March 12, 2018  Assisi and Clare's 8th Birthday!

We relaxed on the 11th, and caught a train to Assisi on the 12th.  Finally, a day out of the city!  We saw beautiful countryside, mountains, green fields, orchards, and vineyards.  The train was fast and quite comfortable.  It rained on us most of the day, but we figured it kept the crowds away.  The town was pretty quiet.

In late Roman times, Assisi, like all of Italy, was converted to Christianity.  Its heyday came around 1200.  The town sat on the busy trade route between the city of Rome and northern Europe.  Medieval Assisi grew rich.  This was the world St. Francis was born into - and rebelled against.

Our first train ride to Assisi!

Beautiful countryside.

The train platform in Assisi.

Gloomy weather all day :(

Assisi is a well-preserved Roman town.

Except for the electrical wires and a car peeking out, you could mistake the year for 1200.

Assisi

This is one of the old Roman walls that contains and old Roman aqueduct.  Built 2000 years ago, the aqueduct still brings water from a mountain spring into the city.  Locals come here for the best tasting water in town.  Rick Steves said, "Push the brass tap for a taste."  So we did!  (no one got sick)

Clare tasting.

Paul tasting.

We started in Assisi Cathedral where St. Francis was baptized in 1182 and St. Clare in 1193.  The main patron of the city is not St. Francis, but San Rufino.  St. Rufino was the town's first bishop and in the 3rd century, he converted the pagan Roman city of Assisi to Christianity.  After he was martyred, he was buried here.

Assisi Cathedral.  It was here that St. Clare heard St. Francis preaching in 1209 and realized her calling to begin a monastic religious order for women.

Baptismal font where Sts. Francis and Clare were baptized.

Popes Benedict and Francis have visited the font.

Another picture of the font.

The crypt of St. Rufino

We couldn't go downstairs to see where St. Francis prayed.  I had to take a picture of a poster.

View of the sanctuary.

After the cathedral, we walked over to the Basilica of St. Clare (Santa Chiara, in Italian) that began construction in 1257 after her death.  It was built to house her remains after her death.

Front of the Basilica of St. Clare.  Not sure why I didn't get a better one.

Inside the Basilica of St. Clare's

A statue of St. Clare over the crypt that holds her remains.

A selfie of Clare with St. Clare on her 8th birthday.

In art, Clare is often shown holding a monstrance in commemoration of the occasion when she warded away the soldiers of Frederick II at the gates of her convent by displaying the Blessed Sacrament and kneeling in prayer.

They had a large amount of her personal belongings like clothing, hair, etc. 

St. Clare's relics.

The Basilica houses the Crucifix of San Damiano.  See description below.

After St. Clare's, we walked across town to the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.  Wow!  It's huge!  It was begun in 1228, the day after his canonization, to house his remains.  There is an upper church, lower church and a crypt below where the remain of St. Francis lay.

Approaching the Basilica of St Francis

The crypt where the remains of St. Francis lay.

Close up of St. Francis' tomb.

The windows here are treasures from the 13th and 14th centuries.  These are among the oldest and most precious in all of Italy.

These are the shoes of St. Francis.  After he received the stigmata, he began to wear shoes.

Nave of the Upper Basilica.

View from the courtyard of the basilica.

Leaving the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi.

I found the day deeply moving and could have spent a week exploring more fully the treasures of Assisi.  A beautiful place!  I can see why St. Francis and St. Clare loved it.

Walking back to the bus station.

Love the buildings.

Silliness while waiting for the bus.   https://youtu.be/kNi2iP5iFIY

Kids entertaining themselves while waiting for the train.  https://youtu.be/KzhW7xlvaxY