Tivoli

Today Marcia and I went to the Villa d'Esate at Tivoli, yes the Tivoli gardens of Italy and they were more that I could have imagined. Fountains, fountains everywhere from the glorious to the strange. The gardens and their fountains were the personal projects of various Cardinals d'Esate in the days when being a Cardinal had virtually nothing to do with religion. This estate was the cultural retiring place for these Cardinals and their artistic friends. The place now belongs to the State of Italy and is open to the public and is a glorious legacy. I jst cannot imagine anyone today having the vision, imagination and the money to produce a place like this.

There were place of quiet and rest.

Huge gradious fountains that delighted - and also played music. Above this fountain was the organ fountain.
Views across to Rome and the Lazio plain.

And of course the famous 100 fountain in which I think there is more than a 100 fountains,

EAch of them with a differently carved head.

If ever you get to Italy, this place is one of the top five to visit.

Farewell to the group

The group left, mostly, on Tuesday. On Sunday we had a reflection day, Monday was free for all to go around Rome but on Monday evening we had, as a farewell meal, an indoor picnic, the weather was just too cool. This has been an incredible June, weatherwise.
The picnic was the time for frivolity - and Marcia, Karen and I were to be the brunt of it. Sung to a "A few of my favorite things.." we heard a summary of their time in Rome. Then we were given an Awards each for our work. Amongst the reasons for mine were
"whereas Kym has discoverd not only the best beer and gelato stops in Rome, but also the finest WC's money can't buy.
Whereas Kym has begun teaching us a second language: we shall not 'spit the dummy' and we shall look for 'powerpoints' in the wall instead of on the computer, and we shall get money from 'a hole in the wall'.
The Americans did find the Australian way with expressions both interesting and bemusing at times.
Then Sr Julian, the Uganda sister brought forward a small choir who did a 'word song' of thanks. I have never heard anythng quite like this. Dylan Thomas' choruses in Under Milkwood are the closest I have heard and they are very simple compared to this complex song. It was done according to a Ugandan rhythm, intertwinning and flowing. As they sang she gave us each a large card of thanks along with a gift. It was entrancing. She also sang and drummed her favorite hymn Psalm 133 - How good and how pleasant it is when people live it unity. A very fitting end to the time together.
Next day we farewelled them and since then have packed up, written reports, thanked the various Casa sisters for their work etc etc. We still have another week here. Today we go to Norcia, St Benedict's birth place and stay overnight: a farewell to that place. Then we will take time to see those parts of Rome we have never had time for...and hopefully I'll do a few more posts on this blog.

My apologies for being so poor on this blog for the last week or so. Lofe has been very full and I must admit that by this time in the program I am begining to flag. I also had to revamp some of my material on Women's monastic history - I had just too much for it to make sense easily so I had to work out how to condense the material and still have it useful for the sisters.

In the midst of all this we still had our outings. Last week we went to Subiaco, for a day's retreat. We had tried doing this for the last two years. The first year was far too cold for prayer and the next year there were jack hammers on the cliffs outside. This year perfect. I loved comparing the deep dark interiority of St Benedict's cave with the glorious sunshine and freedom of the hills and valleys outside. My mediation was to watch the swallows swirling and dancing on the air in the sunlight and know that God wants us to dance and swirl in his love. We were able to climb above the Cave area to the place where Romanus must lave let down the food to Benedict when he lived in the cave. So little would have changed, except now that the Salesians Sisters run a retreat centre, where I hope one day to have a few days retreat.

The day after Subiaco we had the three days break in the program for the sisters to see other parts of Italy. We three staff - Karen, Marcia and I went to Siena for that time. I had always wanted to see where Catherine of Siena lived. Walking the streets in the very early morning was a great insight into why she acted so strangely in her life: in the close society of those close streets it would have been so difficult for anyone, let alone a young girl to have followed a different calling other than what had been planned for her.

I liked Siena but did not find Catherine well served by the artworks at her sights. The Basilica of San Domenico - her parish church - was like a barn filled with bad examples of 18th century Mannerism and excutible late 20 th cnetury modern art. The area of her house was quiet and peaceful - when one was allowed in. I arrived too late for early morning Mass, decided to stay to pray and was shortly ushered out.

