Siena and Assisi

This morning we were all able to catch up on some sleep riding on the bus to Siena. We arrived there ahead of schedule so there was free time to wander around the picturesque Piazza del Campo. It's unique in that it is fan or shell shaped and slopped as an amphitheatre.

We learned here that there are 14 neighborhoods in Siena and that the colors of Siena are black and while. Each neighborhood is named for an animal and each sponsors a horse in a very dangerous race, the famous Palio, a 90-second bareback horserace that occurs twice a year. The story reminded me of the "neighborly competition" among the Mummers clubs in Philadelphia.

Next we walked to the Duomo in Sienna. The outside was breathtaking. Still, as with most cathedrals and basilicas, the interior was even more spectacular, with floor mosaics, paintings, and an incredible dome.



Mrs. Campbell was especially interested in singing in the Cathedral, and so we did.


Afterwards, we visited a remarkable side chapel where the old illuminations of Gregorian Chants were on display. Not only was the room itself magnificent, but the choir books were so impressive and especially meaningful to a group such as ours.

It always feels a little spooky to be in so grand a Church. Standing under its lofty domes made me fell so small and insignificant, yet so fortunate and blessed at the same time. Italian artists and architects really do their best to reveal what heavenly paradise must be like. Despite the beauty of the Italian country side, and it is BEAUTIFUL, the image intended is that ours is a plain and mundane existence compared to what awaits us in life with God.

After a quick break for lunch, we continued on to Assisi, the town that many on the trip claim to be their favorite place in Italy. The instant we could see the city from our bus, I understood why. Though the skys continued to threaten and an occasional sprinkle did arrive, we continued to benefit from exceptionally good weather.


The town was wrapped around a tall mountain with the Basilica of Saint Francis dominating the view. We got to our beautiful hotel, where we quickly grabbed our performance attire and left to visit the Basilica before our second concert.

A long stroll through the town, with stops to admire the view from the mountain brought us to the Bascilica of St. Clare - "the little plant of St. Francis," as she like to call herself. Unfortunately, we could only stop for a moment to venerate the remains of Clare and to see the famous Crucifix of San Damiano, which is said to have inspired the conversion of St. Francis in 1205.



It was a surprisingly long, but downhill walk to the Basilica of St. Francis and the church’s entrance. There, our guide Stefano told us about the frescos by Giotto, which tell the life of St. Francis - another Art History favorite. Not only are the originals remarkable, but that they had been destroyed by earthquake in 2001 and completely restored again was almost too much to comprehend.

There are no words to describe how it felt to enter this sacred space. It was a strange sort of peace I experienced with roommate Lisa, as we walked through the nave of the church down to the lower Basilica. We spent some time admiring the mosaics before descending another staircase to the tomb of Saint Francis. Knowing that I was standing so close to Saint Francis was overwhelming - a genuine blessing on this trip, the culmination of our Franciscan pilgrmage. Too soon it was time to get into our "concert garb" and head for rehearsal.

Our second concert was just as wonderful as the first and yet again this even larger church was almost packed! An adorable, elderly man in the front row stood to applaud after every soloist's presentation. A whole group of women circled me after the concert, trying to thank us for coming and to congratulate me "for such strong, high notes." Yes, CCVA is habit forming, for reasons too numerous to count!

It was an inspiring night that we discussed at length over dinner. The restaurant was large, which allowed for a few songs, a dance, and a solo from Dominic. A very good time was had by all. I was sad to leave Assisi, but excited for even things more spectacular were to come.

PS. It was here that the Campbell family met Italian relatives that they had discovered using the internet and email. What a moment for them all!