We spent a day in Assisi, learning about the town and Santa Chiara (St Clare) and San Francisco (St Francis) from Rick Steves. (Our guests, J&L, introduced us to Rick’s free audio guides and we all gave him a listen as we wended our way through town.)
Did that really help attendance?
We were surprised to learn that the Franciscan brothers we saw around town are actually lay people who’ve chosen to dedicate themselves to Franciscan principles. (And I was even more surprised to read on Wikipedia that there are lay Franciscan sisters and protestant Franciscans.) However, it wasn’t surprising that there are so many of them. Both St. Francis and St. Clare advocated for compassion and service for the poor and marginalized, simplicity, and reverence for all creation. That’s a message to get behind!
Saint Clare’s basilica was pretty plain on the outside and sadly very plain on the inside – the frescoes had all been whitewashed.
Unfortunately, in St. Francis’s basilica photos weren’t allowed. Take our word for it – the lower basilica, in particular, is absolutely stunning. Even more incredible is that it was built in just two years. So many cathedrals took centuries to build. You should go and see it in person!
Beyond Our French Adventure 