Later that day Marcia and I did a 5 hours bus trip. Wonderful, wonderful , wonderful. First we were taken to the lovely Chianti in Catellingo town, an old beautiful village around which we could wander. Then we went to a winery that produced excellent Chianti Classico wine for a wine and cheese tasting. We were taught how to taste wine, through a range of 5 fine wines and 3 marvellous percorinos. Even though we had only small amounts of each I came out feeling satiated!!! Then we went on to the town of San Gimingano with its 14 dramatic towers in which the wealthy of the medieval period lived. They were abou 10 stories high and the kitchen was on the top floor for fear of fires. They must have had strong legs in those days.

Siena was hosting a major art exhibition of its works from the Early Renassiance with pieces brought 'home' from around the world - even from Melbourne. This exhibition was held across a number of sites and in the two days I had I could not get to them all. Much as I enjoyed it there was only so much I could appreciate. I find with art that I get full and can't take in anymore. YEt this does not happen with nature. This summer is glorious, after a wet, wet winter and a cool, wet spring, the summer is mild enough for glorious greens and radiant flowers.

Everywhere looks lush. The farming areas particularly look so fruitful. I wonder if the farming community has the same sense of bouyancy the Qld farmers out west get after a good wet season. In the next few days we are home for reflection so I hope to have time to catch on on this blog.

St John Lateran

Yesterday we went to St John Lateran, the mother of all churches - and my favourite of the Papal churches. I like its space, light, quiet and the fact that the Baroque and Rococco were never allowed to completely take over inside the Church. Down both sides of the nave are large statues of the Apostles which seem to compliment each other. The Lateran is also 'the' parish church of Rome, famous for its baptistry. Below is the building, the site of which dates back to the 4 century. In the early church baptism in Rome was by partial immersion. The catechumens would process out to this building during the Easter Vigil.

Then in a large round pool, that the outer section in this picture is built on, they would kneel and have the water poured over them, have their clothes change to white and process back into the Vigil. AS the centuries went on the ceremony was truncated and the large font was used. Nowaday the little stand in front holds a dish the size of a saucer and water is sprinkled on the child. How sad that is such an ancient building resplendent with all the symbolism of baptism and with such a font the cermony could not have been done in a more proper manner. I don't know why it is not. YEsterday was obviously the Baptism Saturday of Rome. The building was awash with full of families for baptisms.

And it true Italian style they did it beautifully. Below is proud Nonna, daughter and her three children. There must have been a series of ceremonies that morning. Three of the others watched some baptisms in the central space, while in a side chapel at least 5 baptisms took place during Mass. This family were thrilled to have us oh and ah over the baby and children.

After the baptistry we went into the cloister of St John Lateran, one of the rare medieveal buildings in Rome. Roman buldings are like a series of layers and as a new layer was built the architects and builders had no qualms about taking material and artifacts from earlier buldings. Rome was not wealthy during the medieval period, at least not like during the Rennaisance and beyond. Few significant buildings went up and later builders would often destroy some of those for the current project. But these glorious cloisters survived. The central well is 9th century. Iamgine the calm in this place.

The work of the cloister was that of a father and son. Some of us spent over 2 hours here and we could have spent even more and had more to see. Each of the pillars is beautifully carved. There is variety in the style of columns, the mosaics are of red, green and gold primarily, the patterning called Cosmati work. Above this is the guttering with monster mouths for the spouts.

The glory is not only in the detail but also in the calm and quiet of this area. Each of the pillars seem to have a different pattern.

Below is a poor box. Note the extraordinary clasp - they obviousy had thieves on the poor boxes even in those days.

Today we are having a reflection day. Being the Feast of the Body and Blood it was most welcome and for the next two days we have lectures. Given how many churches we saw in the last few days I think all are ready for a few days at home.

Oh, oh Umbria yet again

Snow, yes, we saw snow on the way through Umbria!! The first to see it was Marie, a Good Sam sister from Kiribati, the second was me. The Americans, of course, pooh, poohed us saying that snow on the mountain tops 70 kms away doesn't count but I think it does because it make the air cold.
Yesterday we went to Norcia the birthplace of Sts Benedict and his sister Scholastica. It is such a gloriously beautiful area. All the way up, the Flanders poppies and the broom delighted up and then in the valley around Norcia the flowering rape seed made a beautiful show. A Statue of St Benedict dominates the town square. Benedict is certainly owned as the favourite son of the town.

Here some of our group are waiting below the statue for the church to open.

