and velocity creating rich shadows and alternations between dark and light and even textures.  Michelangelo wanted the tomb to be filled with carved figures but, unfortunately, he was unable to accomplish his vision.  However, the Moses is breathtaking and certainly conveys a powerful message to visitors even today, more than 500 years later.

Tre Fontane and St. Paul

Outside of the Church of his Execution

One of the 3 Fontains or wells

On Friday we visited the monastery of Tre Fontane (the 3 Fountains) where St. Paul was beheaded. In those days it was a swampy area outside the city of Rome where executions could take place with not much notice from the public.

The place is called Tre Fontane because there were 3 natural wells found there.  Legend has it that Paul's head bounced 3 times after it was severed and these were the places the wells were found. Today there is a church there with 3 shrine areas indicating where the wells were discovered.  Paul was executed somewhere between 64 and 67 AD.  From the start this was a place of worship and it changed hands from Greek monks to Cistercians to the Trappists who dwell there today.

The Palace of the Inquisitor

One of the interesting visits in Malta was the Palace of the Inquisitor.  Here is the place where local authorities represented the pope in matters of civil law and in keeping the peace.  It included a prison where some were held - usually in a very humane setting when someone broke the law.  The Roman inquisitor appealed to the pope himself.  Many jobs were available to the prisoners and each prisoner had the right to a lawyer.  If they were convinced you were guilty of a crime but you failed to admit it, you could be subject to torture methods.  However, a doctor had to discern whether you were fit enough to undergo it.  This was used as a court of appeals.  It was a medieval prison and prisoners had to sign an agreement never to disclose anything that you experienced inside the prison. Fortunately both faith and civility played a part in insuring that prisoners were well treated, had plenty of fresh air and had the right to representation.  Though some were tortured in this prison, none died while imprisoned.

The Beautiful Island of Malta

Last week we spent 5 days in Malta.  I had not known much about it other than St. Paul was shipwrecked there for 3 months.  (Acts 27, 28).  It's an amazing place - predominantly Catholic and filled with a great history including pagan temple sites, excavations and 500 Catholic churches on the island.  The local cuisine is rabbit.  As the old saying goes, "tastes like chicken."  This was the first Christianized nation in the west and was controlled by the Turks, the Normans, the Spanish, and the French.  It played a significant role in World War II as it was a place for the allies to strategically place their ships.  It was also considered the "nurse of the war" because it hosted 100,000 patients of the WWII conflicts on the island.  During the war it sustained 70,000 pounds of bombs.  There are 14 underground bomb shelters remaining on the island and during the war, people also found shelter in the catacombs on the island.  Malta is a total of 320 square kilometers and is the 4th densely populated country in the world.  In 1979 all the British left the country of Malta and it is now a neutral country.

Caravaggio and Malta

The beautiful cathedral of Malta hosts two of the world's most beautiful Caravaggio paintings.  We had the awesome privilege of seeing these two paintings.  Though photographs were not permitted, I've included some picture from the internet of these two great masterpieces.

In this first piece, St. Jerome Writing, we see Caravaggio utilizing the Grand Master of Malta, who had given him refuge when he was accused of murder.  Caravaggio left Rome for Malta after he had been accused of killing his lover's wife.  Remember that Caravaggio had a sketchy history.  He was a master with the paintbrush and canvas, but his personal life was a disaster.  As a thanks to the Grand Master, he painted these two magnificent works of art for the Cathedral of St. John.  It depicts St. Jerome, who translated the Scriptures from Greek into Latin, the native tongue of the Roman people.  The skull is a reminder of death.  No matter how good a life we lead here, ultimately, we belong to God and, ultimately, we all shall die.  The candlestick to the right represents spiritual illumination.  The beauty of this painting comes from the light shining on the important work St. Jerome is about.  The light comes from the left hand side illuminating not only St. Jerome but the clothing he wears, the skull and the manuscript.  Look at the torso of the saint.  You can even see the shadow of one arm crossing over his chest.  Caravaggio had an amazing skill with light.

