pilgrimage

It was the worst of time and the best of time. It was October 13th 2014, and on this day, we would fly from Vancouver, Canada, to Frankfurt en-route for Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci airport), Italy. Some say the 13th is an unlucky number, and the 13th is not a good day. We still remember May 13th 1969. We also know that many office buildings, hotels and even cruise ships do not have the 13th floor. When I checked in online (the night before our departure), we were assigned seats 13A and 13B.

Both of us had learned to travel light especially going on pilgrimage. This was our pilgrimage to Sacro Speco and St. Scholastica’s Abbey (a Benedictine territorial abbey in Subiaco, Italy) founded in the 6th century AD by Saint Benedict of Nursia. The monastery today gives its name to the Subiaco Congregation, a grouping of monasteries worldwide that makes up part of the Order of Saint Benedict. On this Journey, we hoped to have the opportunity to visit the Grotto where Saint Benedict made his first hermitage. After that, we sailed from Rome (Civitavecchia) to The Holy Land.

A friend had driven us to Lougheed train station, from where we took the sky train to the Vancouver International airport (YVR). Our flight was due to depart YVR at 7:00 pm for Frankfurt and then onwards to Rome. After the plane had taxied out onto the runway (having already been delayed for more than two hours), the Captain announced that we had a technical problem. We needed to return to the airport, where we would have to wait for further announcement. It turned out that an electrical component on the plane needed to be replaced (which had to be flown in from Toronto). To cut the story short, we were accommodated for the night in the Sheraton Hotel at YVR and finally left YVR the following day (Oct 14th) at 3:00 pm. We still had our assigned seats 13A & 13B!

Queue at YVR for our flight

Upon our arrival at Fiumicino airport via Frankfurt, we discovered (after waiting and searching around all the carousels) that May’s luggage had not arrived with us. We reported the missing luggage to the Lufthansa’s agent. We provided them with the forwarding address in Civitavecchia (Rome), where we were expected to be on October 18th (after we visited Subiaco). To amuse her, I said that it was meant to be a test for her —that for the next few days she would have to live the life of a Benedictine nun.

“Everything will be alright.”

Naturally, our schedules had all been upset. We were due to arrive in Subiaco at 3:00 pm but did not make it until 8:00 pm. By then, it was pitch dark. We had not the faintest idea where our lodging (Belvedere B&B) was because its address did not show up on the GPS.

As we circled the country road, we saw a small, dimly lit grocery store by the roadside. I stopped momentarily and tried (with great difficulty) to communicate with the owners. One young couple checking out the fruits at the nearby fruit stand overheard our “conversation”. They understood that we were looking for direction to Belvedere B&B. They tried to draw us a sketch to show us how to get there, but when they realized it was too complicated, they volunteered to drive their car to lead us through the village of Subiaco to our lodging. We were very thankful for the kindness of these strangers.

When we arrived at Belvedere B&B, the owner told us that she had sent her daughter to the Subiaco bus station at 3:00 pm to meet us. Belvedere B&B turned out to be a gem sited spectacularly on the side of a mountain. It has been run continuously by the same family (mother’s side) for five generations.

The grandmother (maternal) cooked delectable homemade pasta for us, paired with toasty local red wine. We then retired for a restful night after a long and stressful trip from Vancouver, Canada. We woke up at the break of dawn to the tranquillity of the countryside environment, which was not unlike what we experienced a year ago in this part of the world. The same tranquillity which we experienced when we were on the Camino France from the tiny idyllic French village of St. Jean Pie de Port to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain.

Early morning view of (the path leading to) our lodging

Belvedere B&B is not recommended for people with mobility problems. The reward for the climb is a spectacular view!

Our bedroom 3rd from the right

There were two monasteries which I had hoped to visit: The Monasteri di S.Benedetto and the Monasteri di S Scolastica . The Monasteri di S.Benedetto (Monastery of St Benedict) is located a few kilometres above the Scolastica abbey. I decided that we should hike up to Monasteri di S.Benedetto and then work our way down the mountain. The owner of Belvedere had also informed us that there was a river (and a waterfall) at the foot of the hill, which flowed into a small lagoon which she thought we might enjoy visiting as well.

St Benedict Monastery

When we arrived at the Monasteri S. Benedetto, we were met by dom Maurizio Viera o.s.b. (Coordinatore visite guidate), who briefed and advised us how to make our way through this magnificent Monastery. This sanctuary is spectacularly attached to the side of the mountain, supported by nine high arcades. It comprises two churches one above the other and several chapels of irregular artistic arrangements with many frescos and paintings.

Climbing a series of steps to St Benedictine Monastery is “spluttered” against the rock like a “swallow’s nest.”

The last few steps

The first sighting of The Monastery as we reached the top of the terrace steps

Approaching the entrance of the Monastery of Saint Benedict

The monastery as seen from the terrace preceding the entry with the passage leading to the Old Capitular Hall.

The lower church

The exit of the lower church

The Rose Garden outside the lower church

A passage leading to the statute of St. benedict

The statue of St. Benedict, who, in a gesture of paternal protection, has his arm outstretched towards the rugged rock of Talèo.

The interior is a maze of small chapels and cells (including one over St. Benedict’s own hermitage) carved into the living rock covered by frescos of various periods, the oldest Byzantine art dating back to the 8th century.

