While in Assisi we enjoyed visiting all the churches we could find. Sister suggested the Church of San Stefano and when we got to it,
we realized this is where we had Mass our first night in Assisi last
year! It is a 12th century church that hasn't been remodeled and it was
very special to be back there.
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| Santo Stephen |
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| St. Stephen, the first martyr |
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| Faded painting on the wall of our Blessed Mother holding Jesus |
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Next we went to San Rufino, which is the cathedral of Assisi and the parish that the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement belong to.
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| San Rufino |
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| This was the
church where St. Clare realized her calling to leave everything and
follow Jesus after she heard St. Francis preaching |
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| Baptismal font where both Francis and Clare were baptized |
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| Crypt underneath the church where St. Francis would pray |
We walked a ways to find San Pietro which is from the 13th century. The church was consecrated in
1254 by Pope Innocent IV, St. Francis, and St. Rufinus.
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| Abbey of St. Pietro |
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| Side chapel with Blessed Sacrament |
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| Nativity scene in San Pietro |
One church we didn't visit last year that I was excited to see was San Damiano. This is a church with a monastery and it is where St. Francis was praying in front of a cross and Jesus spoke to him from the cross, saying "Build my church." Francis thought he meant for him to rebuilt the run-down building, so he started to do that but then realized Jesus meant to rebuilt the larger Church, the Body of Christ.
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| Olive trees overlooking the country side |
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| This was a pilgrimage all of it's own because it was outside the main part of Assisi down a large hill. |
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| Courtyard in the middle of the monastery |
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| San Damiano was the first monastery for St. Clare and her sisters and this is the spot where she died |
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| Walking back up the hill to the town |
We went to Mass in Santa Maria Maggiore, which was founded in the 10th century and was the first cathedral of Assisi.
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| S Maria Maggorie main chapel |
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| Fresco from the 14th century of Mary wrapping people in her motherly mantle |
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| Side chapel where we had Mass |
When walking through the streets of Assisi, we just happened upon an adoration chapel! It is called the Oratorio dei Pellegrini and is run by Franciscan sisters, to be a place of prayer for pilgrims. We came here twice to pray and the small chapel is lined with beautiful frescoes from the 14th century.
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| Oratorio dei Pellegrini |
Another day we went to Mass in the Basilica of St. Francis. This was a very special place to return to and we had time to pray at the tomb of St. Francis as well as look at the magnificent artwork in the Lower and Upper Basilica.
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| Upper Basilica of St. Francis |
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| Entrance to Lower Basilica of St. Francis |
On our way to the train station leaving Assisi, we were able to go to the Basilica in the lower part of Assisi, St. Mary of the Angels. In this Basilica there is a little church built in the 9th century and this is the spot where St. Francis discerned to leave everything behind and follow Jesus. This Basilica also holds the spot where St. Francis died.
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| Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli |
