I slept through breakfast but that was ok cuz I made it to Mass on time - at the Basilica of Santa Chiara a.k.a. St Clare! And after Mass we got to go down to the crypt where they have the remains of St. Clare's body! She was incorrupt when they first dug her up but once the body was exposed it started to decay and so they now have a wax model of St. Clare inside of which is her body.
And on the other side of the crypt are items made by St. Clare mostly for St. Francis. Things such as garments and even the special bandages that Clare made for St. Francis' stigmata. That particularly touched me because I'm amazed by the beautiful love that St. Francis and St. Clare had for each other. It was like they were brother and sister but even closer. And looking at those bandages I could just see the love with which St. Clare must have made them.
We then began part 1 of our tour of Assisi. We actually saw the little chapel that Amy and I had found the night before and learned that it is one of 3 places in Assisi that claims to be the birthplace of St. Francis. It's very unlikely that this one actually was his birthplace because at the time it was a barn owned by Francis' family. However, Francis family was upper middle class so it's highly unlikely that their son would have been born in a barn. But, the legend around this place sprung up because Francis so mirrored the life of Christ that people said well Christ was born in a stable so Francis must have been too!
We then went to another Church which I didn't catch the name of but which houses the cell in which St. Francis was kept when his father thought he had lost his mind. Looking at this cell was so heartbreaking because it was so tiny, barely room to stand up and none to move around, I just can't comprehend a parent putting their child through such torture!
The last stop on our tour was San Damiano, another Church which Francis rebuilt and the convent where St. Clare and her Sisters lived. We had to hike relatively far down the mountain to get there but the view throughout the whole walk was incredible! We were looking down on what seemed like all of Italy! It was so beautiful!
San Damiano was absolutely incredible! We went inside and I got to kiss the place where St. Clare died. Only 3 days before she died the Pope had granted her her lifelong petition - to be able to live a life of total poverty, owning absolutely nothing! When St. Clare's cell is referred to it's not actually a cell in the sense we think of. It was simply a piece of the floor big enough to put her cot on. If she even had a cot, I wouldn't be surprised if she slept on the stone floor. So we entered this large stone room and a little piece of it, just big enough for a person to sleep in, was roped off and marked with a simple bouquet and candle as the place where Clare died. So I knelt and prayed there and leaned over and kissed the ground where she died. It was a really powerful experience for me.
Every year, back home, I look forward to the crocuses blooming in our backyard because it's a sign that spring is coming. So one of the things that I was sad about in coming to Austria was that I wouldn't get to see the crocuses this year. But I stepped out into the courtyard of San Damiano and there were two purple crocuses, one on either side of the courtyard! It's like since I couldn't see them at my own house God put them at St. Clare's house just for me!
San Damiano was absolutely incredible! It is so beautiful and so peaceful! The view is spectacular and holiness and peace just permeate the whole place! I can't even explain how wonderful it is!
But, eventually, we had to hike back up the mountain to be in time for lunch at the hotel. However, the walk did provide for some wonderful photo opportunities.
After lunch we began our pilgrimage to the hermitage of St. Francis. We had to walk the first ten minutes of the hike and then we had the option to either take a shuttle the rest of the way up the mountain or walk. I really did consider walking because I felt like it was appropriate and part of the experience but then it was all rainy and yucky and cold out and I was wearing a skirt so I opted to take the shuttle. I'm really glad I did, I don't think I could've survived that hike.
While it had only been raining down in Assisi it was snowing by the time we got up the mountain. We first entered the hermitage, which I suspect was originally built for midgets. Even I had trouble getting through those doorways! Then we exited the hermitage and there was a pathway. I was cold. I did not want to be outside. But I thought maybe there was something important along this pathway that I should see. So I followed my friend Sarah who was forging ahead. It was a long, muddy walk. It was snowing. It was not enjoyable. We got to the end and there was a tiny little chapel. It was nice of course but if I had known that was all there was I would have stayed in the hermitage. And then we had to trek all the way back to the hermitage. We got back to the chapel in the hermitage and I sat down and looked up at the altar . . . and I was SO HAPPY! It was the most ridiculous thing because I was cold and wet and miserable but I was just so joyful! Because I had been offering that whole ridiculous walk for a special intention that I've been praying for throughout the semester and I just looked up at the altar and I knew that that walk was worth it. Even though there was nothing really to see that walk had a purpose and it brought a soul one step closer to God. So I was so happy!
I stayed in the chapel and prayed for a while. Then I discovered that there was another (warmer) chapel where they were having Eucharistic Adoration! So naturally I had to go say hi to Jesus. I spent some time with Him and then met up with my friend Maude on my way back to the shuttle.
I got back to the hotel, soaked my poor frozen feet in the wonderfully warm bath water and then attempted to take a nap.
The rest of the evening was fairly uneventful and that's about it for day 2!
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