The other magnificent piece is the Beheading of St. John the Baptist.  Though this image looks rather dark, it is a huge piece and you notice lots of light from the center of the painting.  Caravaggio painted this in just a week!  He also never used sketches.  He just started applying the paintbrush to the canvas.  There is a lot of open space in this painting.  Caravaggio was concerned about showing us the important scene and left other details lacking.  You see the bowing maid holding a platter to receive the head of the Baptist. Perhaps she is meant to be the wife of Herodias, who asks for John's head.  Others say that she appears to have striking Maltese characteristics.  The old maid places her head in her hands as she is appalled by the horrific act of beheading a prophet.  She is the only person depicted who reacts negatively to what is happening in the scene.  The jailer orders the placing of the head of the baptist on the platter.  His pointing hand is bathed in light emphasizing the order to kill John.  Some say this jailer is again the character of the Grand Master of Malta.  The executioner commands our attention by the detail of the muscles on his back and arms.  He reaches for the dagger but notice how there is no blood on the sword, nor the dagger.  And John's head is hardly severed at this point.  Caravaggio knew this piece would be placed in a church and he wanted to inspire, not to repulse the viewers.  Below the flow of blood Caravaggio signs the piece.  It is the only one of his works that he signed.  John's garment is bright red - the color of royalty.  He wants us to pay attention to him.  The rope near John's neck appears to still be moving, indicating that the depiction occurs right after the deed had been done.  On the right side of the painting, onlookers peer from a window - as if to say, we are blocked from doing anything about this.  Were they upset? Concerned?  Bewildered?  Frightened?  It's hard to know but we know that they look on the scene from afar.

As I reflected on this painting, I thought to myself, "Do I stand up when someone is unjustly treated?"  "Am I more a spectator, than someone who intercedes for another?"  "Am I willing to die for my faith?  Stand up for my beliefs?  Defend those who have no voice to speak for themselves?"  Lots to think about and reflect on in these beautiful works by Caravaggio..  

Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization

Yesterday we had the privilege and honor of visiting the Office of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the Evangelization.  Fr. Geno Sylva was our presenter and he is the English language representative for this council.  There are three responsibilities of the office.  First, to promote the new evangelization.  Second, to plan for, promote and execute the Jubilee Year celebrations.  Third, to approve catechetical texts and to help Dioceses in planning for and implementing catechesis.

Fr. Geno told us of the Pope's thinking regarding the Jubilee Year of Mercy.  Some of the highlights include:

• The Pope will perform an act of mercy each month for the next year with the hope that priests and parishes throughout the world will do the same.
• Holy doors will be designated in every diocese throughout the world.
• The Vatican will help to build a new Cathedral in Uganda and help to establish an orphanage so that the effects of the Holy Year will be lasting.
• Priests delegated as "missionaries of mercy" will gather in Rome and be trained to offer days of reflections on mercy for parish communities and be available for confessions.

He also explained a lot about the logo for the Jubilee Year of Mercy.  It was designed by an iconographer and depicts the lost sheep gathered into the arms of the shepherd.  There are only 3 eyes with one middle eye shared between the two.  When we are able to care for one another with mercy and compassion, we share a common vision to see things together.  The almond shape is significant in iconography and the colors indicate a move from darkness into the light.

Fr. Sylva indicated the importance of every Catholic to be a "protagonist" in helping the Gospel to be preached to all ends of the earth.

St. Paul Basilica - Outside the Walls

Today was our final day with Liz Lev, professor of Art History for the Gregorian University as well as Duquesne.  I've been to many visits to this famous Basilica but she helps me to see things in a way I've never seen before.

St. Paul's was built originally in the 1500's as the largest church in the world.  It was built to honor the memory of St. Paul, whose remains are buried there.  Paul returns after his shipwreck in Malta. He and St. Peter were to be killed on the very same day.

Legend has it that Paul was taken to Tres Fontaine where he was beheaded.  There is a story told about a follower of his who was weeping knowing that Paul was to be taken to be executed.  He asks her for her scarf to cover his eyes as he's being killed.  Legend has it that his head bounced 3 times which is where we get the name, "Tres Fontaine," (the three fountains).  Paul's body was placed into a mass grave with the scarf.  When the woman and her family found the scarf still wrapped around Paul's head, they knew they had discovered his body and placed it into their family grave.

