Assisi - Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Cathedral of San Rufino

We finally arrived at one of my favorite towns in Italy - Assisi! Its most famous for its hometown boy, St. Francis. There are mementos of his days in Assisi everywhere- where he was baptized, a shirt he wore, the hill he prayed on, and a church where a vision changed his life. In 1939, Italy made Francis one if its patron saints, and in 2013 the newly elected Pope took his name. The town survives on tourism and every store is literally bursting with Franciscan stuff, rosaries, and even bobblehead friars. 

When we drove into the city we first decided to stop at the Basilica di Santa Maria deli Angeli (Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels). This is in the modern part of Assisi which is in the flat valley below the hill town. Its easy to just visit this site on your way into Assisi since you can't walk here. 

Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels

This huge basilica marks the spot where Francis lived, worked, and died. It is a big church that is built around the small Porziuncola Chapel. Some of the local monks had give this chapel to Francis with a little land around it. Francis lived here after he founded the Franciscan Order, and this was where he consecrated St. Clare as a Bride of Christ. I wonder what humble Francis would think of this huge church built over his tiny chapel?

Porziuncola Chapel

Inside of the Chapel

Side of the Chapel

The back of the Chapel

Behind the Chapel is the Cappella del Transito (Chapel of the Transito). This was a little hut serving as the infirmary for the sick. On the inside, above the small altar, is the rope of St. Francis. This is where St. Francis died just like he had lived - simply, in a small hut. 

Chappella del Transito

St. Francis died on October 3, 1226

This is a statue of St. Francis that marks the spot where he talked to the doves. To this day white turtle doves continue to nest in this statue. This is the third time I have been here in my life and I have witnessed this every single time...you sometimes even see the doves flying in and out. L just loved these doves and wanted to stand here all day long. Joe took a little video and L thinks that the doves are talking to her. Its cute! 

Here is the video:

These are the thornless rose bushes in the rose garden. Francis was fighting a temptation and once threw himself onto the roses. The thorns immediately dropped off and thornless roses have grown ever since.

thornless rose bushes

This is the Cappella dell Rose (Rose Chapel) which is built over the place where Francis lived. This is the cell where Francis rested and spent the rest of the night in prayer and penance. It was here that St. Francis met St. Anthony of Padua. After Francis died this chapel was enlarged and decorated with frescoes. 

entrance to the Rose Chapel

St. Francis lived behind the wrought iron gate

Driving up the hill to Assisi

getting closer

We had a little trouble trying to find our hotel since no one in Europe gives exact addresses just street names. We checked into our beautiful hotel (I will put up pics later) and started out on foot.  We first went to the Cathedral of San Rufino. While Francis is one of Italy's patron saints, Rufino (the town's first bishop, martyred and buried here in the 3rd century) is Assisi's. 

Cathedral of San Rufino

Looking at the Main Altar - St. Rufino's tomb

St. Francis

St. Clare

In about 1181, a baby boy was baptized in this font. His parents called him Francesco. In 1194, a nobleman baptized his daughter Clare here. Eighteen years later, their paths crossed in this same church, when Clare attended a class and became mesmerized by the teacher - Francis. Traditionally, the children of Assisi are still baptized here. 

Baptismal Font

The children lighting candles

The glass panels in the floor reveal foundations preserved from the 9th century church that once stood here. After the 1997 earthquake, structural inspectors checked the church from ceiling to floor. When they looked under the paving stones, they discovered graves. Then underneath that level, they found Roman foundations and some animal bones (maybe from sacrifice). There might have been a Roman temple here as churches were often built on temple ruins.