Would you believe that I am sitting in the Piazza del Comune, the town square, enjoying the sun, the comings and goings and a cappuccino. Such is the way of 2lst century life, even in this peaceful, slow-paced town called Assisi. For anyone who loves silence, solitude and simplicity, this is the place to be. Oh, there’s the usual chatter and construction noises, but they are easy to ‘include’, which means they don’t get in the way of the 3S’s.
This is a town all about St. Francis, and yet, I have to include St. Clare as well. There is a balance here between the masculine and the feminine, something that Francis must have intuited as essential for peace. The sign in front of me points to both.
This is a town all about St. Francis, and yet, I have to include St. Clare as well. There is a balance here between the masculine and the feminine, something that Francis must have intuited as essential for peace. The sign in front of me points to both.
Chiesa Nuova-- built on the site of Francis’ paternal home and cloth and fabric shop. Relics of Francis are on display, along with the little room where allegedly his father shut him away for selling the cloth to give to the poor.
Basilica di Santa Chiara (1257)--built on the previous church where Francis’s body remained from his death in 1226 to 1230, when it was transferred to the Basilica di San Francesco. Clare is buried in the crypt of the church. Clothing of both Clare and Francis are displayed there.
Chiesa e Convento di San Damiano (a short walk down the hill from the town)--where Clare (d. 1253) and the Poor Clares lived, and where Francis often came for respite. This convent functions today and is a idyllic, pastoral place to visit.
Basilica di San Francesco--the first stone of the lower church of was laid in 1228 to house the remains of St. Francis. The upper church, with Giotto’s frescoes depicting the life of St, Francis , was built soon after.