In 1823 a worker inside the basilica left an ember burning.  Soon the entire roof was inflamed and substantially destroyed the interior of the building.  In 1823 Napoleon had just succeeded in raiding Italy and Rome was bankrupt.  Leo XIII and Gregory XVI asked the faithful for donations. Successful in their campaign, they finished restoring the basilica in 1854 but made it spectacular.

The basilica is located at the intersection of two major streets.  It rises above the skyline and greets travelers from great distance.  The courtyard is spectacular.  It prepares you mentally from the travel to come to a place of celestial peace.  The statue of Paul dominates the courtyard.  He appears with a sword in hand - a reminder of his journeys as defender of the faith.

The interior of St. Paul's has always impressed me and today I discovered why.  You enter in and

begin to realize just how important space is.  Unlike the pagan Roman temples, here is where humanity and divinity meet.  In the temple sacrifices to the gods were made outside the sanctuary.  In the Christian churches, you are drawn upward to meet God and God comes down to earth to be one with us.  Unlike the temples, there is no separation between heaven and earth.  You are drawn into something deeper and richer - into the mystery and the presence of God.

Unlike pagan temples, Christians wanted to incorporate light into their worship spaces.  We move out of the shadows and into the light.  The light in this basilica "beams" into the church from heaven above.  The nave of the church is a reminder that we are all in this "boat" together.   The very architecture of the basilica explains who God is and who we are.

A unique aspect of this Basilica are the medallions of all 266 popes since Peter onward.  The mosaic lab at the Vatican (since 1565) designed each of these medallions.  An interesting story is told about Pope Francis.  He was announced as Holy Father in March but the medallion did not get placed into St. Paul's until December, 2013.  He didn't want to sit for his official photo shoot and this is what they use to create the mosaic.  He finally sat for the photo in October and then announced he wanted the medallion to be in place by December.  Two workers spent months on the design and it is truly spectacular.  The red of the pope's vestment come from some of the oldest stone in the mosaic lab dating back to the 1500's.  Looking at the mosaic, you could swear it was a photograph - it's that realistic!

The canopy above the main altar is remarkable.  Anolfo Dicambrio created it around the Jubilee Year of 1300.  It, obviously, survived the fire.  The canopy has multiple purposes.  First, it protects the Eucharist from dust and debris.  These ceilings are hundreds of years old and in constant need of cleaning and restoration.  Second, it signifies the meeting of heaven and earth.  God comes down from heaven onto the altar in the Eucharist.  This canopy utilizes heavy marble in such a way as to appear airy and light.  DiCambrio depicts prophets, angels, Adam and Eve all above the altar to indicate all above the Eucharistic table.

The beautiful mosaic in the apse is a Greek design.  Jesus appears more serene and fair-skinned than
in usual depictions.  The apostles surround him.   There was tremendous comfort and strength praying before this magnificent icon.

Two more noteworthy elements of the basilica.  The Eucharistic chapel has a cross before which St. Bridget of Sweden prayed.  She came to visit the pope to ask for his permission to begin a new religious community.  He was not in Rome so she came to St. Paul's to pray.  She did so before this crucifix and, from the cross, Jesus spoke to her affirming the choice to move forward with the new community.  Also, Ignatius prayed here as well before relics now on the main altar.  It was here that he and his followers informally began what is known today as the Jesuit community.

Finally, the tomb of St. Paul is below the main altar under the canopy.  There is a remnant of the chain which bound him and his tomb is below that.  A few years ago they placed a fiber optic camera into the tomb and discovered bone matter, a purple cloth and gold sequin.  These indicated that early Christians wrapped Paul's remains with the color of dignity and royalty.  The same were found in St. Peter's tomb at the Vatican.

