We rode a bus to Assisi for a day trip. It looked like a town out of a story book with rock sited buildings, balconies, stone streets, pretty pink and purple flowers in window boxes. Our tour in Basilica of San Francesco was cut short because it was a Sunday so no one was allowed to speak in the church, including our Art History professor. After that we walked around the town looking in shops and getting appetizers and deserts. It was a beautiful day.
The next day we went to Siena. We started off at St. Dominic Basilica where we learned about St. Catherine. St. Catherine was an interesting woman. She was born during the plague in Sienna, one of 23 children. When she was only 7 years old she had a vision of Jesus on the throne and she took a vow of perpetual virginity as a teenager and gave her self over to prayer and meditation. Catherine cut off her hair, scalded herself, and became a nun despite her parents push to marry her off. She refused to eat, drink, or take care of her body as a statement that she did not care about worldly things but only spirituality. Throughout her life she received the stigmata, had prophetic visions, and preformed miracles. She wrote letters of spiritual instruction, encouragement to her followers and public affairs. She died in Rome but her head and one of her thumbs are on display in Sienna. We weren’t allowed to take pictures, but it is the real deal. Kinda creepy to me but it is a relic to some.
We also went in the Duomo of Siena and saw all of the frescos. While I was waiting outside a bird pooped on my head and back so that was a good time… Luckily my friend Isa had baby wipes and saved my life. The rest of the day we walked around and saw beautiful Siena.
MARLEY KATHERINE 