USF Students :: Come to Italy to Study for a Semester

University of Saint Francis Of Joliet Illinios Study Abroad in Italy

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Here at the University of St. Francis in Joliet Illinois, we have a unique program that allows students to study abroad in Florence, Italy for a semester.

The dates are Febuary 2nd to April 30th 2011

This program offers students an opportunity to experience springtime in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe while obtaining college credits.

We have worked, with the help of the University, to keep prices as low as possible for students participating in the program. As a result, our program is very competitive when compared to programs offered at other universities. The initial cost of this program is actually less than the price of room, board and tuition for a semester at the University of St. Francis. (See the section on money matters).

Please check out the information at the side. Please peruse some of the pictures that students have taken from our previous semesters.

This is a chance of a lifetime; if you are interested, please contact me for further information.

Dr. John Bowers
University Of Saint Francis
Program Coordinator
http://www.blogger.com/jbowers@stfrancis.edu

Can students from other Universities attend this program?

Yes. We encourage students from other Universities to attend our Program. The cost of our Italy Program is very competitively priced.

Add to that we are based in Florence. Florence is arguably the last preserved Renaissance city in the world, in fact is known as the “cradle of the Renaissance” (la culla del Rinascimento) Florence is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and its artistic,historic and cultural heritage and impact in the world remains vast up to this day. The city has also a major European impact in music, architecture, education, cuisine, fashion, philosophy, science and religion. The historic centre of Florence contains numerous elegant piazzas, Renaissance palazzi, academies, parks, gardens, churches, monasteries, museums, art galleries and ateliers. It is also regarded by many as the art capital of Italy. It also has numerous more modern bars, restaurants, clubs and shops.

Do you need to come from a Catholic University to attend?

No. There are some grade considerations; if you are interested, contact me and we can discuss it.

Is this affiliated with the the Association of Franciscan Colleges and Universities?

No, not directly. But we warmly and openly invite students from those Colleges and Universities : Alvernia College; Cardinal Stritch University; Felician College; Franciscan University; Hilbert College; Lourdes College; Madonna University; Marian College; Neumann College; Quincy University; Siena College; Silver Lake College; St. Bonaventure University; St. Francis College; St. Francis University; St. Bonaventure University ; University of St. Francis, Ind; Viterbo University.

La Passeggiata - What is the Italian ritual Passeggiata all about?

As evening falls and the tuscan sun inches out of the your favorite piazza, an evening ritual begins, the Italian tradition of passeggiata, a gentle stroll ( think slow) through the main streets of the old town, usually in the pedestrian zones in the centro storico, the historic center.

Italians tend to dress up for passeggiata, and tourists are usually easy to spot in their shorts and fanny packs. Older folks sit along the route, nursing a beer or a glass of wine in the bar, and watching for things to gossip about; la passeggiata is where new romances are on display as well as new shoes.

Passeggiata is especially popular on Sunday evenings.

For more frequently asked questions click on the link in the side bar.

Survey

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Myths about Studying Abroad

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Misinformation and outright falsehoods keep many students from even considering studying abroad each year. Too many students mistakenly believe that there is no place in their academic plan or major for time abroad or that study abroad is just a luxury that they can neither afford nor benefit from. Au contraire! Below are some of the most common myths students believe about studying abroad and, more importantly, the facts that debunk them.

Myth #1: I have to study in an English-speaking country because I don't know any foreign languages.
This is a common misconception. There are many study abroad programs that require no prior foreign language instruction and will provide you with intensive language classes at the beginning of your stay abroad. Other programs require just one semester of a language before you depart for a given country. It's true that the more language background you have before you leave, the more immersed you can become once you arrive. However, you shouldn't let lack of skills in a language stop you from studying in a particular country. Study abroad programs in English-speaking countries are far more competitive than those in countries where other native languages dominate. This is in part because so many students share the common misconception that their monolingualism restricts their choices to English-speaking countries.

Myth #2: I'll have to extend my studies or won't graduate on time if I take time out to go abroad.
The fact is that you can typically earn college credits while studying abroad, both toward fulfilling general education requirements as well as toward your major. In fact, study abroad can give your language skills such a boost that adding a minor or even a second major in a language may require very few, if any, additional courses after you return to your home campus. In addition to year-long programs, many universities offer semester-long or summer programs. And if it so happens that you must delay graduation for a few months to fit in studying abroad, what you will gain from the experience far outweighs what you think you'd be sacrificing.