Peter and Paul are often pictured together.  Romans loved to do this because it also reminded them that their city was founded by two brothers, Remus and Romulus.  Peter and Paul are seen as brother sin the faith who were killed on the very same da

The Rynek and the Oskar Schindler Museum

Today I had the privilege of visiting two museums here in Krakow.  And . . . it snowed here all day!!!  I guess God is preparing me for the Cleveland winter! :)

The Rynek Museum is underground and was just completed in 2010.  It's a fascinating journey from

the beginning of recorded history for Krakow (around the 1100's) and up to the present day.  The whole Krakow center was torn up for the years it was being constructed.  Now, it's a fascinating journey from cemetery to the first market to the present day plaza.  It showed skeletons, blacksmith tools, leather shoes, jewelry and the historical story of Krakow was told through the great use of technology.  It was amazing and took more than 2 hours to see everything there.  The videos were superbly narrated by a historian of Krakow.  More than 6 small theaters tell the story of history from the earliest recorded notes to the building of the Rynek.  Krakow was a major trade route from the East to the West and many travelers ventured through it.

The history of the Nazi invasion was also fascinating.  Begun in 1939 the Germans utilized Krakow as a fortress and confiscated many of the beautiful works of art that were housed here.  They dis-
assembled the major altarpiece at St. Mary Basilica carved by artist Veit Stoss.  It took him 12 years to carve and paint the beautiful figures which were taken down by the Nazis and warehoused somewhere in Nuremberg.  When they discovered the pieces, they were moldy and in disarray.  It took Veit two additional years to re-figure the magnificent triptych piece over the main altar in this dramatic and beautiful basilica.

The second Museum I visited today is in the Jewish ghetto of Krakow, a place called Kazmirez.  Schindler, as you may know from the movie, "Schindler's List," employed many Jews at his ceramics factory just outside of Old Town.  But, furthermore, he fed them well and provided medical care at a time when Jews were simply slaves of the Nazi regime.  He saved many lives and is heralded as a hero to the Jewish people.  He was able to straddle between the Jews he hoped to save and the Nazis.  Arrested several times, he was never tried and found a way always to get out of the worst situations.

The Sound of Music - Mass at the SND Motherhouse in Rome

On Sunday, October 4th (the feast of St. Francis of Assisi) we had the privilege and honor of celebrating with the Sisters of Notre Dame at their mother house in Rome.  It was an honor to pray and sing with these wonderful sisters from around the world.

Here are a few pictures of the event but if you'd like to see more, go to their website by Clicking Here.

The Oldest Pharmacy in the West - Literally!

Our trip to Trastevere continued to the oldest pharmacy in the Western world.  It was started in the year 1597 when Carmelites who served as doctors and nurses would invent treatments for various maladies such as hypertension, hysteria and other maladies.  The pharmacy officially closed in 1954 but served as the Pharmacy of the Popes for many years.  People would come here to get medical advice, find cures for what ailed them and to make appointments to see doctors in the area.  As a part of the Carmelite rule for this monastery, they grew herbs for medicines.  They culitivated plants, researched and taught in a school for both the religious and the laity.  The sales room hasn't changed since 1700.  A portrait of St. Theresa of Avila, foundress of the order, is hung in the sales room.  One of their most famous medicines was a snake venom antidote.  It was made up of 57 different things including the flesh of a male viper.  Don't ask me how they obtained it!!!

There is a crank telephone there as well as glass jars, mortars, pestles, scales and drawers with doctors names on them.  Also, a second room had wooden cabinets with painted portraits of families who were wealthy enough to have their own medicine cabinets in the pharmacy.  One drawer even had some marijuana still in it.  A large marble pot still held a mixture of medicine that was created in the 1950's and was made to last for 60 years!!!!


The lab had cauldrons, presses, centrifuges, bottlers and all kinds of strange instruments - including one for forming pills.  Lots of contraptions back then to create medicines that would be responsible for healing and giving comfort to people.  Not surprising that the church had a hand in it!  When the cost of keeping the pharmacy up and running became too much, the pharmacy closed.  But the role the church continues to play in the healing of the sick remains.

Santa Maria in Trastevere

The Basilica of St. Mary in Trastevere is a wonderful treasure. There has been a church on this land since the year 340 - making it one of the oldest churches in all of Rome.  The mosaics here are truly incredible and we were blessed to have retired Cardinal Stafford (Denver, Memphis, Baltimore) and he was a humble and inspired presenter.  There is an Icon of the Blessed Mother in this church that is considered the oldest icon of Mary in the West.