The most famous industry is turning pig and boar into every imaginable form of salami and cured meats. The boars heads decorating the shops are the stuff of legend.

Before we got to Norcia we visited the ancient abbey of San Eutizio which is gradually being restored. I find the details of this building wonderful. Even a windowsill is a work of art giving the eye much to delight in and the mind much to ponder with the way imagery is used.

THis church window below uses the iconography of the four evangelists so well.

The purpose of our visit here was to visit the place where Benedict and Scholastica were born. This picture below is from the inside lid of the voting box used by the town council in the 15th or 16th century. I have often studied this picture in its details and it shows a depth of emotion in the faces and hands. Anyone who would like better version just let me know and I'll send you the file.

We prayed at the crypt below the church in Norcia. The atmosphere here is wonderful.

Later we went to the church of St Scholastica, an exceedingly run down church out at the cementery. Here in what was the old sacristy is the a most beautiful statue of St Scholastica. I think all of us thought this the bes statue of her we have seen. The face and hands are so life like I almost expected her to speak.

Everything yesterday we went well and we even left Norcia on time. But on the way home we had to do a detour. There had been a truck accident further down the highway and all high trucks and buses had to go back and come in through Terni, an industrial town. Never, ever do Terni in peak hour. It took us over half an hour to go about 300m. We eventually got home 2 hours late - at 8.30. It was the bus driver we felt sorry for as we had started out at 6.00 am. I think he thought he was getting home early. The free and frank conversation he had with the police advising him to turn around made me think that he was thought he was getting home early enough for the soccer on TV. But we like Georgio. We had him for two of our trips last year and we so impressed we made a fuss about how good he was with the bus company. So we were pleased to see him again and hope he takes us to Subiaco next week.

2nd June 2010

The weather continues cool here. It is already the second day of summer and I am in a heavy cardigan - not one I bought with me but loant by the Tutzing sisters. How it was made is a sweet story. Sr Matilda's mother developed Alzheimers but still remembered how to knit. In fact she was happy while knitting. She used only one pattern and as she got older (she had Alzheimers for 10 years) the pattern got smaller and smaller. At first they supplied her with wool for the Tutzing Sisters so her black, white or cream cardigans can be seen around the world. Then the family supplied her with coloured wool and gave the cardigans away to needy people. During the Bosnian war she was even supplying the needy there even though she probably didn't even know if there was a war on. Even I am happy in her handiwork.
Last Sunday Abbot Michael Kelly from Arcadia in Sydney celebrated Eucharist with us and then came with us to the Basilica of Mary Major, one of the Papal churches. Begun in the late 4th century it has exceptional frescoes from early times and exceptional examples of most art work since. Ah our plans were altered by the serendipity that is at work on our program this year. Instead of being engrossed in ancient art, we experienced the modern spirituality of an expat community. Every 10 years the Philippino communites of Rome come together on the Feast of the Trinity and have a parade through the streets of Rome followoing a Filipino Madonna and Child. Each community is led by an arch of flowers and magnificently dressed members of their community.

Here you see a procession of young girls coming into the Basilica The little girls below obviously enjoyed the attention.

Look at the confident pose of the little girl on the right.

By the time all were in we could hardly get to see the usual art works but the festival experience and prayer more than compensated for that.

After St Mary's we went to the Chruch of St Prassede an early woman saint. There an ex zabbot general of the Vallombrosian Benedictines came us a talk on the Church while Michael translated. this Chruch has some of the best and earliest mosaics in Rome. The golden glow in the picture below is the reflection off the gold work in the mosaic.

Tomorrow we go to Norcia, in glorious Umbria. The only snag is that the high is to be 11C!!

Finally from Rome

Rome is beautifully green after one of the coolest Mays in memory. Too cool for my liking but perfect for the course. We have been out and about through a week in which I did most of my lecturing. The classes went well - I added two new ones, one on Art in Rome - a topic I found useful as there is so much diverse art works around that it is good to have an idea of what happened when and what was the symbolism at work. The second new class was on the monastic idea that sin comes from what we habitually allow ourselves to think and what are the common 'thoughts' that can undermine the life of grace. That too was good work to do.

For myself I think I am finally getting used to Rome and starting to really enjoy its style. The above picture is what I like. Small alcove settings that give privacy and peace in the midst of the city. Finally I think that tomorrow night I will throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain!

