La Verna

When St. Francis of Assisi wanted to "get away from it all" and find his "uscita," he went to the top of a very high mountain. Today the site has been built up into the town of La Verna.

Where St. Francis lived in a cave.

                          
                                                             
                            Suddenly, staying at an Umbrian farmhouse without heat didn't seem so bad. Oh, we finally did get heat and hot water so it was quite lovely.        

Over the years, a church was built around Francis' cave.
We celebrated mass in one of the chapels.
                                 
Me, outside the church.  
                       
Father Chris Turczany & Msgr. Bob Morrissey in front of the main entrance.    
   
        Father Frank Schneider presided at our mass.              
   
     
This is the view from the top of the mountain in LaVerna. We figured that St. Francis would have had to been in good shape to walk up here. And we were amazed at how people could have built the church and town at the top of such a high mountain in the days when there were no trucks or power tools.        
Some Scenes from La Verna  
     
                                 
                                                                 
                               
                                             
             
 
                   
                                           
 
 
         
Click to see art in LaVerna
   

Relics of Saint Francis

St. Francis' walking stick, belt, drinking glass and one of his robes are displayed. A modern set of paintings of his life are painted on a connecting corridor.
   
 
                                   
       
           
  See more about La Verna.