Trastevere is the area of Rome where Jewish settlers would come from the Middle East.  The cardinal believes that the letter to the Romans may have been read, for the very first time, right on this spot. There is a hill above Trastevere where oil began to follow down hill in 38 B.C.  It was believed that this place was holy, sacred and was a prophecy in action.

The beautiful mosaics depict the life of Mary.  We find her distinctive face in a 7th century icon where Mary is seated with Christ.  This face of Mary is repeated in the mosaics above the altar.  They show scenes from the life of Mary.

We celebrated Mass at the main altar here which I had never experienced before.  Cardinal Stafford presided and one of the priests on sabbatical, Fr. John Vien, preached.

Oh, and by the way, we saw the right foot of St. Therese of Avila encased in a glass reliquary.  I know - a pun is in order but I'm one step ahead of you!!!

The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel like I've never seen it before!

On September 30th Liz Lev directed us on a tour through the Vatican Museums.  Though I had been to the museum many times before, I never truly appreciated the history and development of Michelangelo's craft and theological mindset when sculpting and painting.  We began in the Etruscan room with significant B.C. sarcophagi with Old Testament figures.  Jonah was a hugely influential figure in the early Christian church.  They believed he was a pre-figure of Christ.  He was in the belly of the whale for 3 days.  Christ was in the tomb for 3 days.  He was expelled onto Ninevah and the people repented.  Christ was resurrected from the dead and people believed.  So, when we began there it was much easier to see how the figure of Jonah became the largest figure painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Also, we begin to see what a tremendous artistic genius Michelangelo was and how it helped develop the talent and the abilities of other painters such as Raphael.  When Raphael was doing his work on the Borgia apartments, Michelangelo was sculpting and painting for St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.  When he noted the skill and expertise of Michelangelo he knew he had to step up a notch or two and improve his abilities.  His earlier work is significantly different than his later pieces simply because he now had competition for commissions and knew that it would be difficult to match the genius of Michelangelo.

Raphael's work reveals the power of light.  In the Stanza do Elidoro he paints with such beauty and utilizes four kinds of light in his work.  It's amazing to see the transition from a great painter to an
exceptional one.  In his piece, with St. Leo the Great doing battle with Attila the Hun Raphael uses stunning imagery and incorporates even the Colosseum's image in the background.  You can see the battle between evil and good, light and darkness on opposite sides of the piece.  The power of evil is depicted in the muscular stance of the horse while the power and light from Leo is coming from the angels and heaven above.

Of course the Sistine Chapel was a highlight at the end of our tour but, sadly, there were so many

people and noise and guards yelling, "Silenzio, Silenzio" that it deflates the experience a bit.  I can just imagine the College of Cardinals gathered in that prayerful space discerning the next pope.  If there is anyplace where heaven touches earth it certainly is in this magnificent depiction of the creation of man, the Last Judgment and the story of the flood.  Ironically Michelangelo was commissioned to paint Christ and the twelve apostles.  Being the over-achiever that he was, he ended up painting over 300 figures on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.  It took him four years to complete the work which has been left to humanity as a gift to the achievement of what God can accomplish through his greatest creation.

Caravaggio Crawl

Liz calls yesterday the "Carravagio" Crawl.  We visited 3 churches that boast of Caravaggio's paintings.

The first centers on the theme of St. Matthew.  It is located in the Church of St. Louis the French. Check out this amazing work!  This church was located in a high class neighborhood that had many wealthy people.   Cardinal Delmonte invested in young artists and knew that Carravagio had tremendous talent.  This work was completed in 1599 just before the Holy Year of 1600.  Rome was preparing to be a city filled with pilgrims and this church's job was to preach conversion.  He takes an ordinary scene of men gathered and look how the light emanates from the right window.  No other background detail is necessary to tell this story.  Matthew sees the light and leaves everything to follow Christ.  After this series depicting Matthew's call, conversion and martyrdom Caravaggio would never return to ordinary paintings again.  This work invites us to follow the light.  Notice how the young man is seated on the bench with his feet not on the ground.  Literally, Christ, through Peter, mesmerizes and strikes Matthew in such a way that he is literally brought off his feet.