Myth #3: I don't have enough money to study abroad.
Studying abroad often costs the same or even less than spending the same time at your home campus. Especially if you study in a country that has a lower cost of living than at home, your day-to-day living expenses may be far lower than those you are accustomed to. In addition, if you qualify for financial aid, you can still receive this aid while studying in an credit-earning study abroad program. Because your personal contribution is assumed to be less while abroad (since it's not expected you will be able to work while out of the country), you may even qualify for more aid for your study abroad year. For the same reason, students who have never qualified for financial aid may do so for the first time when they decide to study abroad.

Myth #4: I can always travel later once I have a job and am earning money. That is just as good.
Easier said than done. Once you are locked into a job and responsibilities, it's very difficult to get away for any length of time. You may have a difficult time getting the time off from work and you probably won't be able to afford unpaid vacation time because you will have locked yourself into long-term financial responsibilities: a car, rent payments or a mortgage, credit cards, and family responsibilities, for example. In addition, traveling as a tourist is a much different experience than living as an integrated part of a foreign culture. The two experiences are incomparably different. As a tourist, you will typically be seen as an outsider. When you live in a foreign culture and participate in its day-to-day life, you become an immersed and daily participant in the culture.

Myth #5: Only language majors study abroad.
Study abroad programs are open to students of all majors, and in fact, more social sciences, business, humanities, and arts majors study abroad than foreign language majors. You certainly could add a language major to your studies as a result of your study abroad units, but you will also very likely be able to earn units for other majors as well as to fulfill general education requirements at your university.

Myth #6: Study abroad is not for everyone.
No matter what your major, gender, ethnic background, or interests, studying in a foreign country can benefit you personally, academically, and professionally. There are a myriad of programs available around the world. There are sure to be several that suit your needs and interests.

Myth #7: Study abroad is a luxury.
Some students (and their parents) believe that studying abroad is not really studying. Quite the contrary! It's true that the academic setting will probably be different than what you are used to, but that doesn't make it any less valuable. In addition to the formal instruction you receive, numerous learning experiences will happen outside the classroom - experiences you would never get at your home college or university. The entire experience abroad will change your life as well as enhance your resume and employment potential. In fact, international experience is increasingly important for those seeking a job in an global economy that relies on good relations and the ability to communicate with diverse peoples around the world.

If you talk to anybody who has ever studied abroad, they will likely tell you that any worries or concerns they had before they departed melted away once they arrived in their host country. They will confirm to you that their experience was well worth any extra expense or time it may have taken and that the benefits they have experienced as a result are more numerous and lasting than they ever could have imagined.

Pictures from Spring 2007

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These are some of the photographs taken by students last year. As more come in we will post them.

1.

An excellent student photograph. The Franciscan monastery of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228. Simone di Pucciarello donated the land for the church, a hill at the west side of Assisi, known as "Hill of Hell" (it. Collo d'Inferno - here the criminals were put to death). Today, this hill is aptly called "Hill of Paradise".

The foundation stone was laid by Pope Gregory IX on 17 July 1228, although construction may already have been begun. This impressive church was designed and supervised by brother Elia Bombardone, one of the first followers of St. Francis and the former provincial minister of Syria. The lower basilica was finished in 1230. On Pentecost 25 May 1230 the uncorrupted body of St. Francis was brought in a solemn procession to the lower basilica from its temporary burial place in the church of St. George (now the basilica of St. Clare). The construction of the upper basilica was begun after 1239. Construction was completed in 1253. Its architecture is a synthesis of Romanesque and French Gothic artwork, establishing many of the typical characteristics of Italian Gothic architecture.

“I didn't ask for it to be over, but then again, I never asked for it to begin. For that's the way it is with life, as some of the most beautiful days come completely by chance. But even the most beautiful days eventually have their sunsets."

Saint Nicholas (Greek: Άγιος Νικόλαος , Agios Nikolaos, "victory of the people") is the common name for Nicholas of Myra, a Christian saint and Bishop of Myra in Lycia of Anatolia (modern-day Antalya province, Turkey, though at the time it was a Greek-speaking Roman Province). Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercessions, he is also known as Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, and is now commonly identified with Santa Claus. This picture, taken by one of our students, is a tribute to his importance to Christianity.

3.

A USF student taking a picture of the Duomo. ( The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church (Duomo) of Florence, Italy. The basilica is notable for its dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi).

