Assisi 2020 - IX

This is the Ninth in a series of posts sharing information and perspectives on the lives of Saints Francis and Clare, life in Assisi and seeking to follow Franciscan values in today's world.

Gospel Quote - Matthew 11: 4-6. "Go back and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."

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Umbrian Adventure - For those interested in a vigorous day trek from Assisi, a fine town to visit is Spello. Here's an updated description from past posts.
It's a fairly straight trek of about six miles each way between Assisi and Spello, going along the foothills of Mount Subasio. About two hours at a brisk pace (and two more to return). The section after the village of Viole is quite rural, without many vehicles and with plenty of wildflowers.

And occasional bystanders.

The last section of road before Spello is called, "The Way of the Olive Trees." I'm not sure of the correct Italian spelling. Here's one street sign:

Here's another:

Either way, it's a beautiful place for walking through olive groves.

Before entering the town, I hoped to find Spello's Roman amphitheater, which turned out to be fenced off and showing twenty centuries of wear.

An interesting historical finding is that most of Umbria's amphitheaters were built up from flat ground, rather than taking advantage of natural contours in the land.
Up the hill from the amphitheater is one of Spello's main gates.

Spello goes back to Etruscan times and, like Assisi, is a well preserved town with much to see. Special treasures include paintings of Perugino and Pinturicchio found in local churches. Also, there is the Twelfth Century San Severino Church, which has an interesting interior and history.
A special out-of-the-way find is the small Thirteenth Century Chiesa di Sant'Anna, which on this day was closed off and locked up.

Fortunately, one could still view beyond the latticework.

A fresco dating back to at least the Sixteenth Century, with the Blessed Mother and Child with Saint Anne.

Another section of the fresco, an angel.

Inside Spello's walls there's much to see, do and explore. Here are just a few images. First, part of the carved wooden entry door of the Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore.

Second, the interior of the Chiesa di Sant'Andrea.

Some of the artwork of this church includes a 16th Century Enthroned Madonna and Child with saints by Pinturicchio and some of his followers. (Note the stigmata on Saint Francis' feet and hands.)

And a portion of a 16th Century fresco with Saints Joachim and Anne, by Dono Doni.

A 13th or 14th Century Madonna and Child embedded in the wall.

Probably could do a dozen posts on Spello. However, for now will leave you with a typical Spello store window.

A typical Spello cat with flowers.

And a typical Spello... not sure what it is, but it has a good smile!

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Reflections - Art inspires. Here are some examples from Italy (including public domain photos in the USA) with a few added comments.
The first is the Apparition of The Virgin to Saint Bernard by Filippino Lippi (c 1486), to be found in the Badia Fiorentina in Florence. Capturing a miraculous moment for Bernard of Clairvaux, whose writings often focused on Mary.

Second is Cimabue's depiction of Saint Francis, part of his late Thirteenth Century Madonna Enthroned with Saint Francis, to be found in the lower church of the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi. A humble Francis, with stigmata wounds, in the latter years of his life.

Third is Domenico Bruschi's Death of Saint Francis (c 1886), to be found in the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli by where Francis died. Angels arrive to accompany him to Heaven

Finally is Fra Angelico's The Annunciation (c 1440-1445), to be found in the Church of San Marco in Florence. The first joyful mystery of the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary to share miraculous news.

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Something Franciscan - The specifics of the early history of Francis' Third Order have been debated. Possibly the Third order began in the Italian town of Cannara around 1221, with its first followers being called the Brothers and Sisters of Penance. In the Thirteenth Century the "Penitents" were also referred to as "Tertiaries". Over time the Third Order differentiated between "Seculars" and "Regulars". In 1883 the Third Order Seculars received a new rule, which was superseded by a 1978 revised "Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order", which is followed today. The abbreviated "OFS" title of Secular Franciscans stands for the Latin phrase "Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis". The order consists of Catholic men and women who seek to observe the Gospel of Jesus by following the example of Francis of Assisi.

Pax et bonum.