The second visit was to St. Augustine Church.  It is where this fascinating work called, "Madonna de Loreto" appears.  Notice the two ordinary people to whom the Blessed Mother appears.  They are ordinary people, dirty feet and all!  Caravaggio was known to use ordinary folks like you and me to depict those blessed by divine visits.  He caught a lot of flack for using ordinary prostitutes, farmers, and other local folks but his message was that God appears not only for the righteous and the holy, but to every day people like you and me.  This painting is simply awesome not only in its' beauty but in its message also.

Finally, we visited Santa Maria del Popolo where Caravaggio was commissioned for several wonderful pieces to appear in the Cerasi Chapel. This piece depicting the Conversion of St. Paul is remarkable.  The horse doesn't even seem to notice St. Paul but we can tell he is in shock.  Further, the characters seem to be coming into the viewer's space.  Caravaggio wanted us to feel as if we're right there with St. Paul.  Notice the muscle development on both the horse and Paul - it's truly incredible.  There is no need for background detail.  We can tell - from the 3 characters in this story exactly what is going on.   This is a moment of spiritual ecstasy and Paul lies with hands open to what God is calling him to do.

Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and Spoleto

Today I was the presider for Mass at a very special place.  The Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli is a basilica in the lower city of Assisi which contains another small church.  This small church is called the "Porziuncula" and it was the second church that St. Francis rebuilt.  It is the place where the Franciscan order's vows were first composed, the place where St .Clare's hair was cut, and a setting for prayer for the early members of the religious community of St. Francis.  It was given to Francis and his followers in the year 1211 following the creation of the new community.  It was a great privilege and honor to pray in this Church and to lead my brothers in the Eucharist.

As we left Assisi, we headed to the town of Spoleto.

Ravenna - Italy, not Ohio!

Ravenna is an amazing city.  Once known as  the city "Classe," it was an imperial port.  It had been invaded by the barbarians but gained prominence when, in A.D. 540, the Byzantine emperor Justinian turned the city into the western most location for the Byzantine Empire.  Today the place is filled with remnants of that era - beautiful mosaics.  A single ticket gains you entrance to all of the major places where the mosaics remain. The two most significant places were the Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia.  It's hard to fathom how difficult mosaic creations are.  We were told it could take as much as a week to do a 1x1 foot mosaic.  But these were not only artistic.  They served the purpose of providing a "catechism" for people long before the printing press and in the days when only the wealthiest of families could read or write.

We stayed at a little hotel called Hotel Antica.  I would highly recommend it.  Not only was it close

to the train station but they even provide bikes for the hotel guests to use.  Ravenna has the most bikes of any city in Italy and I believe it to be true!  We saw hundreds of them and really enjoyed biking all around.

The train to Florence from Ravenna took 3 hours.  It was a local train that seemed to stop everywhere.  Fortunately the high speed train from Florence to Rome only took 1.5 hours and we arrived home, exhausted but fulfilled, by 10:00 p.m.

Bologna is no Baloney!

I arrived in Bologna, Italy on late Friday afternoon with Fr. Joseph Tuscan, OFMCap, who studied at Borromeo in Cleveland.  As you may know I don't really believe in co-incidences, just God-incidences and this past weekend was certainly that.  We arrived to discover the city was hosting the St. Francis Festival all weekend long.  Though it's been celebrated in the Emilia-Reggi province before it had never been in Bologna.  So, here we were, in the midst of this huge celebration.

We visited a number of awesome churches in Bologna, including the burial place of St. Dominic in San Domenico Church.  The tomb was a masterpiece and St. Dominic's body (and skull in a reliquary) is there.  We met some very nice Dominican brothers and priests and enjoyed visiting the church.  It boasts a beautiful painting by Filippo Lippi called, Mystical Marriage of St. Catherine of Alexandria.  It was exquisite.  Painted in 1503, it shows a sacred conversation between the Madonna and Child and St. Catherine.  Also depicted are St. Paul, St. Sebastian (a popularly depicted saint in Renaissance painting), St. Peter and St. John the Baptist.  What I find interesting about Lippi's work is how he includes modern day images in his work.  Note the classical pillars as well in the painting which gives the impression it took place in a Renaissance building.

The Duomo of St. Petronio was, yet, another beautiful edifice.  We attended a St. Francis Festival Mass there at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.  It was a strange experience.  Though the local bishop presided, Mass was very short - 50 minutes.  The bishop concluded Mass with the closing prayer, blessing and procession when many folks, including some priests, were still receiving Communion.  We just couldn't figure that one out!  Though begun in 1390 the project (a communal project of Bologna, not by the Bishop) was not concluded until the 1479 by architect Antonio di Vincenzo.

Bologna once boasted almost 200 towers.  These were not so much protective as they were to demonstrate the wealth of some families who could afford these towers in case of invasion (more status symbols than practical uses).  One tower was almost 20 stories tall and we actually climbed it. Though there are few towers remaining today, the most remarkable one provides a spectacular view of the entire city.  Bologna also is a city of porticoes.  There are 40km of porticoes throughout the city guaranteeing protection from the elements.  One of the porticoes leading up to the Church of the Madonna of St. Luke has 666 arches and was built in the 1400's as a way of protecting a statue which they brought up to the top from the city.  This church houses a Madonna that was supposedly painted by St. Luke himself though today only a small portion of the painting is visible.

Saturday evening we attended this awesome concert of Paul Winter's "Earth Mass."  It was performed by the Diocesan choir of Bologna and included liturgical dancers as well as very talented musicians. We saw one of those old transparency projectors and discovered (delightfully) that an artist was using the projector to shine images on the outside of the Duomo during the performances.  He was utterly amazing.  Sr. Marie de Lis (my 4th grade teacher) would have been delighted to see the projector being utilized in such a creative fashion!!!  We were so blessed and fortunate to be there for it.   I remember having the recording of this Mass many years ago.  It was dusted off for this amazing night and was accompanied by some quotations from Pope Francis' "Laudato Si" - his encyclical on Creation.

Sunday afternoon we departed for Ravenna.

Spirituality of Christian Art & Architecture

Wednesday we began with Mass at the Basilica of St. Clare and then listened to Rev. Michael Gaudoin-Parker speak to us about the Spiritiuality of Christian Art & Architecture.  Fr. Michael's gentle and humble nature made for a wonderful few hours of insightful wisdom and insight.

Art is not an end in itself.  It introduces the soul into a higher spiritual order which it expresses, and in some sense, explains. Christian art provides a "fullness" into which we are invited and pertains to a spirituality that focuses out "outward" toward the transcendent.  The aesthetic is to "make formal" an epiphany, a manifestation of the presence of God.

When we approach Christian art and architecture with a sense of openness and a willing to engage, there is a transformative element to it - it changes us.  Fr. used the image of the priest placing a drop of water into the chalice of wine.  It becomes immersed into the wine and is no longer able to be separated out.

When a Christian person engages in the art of faith, she/he becomes fully immersed into what it conveys.  There is an incomprehensible mystery in which we are absorbed.  However, art demands of us our willingness to be engaged in it.  There is a true humility about allowing God to speak to us through the use of art and the use of our senses.

Fr. says that all art is rooted in substance but good art begins in immanence and presents the continuity between the temporal and the eternal, between matter and good spirit between humankind and the other.

The Church of St. Clare and the Eremo delle Carceri - Assisi

Tuesday we toured the Church of St. Clare as well as the Eremo delle Carceri (a small hermitage at the top of Mount Subasio.

The Church of St. Clare is simply, but beautiful.  You can see a photograph of it above.  We began there with Mass and a tour of the Church including a visit to the tomb where St. Clare is buried.  She was one of first followers of St. Francis and the founder of the Order of Poor Ladies (now, the Sisters of Poor Clare).  In fact, today (September 24) they celebrate the finding of St. Clare's body. She was buried below the main altar of this church, built by Filippo Campell in 1260 and moved from her former burial place in St. Gregorio.  When her body was exhumed, in 1850, they found it perfectly preserved.

