Ahhhh, Umbria

Today we went to Norcia, the birthplace of Sts Benedict and Scholastica. Situated in a magnificant valley up in Umbria we had a day that, if it had been better we would have been in heaven - perfect weather, a good driver, and wonderful company both amongst ourselves and in the people we met.

We travelled up from Rome through widing roads cossetted by steep cliffs often on either sides. We first visited the Place of Sts SPes and Eutizia (???spelling) This old building has layer upon layer of different ages but this fountain and pond delighted me. There were fish in it!!!

We travelled down to Norcia the only fully walled town in Italy - or so we were told. This is a most beautiful place. Readers of this blog know how it delights and it was a joy to see the sisters today take to it. Like me, they are so glad to be in a place that is clean and in which the people take such great pride.

IT prides itself on so much of its history - the Etruscan tombs, the heritage of Benedict and Scholastica, the tradition of good food - boar, truffles etc. But today there was another side. Outside the museum was a antique collection of Lanzi cars. The petrol heads in the Harris family will get the complete collection of photos. I even got to play the horn on one of the most ancient.

We prayed in the crypt of the church of St Benedict, the traditional place of his birth.

Then I took some time wandering through the town. Thursday is market day but this time there were no local cherries. I had to content myself with apricots. This is the one time and place that I can buy local, fresh stone fruit. I make sure I get out to this little market to check out the local produce.

Then back to visit one of the pastry shops. Superb pastries and excellent coffee are two things of the few things that are cheaper than in Australia and rarely have I come across pastries as good as what you can get in most pastries shops.

A group of us wandered up to the Monastery of St Antony, the home of a group of Benedictine nuns who serve us lunch on this trip each year. On the way, we noted each church, used or abandoned, on the way up. In the space of about 250m we must have counted about 6 churches. They were closer that every street corner. I annouced that I felt I was on a ABC tour - one of the group asked what's and ABC tour - Another Bloody Church tour. (I feel some of the group are getting tired of Baroque - time to take them to the Korean church next door to here!)

When we finally arrived at the monastery, we were served as usual another stunning meal. Two courses of simple pasta, a lettuce salad, fresh raspberries and ice cream. The pasta was home made, the lettuce and fruit home grown. A simple plain meal but what they eat in heaven surely. Simple, fresh, done well cannot be surpassed. We were are very happy group. If laughter was the sign of wealth we were rich indeed.
After that we went out to the Church of St Scholastica, which is a closed church at the cemetary. This is most likely the place where she lived her monastic life 1500 years ago. The church is is an awful state and is normally locked - we pay to have it open. In the midst of the ruins we prayed again and renewed our vows. Then studied the various frecoes on the walls. Here's yours truly below a double frescoe of Benedict and Scholastica. In about the 15 century frescoes of Scholastica's life were done on the wall, then 30 years later they were plastered over and a life of St Benedict went on. The building is in a awful state and parts of the wall have fallen off. In this place a picture of St Benedict faces a picture of Scholastica from the earlier cycle.

Then we went home. If this sounds like we had an idylic day, we did. Thanks be to God!