7.

This picture is from St. Peter's Basilica, located at the Vatican City in Rome. It occupies a "unique position" as one of the holiest sites and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom". In Catholic tradition, it is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and was the first Bishop of Antioch, and later first Bishop of Rome and therefore first in the line of the papal succession.

Catholic tradition holds that Saint Peter's tomb is below the altar of the basilica. For this reason, many Popes, starting with the first ones, have been buried there. This picture, taken by one of the students,is a picture of one of the past Popes' Tombs.

A picture taken from Assisi .

This picture is of a USF student, sitting outside the classroom. It was after a lecture. He decided to do what? Email friends in the US? Fill in notes from the lecture? Write in his journal?. We don't know.
Not all students bring laptops, and it is not required.
Someone snapped this picture of him in this personal moment, and something unexplainable about it, speaks to, and about our Italy Program.

17.

This picture was taken by one of the students in the courtyard of Santa Croce in Florence.

Frequently asked Questions

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Why should I study abroad?

Everyone will give different answers to this question. St. Francis students who have studied abroad enthusiastically agree about its advantages. They find class work in a foreign country stimulating and their encounters outside the classroom educational and exciting. They come back with a broader, deeper understanding both of another country and of their own cultural background. Entering St. Francis students should start planning early to enjoy this unique opportunity.

Can I afford to study abroad?

Yes, you can! Generally, all financial aid awards, including loans, grants, and scholarships, are applicable to SIUE approved study abroad programs. Financial aid packages are reevaluated to consider the cost of a specific program, and aid packages may be adjusted (up to the maximum eligibility amount) according to the modified cost of the study abroad program. Students may also be able to receive additional loans (available under the Stafford Student Loan program through private lenders -- banks, savings and loan associations, or credit unions) to help finance their study abroad.

In comparison, how much more does this study abroad program cost than the regular cost of tuition at the University of St. Francis?

The University has worked to keep the cost down and make it more accessible to all of our students.

Consequently, the study abroad program to Italy costs less than a semester with room and board at the University of St. Francis.

Are Scholarships Available?

There are a limited number of scholarships. Contact Mary Shaw in Financial Aid, Tower Hall in 320. Phone 815.740.3396

Are there scholarships that cannot be used towards the study abroad program?

You cannot, at this time, use scholarships awarded by the University, for example, athletic scholarships, academic, scholarships, or other financial aid directly granted by the university.

I'm not a University of St. Francis student; can I participate?

Yes, please contact Dr. Bowers (815.740.3853 // Bowersb4@sbcglobal.net).

What University requirements will these classes meet?

Depending on what classes a student chooses, the student can meet a variety of general education requirements. For more information contact Dr. Bowers.

Can I study abroad if I haven’t declared my major yet?

Yes.

Will I graduate on time if I study abroad?

Many students can graduate on schedule if they work with their adviser and take their general education requirements on the Study Abroad Program..

What are the living arrangements?

Students share apartments in the city of Florence as arranged by the program.

Do I need to know a foreign language to study abroad?

No, but all students in the Italian Study Abroad Program are required to take the conversational Italian course while there, so they can be comfortable moving around the Italian countryside.

Am I eligible for Dean's List during the semester I study abroad?

Yes.

Is there time between classes when I can travel?

Yes, classes are from Monday to Thursday, and students have a three day weekend to travel. There is also a Spring Break, a week where students can travel throughout Europe.

What is the policy on drinking?

There is no drinking age law in Italy.

However, we expect students to be responsible and respect the culture of Italy where `drunkenness' or rudeness are not tolerated. Students will be dismissed from the program and sent home if they do not act responsibly.

Is there a minimum GPA for study abroad?

You need to be a student in good academic standing.

Are there students who really should go abroad and are there some who shouldn't?

While some might argue that every student should study abroad, we realize that is not really the case. Some students find it impossible due to their schedules (athletes or students with multiple majors) and other students who have fragile physical or mental situations should consult with their doctors. Also, students on disciplinary and/or academic probation are not allowed to study abroad.

Are there any special requirements/suggestions for students with chronic medical or psychological problems?

Students should consult with their physicians, psychologists and counselors extensively regarding study abroad plans. They should also self disclose to the program administrators about their circumstances. This will allow the program administrators to appropriately assist the students. Students should also continue their prescribed medications while abroad, which may mean bringing a supply sufficient for the duration of their sojourn.