Later that day I performed a miracle - I climbed Mt. Subasio.  Let me tell you, it was no piece of cake!!!  Very steep climbing across a rocky grade.  But arriving at the top, a place where St. Francis founded a small hermitage, was truly amazing. This is where he sought refuge for 6 months out of the year.  He and other monks lived in caves carved from the mountain side.  Their dwellings were simple but they enjoyed the beauty of God's spectacular creation while on the mountaintop.  We then climbed even further to the very top of the mountain and enjoyed a magnificent view of the city of Assisi below.

Orvieto and Assisi

I'm sorry for not keeping up with my posting.  The place we're staying in Assisi has basic internet but I've been knocked off the web more than I've been able to access it.  Perhaps it's a message from St. Francis to ponder, pray and meditate more and blog less!!!

Chapel of the Corporal, Orvieto, Umbria, Italy

This is a spectacular place - a place not only of beauty but of peace, of prayer.  Yesterday we began the day in Orvieto, a beautiful town on the way to Assisi.  There we celebrated Mass in a very place called the Chapel of the Corporal.  In the year 1263, in town of Bolesana, near Orvieto, a priest was celebrating Mass.  He had entertained doubts about the real presence of the Eucharist and, as he consecrated the host, it began to bleed and stained the white corporal with drops of blood.  The corporal is located underneath the altar here and the beautiful frescoes on the walls tells the story of
the miracle.

Fr. Joseph Tuscan, OFM, Cap is one of the priests on Sabbatical here in Italy.  He actually studied at Borromeo and is originally from Pittsburgh.  Joe preached about the Eucharistic miracles (there are 140 of them) and how Pope Paul VI in 1970 commissioned the Academy of Science to do scientific studies on several of the Eucharistic miracles.  Strangely enough, the academy concluded that in all the blood samples taken from Bolseana, Lanciano and from the Shroud of Turn they discovered tissue from the human heart and all had AB- blood types, the rarest kind found in only 4% of the world's population.  When we speak of the "real presence of Christ" in the Eucharist, these miracles all point to our belief that Jesus makes himself present, body, soul and divinity at every Eucharistic celebration.  A great gift to us indeed.

Oriveto is a place of special veneration and prayer.  The town itself is also very beautiful - accessible only by funicular or by ascending many, many stairs.  But once you've arrived, it is magnificent.

We arrived in Assisi just in time for dinner.  We are staying at a Capuchin guest house/retreat center just outside the walls of Assisi's main area.  We are being well cared for and the hospitality and warmth of those who work here is truly a manifestation of the Lord's care for everyone.

Tuesday morning we celebrated Mass in the Basilica of Saint Francis, the largest church in the area. There are two levels - the lower one which is the crypt in which St. Francis is entombed and the upper basilica.  The upper basilica was heavily damaged on September 27, 1997 where four people (2 architects and 2 monks) lost their lives.  They have restored the basilica since but some of the frescoes were permanently damaged from the quake.

It's difficult to cover all the beautiful pieces in the basilica.  I'll focus on two frescoes in particular. The first depicts the Last Supper but with a specifically Italian twist.  Note that the left side of the fresco shows 2 common citizens doing the dishes with a dog licking food of the dirty plates.  What is notable here is that common Italian life was incorporated in a Renaissance depiction of the Last Supper.  The artist wants us to know that faith was accessible and available to everyone - even the most common of folks.

The second fresco is a confrontation between Francis and his father.  As you may know, his father was a wealthy garment merchant and he despised the fact that Francis wanted to leave everything to rebuild Christ's church.  His father even imprisoned Francis (we saw the prison) and refused to speak to him ever again.  The scene of this depiction is when Francis discarded his clothing in the town square.  His father is pictured with condemnation while the Bishop (representing the church) is now covering Francis with a cloth - showing that he belonged now to the Church.  Fr. Tuscan told us the story how Francis and his father never reconciled.  Though it had always been Francis' hope to do so, when he left his father's home his father never spoke to him again.  He would often run into his father in town and it was customary for a son to ask for a blessing from his father when he encountered him. Francis' father refused so Francis asked a poor man to bestow on him the blessing his father refused to give.

It was beautiful tour - more in my next post.