The Our Lady and St Joseph Kingsland
Pilgrimage to
Assisi, Loreto and San Giovanni Rotunda
September 19th – September 27th 2005
Open The Diary!
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - I
Monday September 19th – Day 1
Following Morning Mass, 16 intrepid travellers (of all ages, shapes and sizes), left North London, bound for Gatwick North Terminal, our fellow pilgrims and flight BA2540 for Rome. Initial nervousness quickly wore off and the true meaning of Catholicity soon shone through.
Landing at Rome Fiumicino, some 2 hours after take off, and with baggage reclaimed, seats were quickly bagged on a very luxurious coach – our home for much of the next few days. Traffic through Rome was incredibly light despite being rush hour, and we were soon clear of Rome’s equivalent to the M25 and heading north for Umbria – an area often referred to as the ‘Green Heart of Italy’. Less than 3 hours after leaving the hustle and bustle of Rome, we were in Assisi, where like so many Italian hill towns, our coach was parked outside the city wall and we walked to our hotel – the San Pietro on the Piazza S. Pietro, literally just inside the City wall and ‘down the hill’ from the Basilica of St Francis.
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - II
Day 2
Soon dawned and following breakfast we made our way to the Basilica of St Francis and our first Italian Mass in the chapel of St Katherine in the lower church. Chapels were built here in the 13th Century to accommodate an ever growing number of pilgrims to the shrine. Here, many frescoes one normally associates with Christmas Cards can be seen, including ones by Lorenzetti, Giotto, Martini and Cimabue. The tomb containing the remains of St Francis (1181 - 1226) is to be found in the crypt. During the afternoon, we visited the church which was once the Temple to Minerva, as well as the Chiesa Nouva - which is built over the family home of St Francis - and the Basilica of St Clare. Dinner arrived at the end of what was to be the first of many long and action packed days!
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - III
Day 3
Saw us join locals on the local bus to travel down the hill into the new town of Assisi and the beautiful Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Here we were to see the first of two ‘Holy Houses’ during our pilgrimage, and on this occasion our group was privileged to be able to celebrate Mass within that holy place. After Mass we were free to explore and rest of the church and visit the statue of St Francis complete with live doves nesting at his feet. During the afternoon, we visited the Church of St Damiano where St Clare founded the order of Poor Clares. This was to be a special place for many of us, which was to be followed by another hair raising trip in the taxis to the hermitage where St Francis and his followers spent many hours in prayer.
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - IV
Day 4
Was a full day's trip to Gubbio, which started with Mass in the Franciscan church of St Francis. Unfortunately, the weather was against us today and the rain never very far away - but we persevered like all good pilgrims... clambering up 'steep-ish' slopes into the old town. Dating back to the 3rd Century BC, it vies with Assisi for the title of Umbria's most mediaeval town. Many of the group walked round the 'fountain of the Mad' - named after the tradition that anyone who walks around it three times will go mad (no sign of this just yet - but it may change!). Gubbio is also famous for the May Candle Races, when huge wooden crosses were raced through the town. A number of these huge crosses can still be seen in the cathedral. A few of the more foolhardy amongst us carried on upwards, taking a creaky, shaky two man cable car to the Cathedral of St Ubaldo (no comment - but suffice to say this writer will not be doing that again!). As afternoon drew on, the weather 'sort of' improved and by dinner - although not warm - had become kind once more.
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - V
Day 5 – Feast of St Pio of Pietrelcina
Dawned very early (and warm) and we were soon on the road to Cassia and the Shrine of St Rita, a 14th Century Augustinian who, deeply devoted to the memory of Christ's suffering and death, bore on her forehead for the last fifteen years of her life, the mark of a thorn from our Lord's Passion. (Rita is also widely venerated as the Saint of the Impossible). Again our group was able to celebrate Mass close to the Shrine of St Rita before setting off to Greccio. In 1223, St Francis wished to celebrate the festival we now know as Christmas on a mountain very dear to him. Wishing to make it special - as by now he knew he was coming towards the end of his earthly life - Francis asked locals to help re-create the scene as it may have been on that first Christmas night in Bethlehem and hence the Christmas Crib was born. That night, the Rieti Valley resounded with the sounds of animals, of people, of prayer and of light. Today, we visited the Chapel where St Francis had ‘commemorated’ that first Christmas, and saw the place where he and the first Friars lived. Finally, we visited the new Church (built in 1959) where the beautiful museum of Christmas Cribs from all around the world are displayed. On arrival back at our hotel in the late afternoon, our cases were packed once again, in preperation for an early morning departure to Loreto, which was to be a personal highlight of the Pilgrimage.
