Pilgrimage to Assisi

This past week we went to the town of Assisi on our pilgrimage to the historical and religious sites of St. Francis and St. Clare. It took three hours by bus to travel to Assisi. After checking into the hostel staffed by the Franciscan sisters we visited the Basilica of the Angels where the Porziuncula is located within the Basilica. It was an impressive sight seeing the place where St. Francis died and area where his early companions resided during their formative years. We also visited the Cathedral of St. Clare where she is buried. The cross that St. Francis prayed while in Assisi is also located there; he received his vocation to "build God's Church" while praying at this same cross. At that time St. Francis thought that the Lord meant to repair San Damiano's Church, but later realized that God was calling him to rebuild the Church of Italy; God's people. That he set out to do detaching himself from his earthly possessions and living a life of poverty. Later, that evening we celebrated Mass in the Basilica of the Angels. The following day we took a walking tour of the city beginning at the Cathedral where Francis and Clare were baptized. Also walked down to the Basilica of St. Francis where we celebrated Mass in the lower Church.