How do I apply?

Contact Dr. John Bowers (815.740.3853 // Bowersb4@sbcglobal.net), or in person.

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locations

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locations

Money Matters

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University of St. Francis CAPA Florence Program Spring 2011

Please read carefully.

The Spring Semester cost for this program is $13,000.

( Note: The current price of room, board and tuition for a semester at the University of St. Francis is $14,600.)

Included:

* Tuition
* University fees
* Shared Apartment Accommodation
* Arrival Reception
* Arrival Orientation
* Arrival Walking Tour
* Excursion to Assisi
* Excursion to Siena & San Gimignano
* Florance Museum Passes to include entrance to all state museums
* World Student Health and Travel Insurance
* Farewell Ceremony
* British Institute Library Membership
* Pre-departure and on site support
* Access to CAPA Center facilities in Florence

Other cost NOT included:

* Airfare
* U.S.A. passport (US Department of State) estimate $97.00
* Books per semester estimate $150.00 - $200.00
*Other expenses per semester including food, personal travel and shopping etc.

Sienna

San Gimignano

Florence.

admission

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admossion

University of St. Francis CAPA Florence Program Spring 2011

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"The Greater Danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.” -Michelangelo

Dates: Feb 2 – April 30th, 2011

What You Will Learn:

Visiting another country, understanding the culture of other people, comparing our own habits and traditions--these are the joys of traveling. Italian life has been described as art, history, culture, food, and wine. But what do Italians really do? What are Tuscan habits? How do Florentine s enjoy their town, free time, and holidays? This total immersion program in a foreign country with a different language and a different culture will provide the students with the initial shock required to really appreciate multiculturalism in the real world as well as a rapid target language absorption and familiarization with the country's history, culture, and gastronomy.

Academic Courses that students may choose from:

* Italian Language
Each unit, which consists of approximately 6-8 hours will help to develop the students’ skills in understanding and speaking everyday Italian in different common situations.

* Area Studies: Contemporary Italian Society
(This course meets a general history requirement at USF.)
This course will provide an introduction to the cultures and civilization of Italy from a chronological and thematic perspective.

* Political and Economic History of Europe in the 20th Century
This course offers a general survey of the 20th Century History of Europe, with a focus on the major political and economic processes and events.

* Renaissance Art History
(This course meets one fine arts requirement at USF.)
This intensive course introduces students to a broad range of painting, sculpture, and architecture in Florence focused around the pivotal period of the Renaissance.

* Cross Cultural Psychology
This course will help students gain a better understanding of the ways in which culture and human psyche interact, and to enhance the ability to recognize and evaluate variations in human behavior across cultures and ethnic groups.This course will help students gain a better understanding of the ways in which culture and human psyche interact, and to enhance the ability to recognize and evaluate variations in human behavior across cultures and ethnic groups.

* Italy and Literary Imagination
(This course meets the introduction to literature requirement at USF.)
The course is a survey of Italian prose, fiction, and poetry from the end of the Middle Ages to the early 1990s. Authors have been chosen in order to provide significant examples of the main trends in Italian literature, from realism to modernism to neo-realism and beyond. The course will also introduce students to the socio-historical context in which the different trends rise and develop. The formal solutions and the themes of the literature will therefore be discussed with special emphasis on the peculiarity of Italian cultural history.(Note: This course will be taught by University of St. Francis instructor: Dr. John Bowers, Professor of English, Ph.D. in English Renaissance Literature.)

* Images of St. Francis in Art and Literature
(This course meets one theology requirement at USF.)
In this course we will search for St Francis of Assisi in as rich a historical context as possible, to know him as he was understood by his companions and near contemporaries. In addition to examination of written texts, we shall devote a significant part of the seminar’s work to a study of early visual images of St Francis. Since the seminar meets in Italy, we can do much of this in museums and churches.
(Note: This course will be taught by University of St. Francis instructor: Dr. John Bowers, Professor of English, Ph.D. in English Renaissance Literature.)

imprtant dates

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important dates

home

2008-08-22T17:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Students,

Why the U.S. Senate thinks study abroad is a good idea

2008-01-31T21:23:00.000-08:00

In recognition of the long-term national benefits of sending American students abroad, the U.S. Senate issued a resolution designating 2006 as the Year of Study Abroad to raise awareness and to help increase the number of U.S. students studying abroad. The resolution itself lists the 13 reasons why broad-based support of study abroad programs is important and necessary on a national level:

1. Ensuring that the citizens of the United States are globally literate is the responsibility of the educational system of the United States.