The sisters on the program are a really lovely group of people. They come from all over the world, the US, Japan, Uganda, India, Kiribati and a variety of backgrounds, from dean of a university to a teacher in a village in Uganda, from hospice chaplians to youth worker attached to the courts. And all a very enthusiastic.

We went to the Papal Mass for Pentecost and even though we got there early with our tickets we were halfway down the church. One of our group is posting pictures on Flickr and is far more accomplished at photography than me so I suggest you follow her postings. She is at

www.flickr.com/photos/edithosb/sets/72157623988268479/

There is only one stained glass window in St Peter's - the holy Spirit at the head of the church. Michelangelo wanted all the other windows clear for the the play of light within. Here you see a number of our group in that play of light.

Amongst the things I have enjoyed this week have been delighful pieces of art work. For the first time ever we got into the crypt of Sts Cosmos and Damian, one of the oldest church buildings in Rome and here we saw this lovely modern crucifix. It looked beautiful in the setting with matching candles sticks.

At San Ambrogio, the marble work beneath a side altar was pointed out as being possibly the most intricate example of this sort of work in Rome. Look closely at the piece below - yes the wings of the bees are made out of pieces of different coloured, interlocking marble.

When we visited St Benedetto in Piniscula, the site believed to be of the St Benedict's family home in Rome, two art works we hadn't seen were up for view. Over the main altar was an old painting that had recently returned from restoration. It had taken years to be returned.

The other piece was a frescoe that had been painted over. It was uncovered, removed from the wall and placed on a firm background and rehung. It was an image of St Benedict I hadn't seen before...and a very pleasant one too.

This coming I should have more time for blogging so look out for posts.

This text will have to go backwards as I can't seem to move the layout of the pictures. This is the view coming into Pireus, the port of Athens in the early morning. The glorious light transformed what looked like a not particularly lovely city. The difference in beauty between the Greek cities and towns is amazing. The area where Geoffrey lives on Lesvos is delightful, while the capital Mylitene is terribly unkempt - rubbish and broken footpaths everywhere. The port of Chios which the ferry stopped at looked delightful and it is not even a tourist area. I can see no rhyme or reason to the care or neglect that people have towards their city. The ferries are enormous. On the left of the photo below are some of the 30 ton semi-trailers that were waithing to be loaded onto our ferry. At least one of the these ferries goes between Lesvos and Athens each evening and in high summer it is totally packed. I was told people will be sleeping on the floor on any free area. I had a cabin which I shared with another woman, who was returning to Athens where she lives. She was particularly stressed about the Greek economic condition and very worried about her future. She was jewelry maker by trade and presently is out of work. He husband is a lorry driver. Her son still at school.

Here is one lorry backing in. Along with the semi-trailers went cars, vans, trucks and even a father pushing in his 3 year old tricycle - trust me all in the same area. While it looked choatic, the ferried berthed, loaded and left the port with the hour. Workplace health and safety seemed non existant but all was efficiently done.

My biggest concern in the actual travelling of this trip was getting from the Port to the railway with my luggage. I thought there would be hassles but it was not to be as a wonderful woman came to my rescue at the port and took me all the way to the train platform for the airport and found out just when the direct train would be. She was lovely, kind, gentle - and is in charge of customs for the isalnd of Chios. She is finding the job difficult, even overwhelming, at present as they are intercepting about four boat loads of refugees each day. This puts the Australian situation into perspective when one realises that Chios in only one of the islands close to Turkey.

Now to the Greek sheep. They are ugly but each has a birth certificate - which they would need as no parent would want to be acccuses of producing an offspring. Each farmer has about 25 to 50 sheep which he milks. In fact the sheep are primarily for the production of cheese. Meat on the island is not good, the wool is thrown away after shearing. Geoffrey reckons that if the CSIRO could produce a merino that was good for milking the economy of Greece would be transformed. But the farmers must be making something as many of them drive Toyota Hilux-es. They go out very early about 5-6 am to milk and some also milk in the evening. Usually the farm gates and milking sheds look as though they were built by Steptoe and Son but that seems to be changing. New concrete built sheds with solar panels can be seen but still nothing ostentatious. This is not a showy society.

Having been there for the week I can see why Geoffrey is happy there. The people are kind and gracious. I found the interaction between the men particularly interesting. In the bank one day I watched the manager, a teller and a customer having an extended conversation. The gestures were so gracious, there was real emotional interaction and concern. But the other aspect I noticed amongst this people was that they were very direct. If they needed to they told you straight but without aggression.

