Reflections by: Dillon Lim, Gzenn Low
Foligno – Church of St. Francis
After breakfast at the hotel and a lovely morning prayer during our 20 minute bus ride, we arrived at the town of Foligno. Foligno is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Peruvian in east central Umbria. Once in Foligno, we headed straight for the Church of St Francis in Foligno. Following the theme of many other Franciscan churches we’ve encountered on this trip, the church’s exterior was painted with a light pastel pink, and had a simple yet beautifully intricate interior. The highlight of the church is the shrine of St Angela of Foligno, which consisted of a beautiful oil painting of the saint, under which lay her uncorrupted body. Angela of Foligno lived from 1248 to 1309 and was an Italian Franciscan tertiary who became known as a mystic from her extensive writings about her mystical revelations. Due to the respect those writings engendered in the Catholic Church, she became known as “Mistress of Theologians”. Similar to other greats of the Franciscan spirituality, Angela was born into a rich family, and lived an ordinary secular life for most of her life. When she was around 40, she had a vision of St Francis, and realised the emptiness of her worldly way of life. After the death of her mother, husband, and children a few years later, Angela decided to devote her life to God and joined the Third Order of St Francis. In the years that follow, St Angela is said to have received many mystical revelations, and often had visions and physical encounters with our Lord. She compiled many of her encounters and reflections in her books titled Il Libro della Beata Angela da Foligno.
The local friar’s parting words etched deeply into my heart. He said that what we can learn from St Angela is that each and every one of us are called to have a deep, personal, mystical experience with our Lord. Angela lived an ordinary life for 40 years, and served her later years as a secular Franciscan, and yet she had many beautiful and powerful encounters with the Lord. Such experiences are not reserved for consecrated religious only, the Lord wants to encounter each of us, especially on this pilgrimage. All we need is an open heart; and as Fr Derrick comically said, Jesus doesn’t require an open heart surgery! All Jesus requires is an open heart.
Church of Our Lady of Assumption
After mass in Foligno, we headed to Spoleto. There, we visited the Cathedral of Spoleto, which is dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta, and is located at the bottom of the outstanding Duomo Square. Built in Romanesque style in the 12th century over the ancient Church of Santa Maria in Vescovado, the Cathedral presents a majestic façade, and is made up of stone blocks and flanked by an impressive bell tower with a square plan. We first stood below a statue of St. Anthony holding a lily in one hand and a baby in the other. The lily represents purity, and the baby reflects the mystical moment when the baby Jesus appeared to him. Standing beneath him, Fr. Derrick explained his origin and his mission. Apart from the intellectual pursuit, St. Anthony was also dedicated to pastoral work, and thus seen as a theologian and doctor of the church. What was surprising was the fact that he was proclaimed as a Saint faster than St. Francis (which took about 2 years). Pope Gregory proclaimed his Sainthood within slightly less than a year. As the patron saint of lost things, I sought his intercession to find my true identity in Christ.
Next, we came before the gem that is hidden within the walls of this cathedral: The letter of St. Francis to Brother Leone. Today, the Catholic Church is only in possession of two documents hand written by St. Francis himself. Yesterday at the Basilica of St Francis, we saw his blessing to Brother Leo with 33 names of God on its reverse side. It was here in this cathedral that we were able to see the second and final document.
Fr. Derrick described Brother Leone as a neurotic and joked about his anxious behaviour. Listening to the words of St. Francis’ intimate writings to Brother Leone, where St. Francis gave his peace for Brother Leone to just go and do his work, I found myself relating to Brother Leone. In times, I find myself restless, seeking for rest in the wrong places, living in constant worry that things may not go out as planned. I realised perfection is not what I should seek but rather in trust and understanding that the Lord will provide and will see me through any situation. And just like St. Francis’ last four lines of consolation and the beauty of accompaniment, it is the same with our loving Father that meets us where we are. In companionship, in comfort, the Lord accepts us for whoever we are and provides us with what we need.
Sacro Speco di San Francesco in Narni
After a quick lunch of Panini in Spoleto, we headed to Narni. Narni is a place that St. Francis would visit during his travels between Greccio and Assisi. High in the mountains, with a splendid view of the valleys below, we could see why St. Francis chose this place for quiet reflection and prayer. Today, only four Franciscan friars guard this sanctuary, and one was kind enough to show us around. It is said that St. Francis slept in the Sacro Speco during his time here: a gap not much wider than a metre in the face of the rock. He did this until he fell seriously ill, and thus was moved into the house and slept on a small stone bed which is still present on the compound today. It is said that when St. Francis was in serious pain due to his illnesses, he asked the brothers there for some wine. However, as the sanctuary was far from the local town, they were unable to provide him with wine, and only gave him a bucket of water. St. Francis blessed the water with the sign of the cross, and it became excellent wine. There is also another legend where St. Francis wanted music to console him in his physical suffering, and a choir of angels appeared to him to serenade him.
Understanding the different miracles and endless providence, I longed for a faith like St. Francis’ – being in such union with God that He continuously grants whatever he wishes. As we journeyed up to the sanctuary, I was filled with an inexplicable sense of peace. It felt as if the world was whole, matter and spirit, together as one. From the rustling of dried leaves on the ground to the distant birds chirping, I once again fell in love with the greatest artist of all time: God. The very hands that moved the mountains, painted the skies, are the very hands that made me, and more importantly love me.