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - VI
Day 6 – Feast of Our Lady of Walsingham (Our Lady of Ransom)
We were soon on the road - travelling north east towards Ancona and Loreto. Most of us were residing in the Hotel Delfino Azzurro – many of whose rooms actually over looked the Basilica. After dropping our bags, we walked through the gateway. Most of us were quite unprepared for what came into view: A beautifully proportioned square, with an equally well balanced Basilica appeared as if by gentle magic directly in front of us, built in part by Bramante, Sansovino and Sangallo. Legend has it that in 1294, the House of Mary miraculously uprooted itself from the Holy Land and was brought by angels to a Laurel Grove (Loreto). Each year several million Pilgrims, including many sick pilgrims, visit to seek comfort from Our Lady. This was the first ‘Holy House’ in Europe. Our visit was made even more memorable for us as we were able to celebrate Mass on this special Feast Day, not this time within the Holy House, but in the Pomarancio (Treasury), in the presence of (albeit in a glass cupboard) an ancient statue of Our Lady of Walsingham. After Mass and the Sacrament of the Sick, we lunched and then enjoyed a magical tour of the Basilica, the various chapels and Museums. This writer sneaked off for a while and witnessed Exposition within the lovely Crypt Chapel. In the evening, many of us joined in the candlelit Procession of Our Lady around the square, which ended in the lovely ‘European’ tradition of waving ‘Good night ’ to Our Lady with our candles as She was taken indoors.
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - VII
Day 7
Dawned far too quickly, for sadly, we were on the move again. On the way to San Giovanni Rotunda, we stopped briefly at Lanciano where, in the 8th Century, a Brazilian monk doubted the Real Presence in the Eucharist. During Mass, the host 'changed' into live flesh and the wine into real blood. To this writer, the whole thing felt a little unreal and certainly the church in which the true flesh and blood can be seen today, appeared to lack any real sense of devotion or holiness surely due to such a great miracle. As a result of this, I was not sad to be moving on.
We finally arrived at San Giovanni Rotunda about 4pm after a long drive down the eastern coast of Italy. It became warmer the further south we travelled and again, I for one was unprepared for the hustle and bustle which greeted us as we arrived at the checkpoint to register. Until a few years ago this would have been a relatively small hill town – but now with the checkpoint and many unfinished buildings and roads leading nowhere, it resembled more a middle eastern town, attracting millions each year who come to pray at the tomb of St Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio, a saint much adored by Italians). Again, our hotel, the Gran Paradiso, was brilliantly located next to the huge pedestrian walkway linking the Great Church of Saint Pio and the monastery of Our Lady of Grace where St Pio lived and died. After watching videos on his life and being blessed by relics, we explored the many rooms and chapels, recording the life and work of a saint so close to Italian hearts.
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - VIII
Day 8 – (a miracle actually occurred here but you will have to find us to discover more !!!)
After Mass by the tomb of St Pio many of us made the Way of the Cross on the hill overlooking the monastery. It was hard both physically and spiritually, but each were glad to have done it. On our last afternoon, some visited the nearby shrine of St Michael, whilst others had a quiet afternoon – the town quiet again after the recent celebrations around St Pio’s feast day. After dinner on our final evening, most prayed the rosary at the Tomb of St Pio and last prayers were said.
OL & SJ Pilgrimage 2005 - IX
Day 9
After a very early morning mass in our hotel chapel, we left for the long drive back to Rome - passing close to Mt Subiaco, where, in the 6th Century, St Benedict, weary of Rome, left to become a hermit in a cave above the town. Others joined him and eventually there were at least twelve monasteries in the area. We arrived at Rome's main airport with plenty of time to spare. A good, early evening flight back to London meant that we finally arrived back in Kingsland some eighteen hours after getting up!!
In conclusion – a marvellous time had been had, both physically (all that walking), and spiritually (all those prayers). Thanks to Mary Ashby for her organising us, and the trip. Thanks also to our Parish Priest, Fr Colven, for his spiritual direction, his quiet and dignified celebration of Mass, and his care for each one of us.
If you would like to join us for our next pilgrimage –
then watch this space and we look forward to being with you.
The Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
The City of Gubbia, Umbria - tourist information
The Poor Clares - web site of a convent of sisters in Stroud, Gloucestershire, U.K.
The Basilica of St Francis of Assisi
Assisi On Line - Tourist information
The City of Pietrelcina - official web site of St Pio's home town
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