Tuesday 28th October
Today we began with Mass at the Basilica of St Clare, in the chapel of St Agnes (t0 the left of the main altar):
The chapel is the final resting place of Agnes (the blood sister of Clare, who also joined the community), her mother, and the early followers of Clare:
We reflected on how important the lives and witness of these “Poor Ladies” were in the whole Franciscan movement. They had a very different life to Francis and the brothers, dedicated to prayer and stability, but still living in poverty and simplicity. Clare’s bravery and resolute faith saved the city of Assisi from Saracen attack, and despite being physically separated from the friars, she possessed a deep connection with the Holy Spirit’s working in their lives – even witnessing a ‘transmission’ of Mass on Christmas Eve in 1252 on the wall of her cell when she was sick (which is why Clare is the patron of TV!). We were reminded of the wonderful women throughout the world who share in Clare’s way of life – she was indeed the first woman in the Church to write an officially approved Rule.
To conclude our Mass we sang the hymn that is wrongly attributed to St Francis, but still very much echoes his spirituality. It is a hymn which dates from the time of the First World War, teaching that peace begins with each one of us:
The rest of the day was free for us all to wander around and enjoy Assisi. Some of us walked up to the caves where Francis and his followers often retreated – the Eremo della Carceri.
It was said that Francis and his companions Leone and Juniper here lay on the ground contemplating the stars, which would then feature in the Canticle of the Sun. The area is surrounded by ancient holm-oaks and the legend is that this is where Francis famously preached to the birds (although that is usually attributed elsewhere).
To go back to our itinerary click here