Day 6 La Verna: Place of Saint Francis

Today I will drive around the snow-covered Poggio della Cesta (1113 metres high) and wait for the bus that will take me to Frassineta at 6.30 am. Why did I take the gloves out of my backpack before I left home? I bravely rub my hands in the freezing cold while the bus is mercilessly delayed.

My first pilgrimage task this morning is to cross a river in Rimbocchi. The heavy rain, then sleet and finally snow showers of the previous night have caused it to swell. There is no sign of the stones on which you are supposed to be able to cross it dry-footed. So there is nothing left to do but take off your shoes, roll up your trousers and balance through the fast-flowing mountain river in temperatures of around five degrees. It works. Extremely cold, but not at all unpleasant.

Peace, solitude and winter temperatures

The next section takes me to Monte Penna. It is said that you gain altitude "quickly" here. I would put it this way: "whoever manages to get up has gained a lot of altitude", because the path is very steep. But of course there is a reward for the effort: a beautiful path leads over a long ridge with beautiful views to the left and right of the surrounding wooded mountains. On this path, too, no houses are to be seen for many hours and no human noises can be heard. The peace and quiet carries me and the exertions of the last hour are blown away. Unfortunately, as has been the case for two days, an ice-cold wind is blowing. In some places there is still some snow from the previous night.

Magical and mystical

Then, somewhat surprisingly, there is an asphalt road. I read that I have to cross it. And after just a few meters I enter a mystical forest. It is the most beautiful passage I experience on this trip.

No matter how hard I try, none of my cell phone photos can capture this forest as beautifully as it really is. Small boulders, then larger ones, are scattered between the beech trees. They are completely covered in moss. You get a sense of how Francis of Assisi found his connection to creation here. If you have the chance, you should take the path through this forest to the monastery. I guarantee you: you will be impressed.

The path between the moss-covered rocks curves through the forest, and I suddenly find myself standing in front of a gigantic rock. The monastery of La Verna sits high up above. I reached my destination in the predicted time, despite many breaks. (So today the hiking guide is lenient, even with the less well-trained pilgrims like me.) Once at the top, I take a quick look over the countryside, then move into the room... and what a surprise: there is a warm radiator here. Finally, a warm room again.

Spiritual place on the rock

Franciscans describe the phenomenon of "La Verna" as "a gift from heaven". Once I walked through the complex, I was very impressed: the wide view over the plain that lies deep beneath the rock. But La Verna offers more than just God's wonderful creation. The works of human hand are also impressive: the basilica with the glazed terracotta panels. The 78-meter-long glazed "Corridor of the Stigmata" with several chapels. At the end, the Chapel of the Stigmata and the rock on which the stigmata is said to have taken place. And last but not least, the split rock and the grotto in which Francis often prayed.

My euphoria is only briefly dampened when the humanized contents of a large excursion bus float along in front of me. Senior citizens from South Tyrol, so I hear. The group of South Tyroleans quickly disperses and as the time passes (which can also be seen on the sundial on the church wall), the day visitors suddenly disappear. Those who spend the night here are pilgrims. The other guests, one gets the impression, are looking for peace and contemplation in the monastery.

If you want to learn more about La Verna and Francis, you might find what you are looking for here:

https://franziskaner.net/la-verna/