I went to the services in the village church on a couple of afternoons. At the Vigil of Ascension there were about 14 women who exuded approval that I had turned up. After it Geoffrey and I were invited into a home for coffee by one of the women and we got shown all the wedding and grandchildren photos. Geoffrey is not the best translator. He can speak the language well of course but just doesn't realise that he needs to say in English what was said for those who don't.

Finally I now that I am in Rome I get to tell you a little about my time in Greece. Here is Geoffrey, Lord of the Manor, in front of his four roomed half house. It is at the very left hand edge of this village, which is half way up the mountain side looking out over Molyvos (Mithimna) and out to sea.

Below is sunrise in the area -

This is sunset.

None of these pictures does the area justice. The beauty of the area is a continuing source of delight to Geoffrey.

The picture below is going up to the church in Petra, where we went for Sunday Eucharist. Steps, steps and more steps are just part of the way of life. Needless to say I saw no gyms in the area - what would they need them for. What amazed me was how the elderly went up and down these steps with relative ease - the woman on the edge of this photo was not young.

Time is short but I did want to get something posted - next blog will be the sheep of Lesvos each with a birth certificate and the formidable Greek Ferry service.

Greece is different to what is on your TV at present

Dear all,
It has taken some time to get to this blog but be assured rioting violence and economic crisis has had nothing to do with it. If I had travelled a day earlier, I would have been very inconviencied by the strike which closed the airport but as I didn't, I knew nothing of the problems in Athens. Here on Lesvos Athens is a long way away, except for the shame and concern about the violence in the capital. I am safer here than I am at home.
In this part of Lesvos, the mountains met the sea and the scenery is stunning. Geoffrey is living in a small village 5kms away from, and above Molyvos - said to be one of the most picturesque towns in Greece - and I could well believe it. The village has about 180 people living in it and about 100 from the village living in Australia. As I am introduced, I get told of the relatives in Melvorne. There are some vacant houses in the villages, mostly owned by australians to whom they have been left.
Geoffrey has the house on the edge of the village but remember that they are all joined, cheek by jowl. He has four rooms plus a courtyard an storage shed. The views from his place are breathtaking, espcecially the sunset at night. The village is very quiet, except when the travelling shops, on the back of utes come round. This week we have had the clothing shop, the fishmonger (twice) and the household gadgets shop come round. Geoffrey has something to do with the villagers but not a lot - I don't think he wants to get too involved. But he has plenty of friends and contacts down in Molyvos and Petra and of course he knows all the farmers via the produce store where he works for about 15 hours a week.
Living in the village one gets a completey different view of the Greek economic crisis. I can imagine that about 30 years ago this could have been a poor place, with the chief sources on income being fish, sheep's cheese and olives - the olive oil of Lesvos is regarded as the best world wide. But since the tourist industry took off, I sense that the local population has moved into a quiet economic compfort. From what I have seen of the inside of the small houses, they are very comfortable. All seem to have two sources of income. Stefanos who I met yesterday is a public servant who also has 30 sheep which he milks daily. Other farmers who have more sheep, would also have olive trees. Some would have family who work part of the year in the tourist industry. It is very much a lifestyle. As for the economic crisis - here there is high government debt and very little personal debt - the opposite of what we have in Australia.
There are a number of expats who like Geoffrey live here for the lifestyle. Working also at the hotel that Geoffrey works at is Walter - a young american who want to use the winter to write - poetry and short stories. His wife (Greek from Athens) is an artist. So there are a number of like minded foreigners.
Yesterday I went to Vespers in the parish church, the vigil before the Vigil of Ascenion, I believe. The local priest celebrated the service at breakneck speed and did, what must have, all the various roles - in our terms - priest, deacon, subdeacon and thurifier. Discounting Geoffrey, I was the congregation. Afterwards at the coffee shop, we were told that the priest had to go down to Molyvos and celebrated that same service in two more churches as there is no priest in Molyvos due to the shortage of priests. I wonder if he had anymore congregation down there. I intend to go to the Vigil this Evening.
Tomorrow I leave the island by ferry and get into Athens early Friday morning. My flight to Rome isn't till late afternoon and I'm glad I allowed so much time in case anything does go wrong in Athens.