Up the Mountain

Monastery bell tower

In the dark of the night we trundled our bags to the bus parking lot and then trod back to the hotel for breakfast. Then back to the lot to board the bus. We must leave by 7:15 in order to arrive at Subiaco and then to the mountain to make our visits before the places close at 12:30. 

Many of the sights we wish to see close from 12:30 or 1 until 4 or 5 and then reopen for a couple of hours. Except for commercial sights that makes viewing the places of history a morning endeavor.

The three hour trip to Subiaco was a lovely drive. The morning was crisp and clear with a bright blue sky. The trees are just beginning to show a little color other than green. The light is different here since it is so much farther south, although the days do not seem appreciably longer. 

View of a part of  St. Scholastica's Monastery

Subiaco is where Benedict went after despairing over the evil life lived in Rome. The Monastery of St. Scholastica, named for his sister, is the only one still standing and still functioning as a monastery. Benedict had established several which have since fallen into ruins. The abbot warned us that the monks are not always friendly since there are so many tourists with which to deal. One of the volunteers served as our guide and showed us the newer and older cloisters and then led us to the church which is lovely, clean, and well used. There was to be a wedding, probably today, and the church was set up for that. Saturday is the big Italian wedding day.

St. Scholastica in the cloister

There is a modern statue of St. Scholastica in the more ancient cloister and some lovely flowers. There are frescos on the walls and ceilings. Pictures were not supposed to be taken but some were nevertheless.

Following our visit to the church some of us walked to the library where some very ancient texts are kept. I only explored the first floor which had some illuminated manuscripts on display.

The sanctuary and choir of the abbey church

Back to the bus to continue up the hill to the Monastery of Saint Benedict. Within it is the cave where Benedict lived for several years before founding the monasteries. The church is on several levels. There are spectacular views of the 
surrounding mountains and the various gardens. All of the spaces are quite small and decorated with fascinating frescos. Included amongst them is the oldest known depiction of St. Francis on the wall of a tiny chapel.

There was the obligatory stop at the souvenir shop, a step up from the usual trinket vendors.

We had to climb up quite a hill to get to the monastery because the bus was not allowed. Some of the hairpin turns Genaro accomplished were beyond my comprehension. There were two paths to take up the hill, a gradual climb on a small roadway, and stairs (a lot of them). The 
gradual climb is billed as easier but longer. The stairs as harder but shorter. Now we descended which might seem easier but often descending a steep hill requires more effort. Also, one can see where one might end up if one started to roll down the hill!

View from St. Benedict's

Lunch had been arranged back at the restaurant of the Monastery of St. Scholastica. It was interesting. For a fixed price we would have bread, water, wine, a first course (in Italy usually pasta), and vegetables (sometimes served as another course by itself). The bread was there as was the water and wine which they freely refilled as needed. The pasta course was rigatoni with meat sauce and some specks which were supposed to be broccoli. The vegetable course was a plate of fried potatoes. There you have it!

Boarding the bus we set out for Rome, arriving at 4 PM. We needed to leave the hotel at 4:45 to go to the Vatican where we would celebrate Mass. I collected by bags and went to my cozy room, regrouped and descended to the lobby. As we were gathering one of the ladies said to Flavio, our tour manager, that she had stayed in room 203 the last time we were in Rome and it had bed bugs. My room this time around is 203. Joy!

Our Mass was in Holy Spirit Church which, in my opinion, is extremely ugly. It is Baroque with a multitude of frescos done in the worse taste possible. Those walls not painted are garish marble. The high altar had a huge portrait of John Paul II propped before it. There was another equally large portrait at one of the side altars, and yet a third on the facade of the church. On the other side there was a huge picture of the “Divine Mercy” image. All the time we were there people came, lit candles, dropped money in the candle offering boxes, said their prayers and left. It was a three ring circus. 

Following Mass four of us left to find our own dinner having had enough of the food at the usual place. After returning to the hotel, two friends helped strip my bed and look for bed bugs of which we found no evidence. Let’s hope the next three nights are bug free!

The Colorado/South Dakota contingent on the Monastery Mount