Assisi

Studies this week have focused on Hildegard of Bingen, as well as Francis and Clare of Assisi. Complementing the reading and lectures, a field trip today takes us to Assisi. In preparation, I read up on these people. Reading on St. Clare was interesting, because in my Dante studies at UTD, I focused on his thoughts on St. Clare.

With the new pope focused on St. Francis, I was interested to read the great man’s life in St. Bonaventure's Life of Francis.  The “Saint Francis cycle” in the Upper Church of San Francesco at Assisi, on the schedule for the day, tells in visual art the legend of Saint Francis, as recorded by Bonaventura. The cycle of 28 frescoes was painted between AD 1297 and 1300, at the same time as Giotto's Florentine master, Cimabue, painted the walls of the transept. Many attribute to the St. Francis cycle to Giotto himself. He was the best-known naturalistic painter of his period. I saw Giotto’s cycles on the life of Christ in Padua, Italy, back in December, so I’m thrilled to see the St. Francis paintings often attributed to him, as well.

Tonight we're scheduled to see a play, "The Harrowing of Hell." Doesn't that sound fun?

On the schedule for tomorrow: A visit to Orvieto's Chapel of the Corporeal within the Duomo; St. Benedict; and the Liturgy of the hours. We will keep "the hours" together at 7 PM, 10 PM, 1 AM, 4 AM and 7:30 AM. Then we get to nap and rest for the rest of the day on Sunday.