While we were still in Umbria, we took a day trip out to Assisi, the home of Saint Francis. Our main motivation was to meet up with Christine’s host family from when she came here as a WWOOFer, working on a farm for little bit while we still lived in Lebanon and she had to leave the country anyway to renew her visa. But she also really just wanted to see Assisi.
I had zero expectations and was quite taken by the beauty of the area. We spent most of our time having a delightful pranzo with the older couple, but not before exploring the Basilica di San Francesco d’Assisi. x
Photography wasn’t allowed inside the Basilica, though I managed to sneak one sinful snap at the threshold of one of the entrances back inside – in any case, I didn’t really mind that at all.
There was an energizing hum to the place, with multiple tour groups milling about with monks speaking into wireless mics so they didn’t have to raise their voices, and an actual mass taking place in one of the many side chapels in the sprawling complex.
We arrived just in time to slip into one as they were preparing the Liturgy of the Table. It was moving to instantly recognize the rhythms despite it all happening in Italian. And when the time came, I walked up and took the Eucharist with the rest of the pilgrims.
Like it was any given Sunday.
In the home of Saint Francis. A mere meters from his tomb.
This was another moment of quiet magic for me. x
The couple we hung out with had permanently left the U.S. in protest when George W. Bush was reelected, so our pasta lunch was peppered with conversations about empire and the various ends of the world. It was actually more fun than I make it sound.
They shared memories of being on the periphery of Christine’s long-distance calls with me; they seemed tickled to finally meet the boy she was constantly texting in between chores on the farm. And even though they’re a couple of old retired hippies, we really had so much in common. If the warmth of their welcome and the generosity of their conversation meant anything, I think it meant that they were rooting for us. x