The entrance/Old Capitular Hall

Stairway to the upper church

Pilgrims from Germany preparing for Mass

Another chapel

One of the many chapels inside

THE MAIN ALTAR is a cosmati work. The chapel of the main altar takes form from the original cave of the mountain where it was built. On the right of the altar, there is the TRANSETTO, which shows some exciting frescoes about Benedict’s sister Scholastica.

A view to the entrance of the upper church with the arrival of pilgrims/visitors

One of the most interesting points is the representation of Saint Francis of Assisi — it is the oldest known portrait in existence of the saint, having been drawn before his death. This date back to St. Francis’ retreat to Subiaco (1223–1224): He is depicted without the stigmata and a halo. The fresco has a magnificent simplicity that reveals the humble and serene spirit of the great Saint of Assisi with remarkable vividness.

The fresco of St Francis of Assisi encased

In the lower church is the entrance to the Holy Cave (Sacro Speco). We then entered this Grotto where St. Benedict (we learned) retired to hermetic life for three years with only the help of monk Romanus, who lowered down to him food by a long rope from the edge of the overtopping rock. This is the main point of reference of the shrine.

The Grotto of St Benedict…” Thomas Merton writes: “There is nothing whatsoever of the ghetto spirit in St. Benedict. That is the wonderful thing about the Rule and Benedict himself, the freshness, the freedom, the sanity, the broadness, and the healthiness of the Benedictine life.”

The Rule of St. Benedict answers the question of how we ought to live our life.

This holistic approach calls for: A balance of prayer work and leisure • Stability and commitment lived in the community in which Christ is seen in each person • Stewardship of all created things which come from the hand of God • Hospitality which receives and cares for each person as Christ.

Much has already been written about the Gospel values of the Rule of St. Benedict. These values (listed in bold prints) stand in contrast to the values of our society (which are listed in the brackets).

Seeking God (seeking material things) + The common good (individualism) + Commitment (non-involvement) + Mutual sharing (competition) + Hospitality (rejection) + Care (exploitation) + Peace (violence).

Laghetto Subiaco

We left the Monasteri S. Benedetto and descended to the bottom of the mountain to look for the river and the lagoon mentioned to us by the owner of Belvedere. We spent some time at this serene spot and then made our way up to St. Scholastica’s Abbey (also known as Subiaco Abbey).

St. Scholastica monastery was named after St. Benedict’s sister (herself a monastic). Scholastica was also born in Nursia Umbria (480). She and her brother Benedict were brought up together until he left to pursue studies in Rome.

Benedict lived in Subiaco for about thirty years. He spent three years (as a hermit) in a cave (Sacro Speco) and the rest in a community. During this time, he founded here thirteen monasteries. Today only one monastery remains (Santa Scholastica’s abbey). This monastery of Saint Scholastica’s (“Proto Cenobio Benedettino” ) is the most ancient benedictine monastery in the world. It is arranged around three cloisters. The oldest (12-13th centuries) is in the Cosmatesque style and the most harmonious. The second is in the Gothic style dating to the 14th-15th centuries. The third is from the late 16th century in renaissance style. The abbey church is Gothic with a Roman-style campanile entirely rebuilt in 1771-1776 with a neo-classical style that stands apart from the rest of the abbey’s architecture.

The monastery entrance

The second cloister is in gothic style and dates back to the beginning of the XIV (fourteenth) century. It was built in an irregular shape with a kind of travertine called “cardellino”.

The first abbey is in renaissance style. It was built between the sixteenth and the seventeenth century (1580-1689).

The Romanesque cloister is the oldest one, and it dates back to the XII century. It is a Cosmatan cloister because of the family who built it (a very well known family at that time). We remain thankful for their beautiful works with marble and especially with mosaics.

The Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery follow the Rule of St. Benedict, as do Benedictines throughout the world. Written by St. Benedict in the sixth century, the Rule is a practical and spiritual guide to living a life for God and others according to the teaching of the Gospels.

The beautiful Romanesque Bell Tower is one of the most ancient (oldest) Towers in this part of Italy. Its base was built in the IX (ninth) century, and it was finished in the XI (eleventh) century.

St. Scholastica’s Abbey was twice destroyed by the Saracens (in 828-829 and 876-877). It was later restored and grew in the tenth century thanks to the patronage of several popes, many of whom were, in fact, Benedictine monks. There is a magnificent library which we wished we had the time to visit…

Today the St. Scholastica’s Abbey holds a place in the Subiaco Congregation, a grouping of 64 male Benedictine monasteries on five continents (to which 54 female monasteries also belong) within the larger Benedictine Confederation. Scholastic is the term is commonly known as the philosophy of the Christian Middle Ages in which it developed that school of thought, also known as scholasticism.

A view of St. Scholastica’s Abbey as we departed Subiaco.

Esther de Waal writes: “This man (St. Benedict) gives us a sign, a promise and a challenge as much today as when the Rule was written. Shall we in our generation be able to handle the gift of Benedict’s Rule with respect, reverence and responsibility and share this gift with others?”

The beautiful village of Subiaco. We caught sight of this beautiful village of Subiaco in the early morn the following day.

We say “adios”, but it will always remain in my mind and heart as a place of inspiration & harmony… a Spiritual source … a place to suspend our false ego…

We left Subiaco and made our way to the port of Civitavecchia.

Everything did turn out to be alright for us. May went back to live her non-monastic life. Her “lost suitcase” was waiting for her at Civitavecchia as we arrived from Subiaco to sail for the Holy Land …