Assisi retreat

Waiting for the papal audience.  Thankfully it was the first week the it was indoors for the cold weather.

There was a whole section of students from Japan.

I was actually in the third row.

In Rome there are a lot of Cardinals and bishops.

On Monday, 11/14, we went to Assisi for retreat.  It was past tourist season so we almost had the town to ourselves.  This Rocca Maggiore, which is the fortress up the hill.

Being the mountain climber that I am, I had to get to the top of the mountain that Assisi rests on.  This is the view of the Basilica of St. Francis from half way up.

This must be a hotel or retreat center off to the side of Assisi.

It was great fall weather.  Sometimes the valley would be shrouded a mist but mostly we could see for miles.

Beautiful fall colors.

I think this was a white pine because the pine cones stand upright from the branch.

Besides the cows like this one, there were also horses grazing on the top of the mountain.

At this point I was finally getting the tree line, where the altitude is to high for them to grow.

A little grave marker near the top.

This is all in the region of Umbria and the mountain is Subasio.

The mountain range goes on for a while but I got up to the first ridge.

This was a fair sized house or barn up near the top.

I'm pretty sure this is in the Chiesa Nuova.

Franciscan martyrs.

Francis' father thought he was crazy so he even had him locked in this little prison next to his house for a while.

This door leads from the church to the house of Francis' parents.

This little shrine was in the place that served as his father's warehouse.

This door would have led into their house.

These are statues of Francis' parents.  Mom has the chain that she convinced her husband to take off of Francis during that time he thought him to be crazy.

The main town piazza, officially called Piazza del Comune

This is the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.  The next shots are of the interior.

Francis was not handsome.

This was the place that we stayed at.

My room with a view.

The showers were small enough that you turned off the water every time you moved.

The next day I headed down the mountain to this church which houses a place that Francis got his guys together. 

I couldn't get into this church, the Sanctuary of Francecsano di Rivotorto.

These bronze statues of Francis and his followers are all around the area.

St. Clare

A bizarre metal nativity set and Christmas tree.

The Church of St. Clare.

I think this was San Pietro.  I was having problems with my camera's so my system for remembering the church's names was not working at this point.

This is the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Portiuncula.  It is one of those places that doesn't allow people to take pictures inside so you have to come and look at the book I bought that shows the interior.

The Basilica of St. Francis and the front of that complex from down the mountain.  It is very impressive.

These are in the Cathedral of San Rufino

Melchisedek

Amos

Moses

Hosea

Isaiah

This is where Francis and Clare were baptized.

These are taken toward the top of Mt. Subasio.  It is where Francis set up the first nativity scene.

He would go off on his own to pray and relax.  It helped him to get along with everyone better.

An outdoor altar for Mass up there.

A prayer chapel

St. Francis is the person who has lived on as one who calls all people to peace.

Basilica of St. Francis.  He is not doing well on his horse.

Cathedral of San Rufino again.

A close-up of the Baptismal font that Francis and Clare were baptized in.

San Rufino

San Rufino must be in this tub/coffin under the altar

Jeremiah

Elisha

Another bathtub/coffin under an altar.

Outside view of Chiesa Nuova

Rocca Minore

This is how I envision all the Assisi homes.

This is in the Peace Garden