2. Educating students internationally is an important way to share the values of the United States, to create goodwill for the United States around the world, to work toward a peaceful global society, and to increase international trade.

3. 79% of people in the United States agree that students should have a study abroad experience sometime during college, but only 1% of students from the United States currently study abroad each year.

4. Study abroad programs help people from the United States to be more informed about the world and to develop the cultural awareness necessary to avoid offending individuals from other countries.

5. 87% of students in the United States between the ages of 18 and 24 cannot locate Iraq on a world map, 83% cannot find Afghanistan, 58% cannot find Japan, and 11% cannot even find the United States.

6. Studying abroad exposes students from the United States to valuable global knowledge and cultural understanding and forms an integral part of their education.

7. The security, stability, and economic vitality of the United States in an increasingly complex global age depend largely upon having a globally competent citizenry and the availability of experts specializing in world regions, foreign languages, and international affairs.

8. Federal agencies, educational institutions, and corporations in the United States are suffering from a shortage of professionals with international knowledge and foreign language skills;

9. Institutions of higher education in the United States are struggling to graduate enough students with the language skills and cultural competence necessary to meet the current demands of business, government, and educational institutions.

10. Studying abroad influences subsequent educational experiences, decisions to expand or change academic majors, and decisions to attend graduate school.

11. Some of the core values and skills of higher education are enhanced by participation in study abroad programs.

12. Study abroad programs not only open doors to foreign language learning, but also empower students to better understand themselves and others through a comparison of cultural values and ways of life.

13. Study abroad programs for students from the United States can provide specialized training and practical experiences not available at institutions in the United States.

Officials in the federal government are becoming increasingly cognizant of the dire need for citizens who possess the skills to communicate, negotiate, and do business in diverse regions of the world. This Senate Resolution is one in an increasing number of initiatives to train Americans to cope successfully with the globalization, migration, increasing economic interdependence, communication, and travel that are increasingly bringing cultures into ever closer contact with one another.

Being St. Francis by Valerie Martin

2007-09-23T11:46:00.000-07:00

Scenes from the discomfiting life of Francis of Assisi

by Valerie Martin

A genuine first-hand religious experience ... is bound to be a heterodoxy to its witnesses, the prophet appearing as a mere lonely madman. If his doctrine prove contagious enough to spread to any others, it becomes a definite and labeled heresy. But if it then still prove contagious enough to triumph over persecution, it becomes itself an orthodoxy; and when a religion has become an orthodoxy, its days of in-wardness is over: the spring is dry; the faithful live at second hand exclusively and the stone the prophets in their turn.

-- William James
The Varieties of Religious Experience

Introduction

WHEN Saint Francis -- San Francesco -- lay dying, he asked to be moved from the bishop's residence in Assisi to the chapel at the Portiuncula, a distance of about two miles outside the city walls. As they passed the city gates, he bid the friars carrying him to set him down on the road so that he might say a final farewell to the place of his birth. "This town," he began, "has the worst reputation in the whole region as the home of every kind of rogue and scoundrel." Then he begged God to bless the place and to make it the home of all who sincerely honored his name.

"So he is happy here, in the place they have made for him. Despite his illness,his blindness, the constant pain in his head, he is singing as cheerfully as a morning lark." An additional excerpt from Valerie Martin's Salvation: Scenes From the Life of St. Francis.

According to a contemporary brochure put out by the commune's busy tourist
agency, Assisi is a city that cannot just be "seen"; it must be "experienced" as
a place, perhaps the place, where "the spirit of St. Francis pervades all."
Every year hundreds of thousands of visitors, art lovers, tourists, and pilgrims
from all over the world flock to see the famous basilica where the saint is
buried. The narrow streets in which Francesco begged for bread are lined with
hundreds of shops selling all manner of atrocious trinkets and some of the worst
food to be found in Italy, at prices as breathtaking as the view from the Rocca
Maggiore, the late-medieval fortress that glowers over the prosperous, crowded
town. The spirit that pervades these streets is the same one that whistled down
the stone staircases and across the Piazza del Commune in Francesco's lifetime,
the same spirit that drove him straight into the outspread arms of Jesus Christ:
the cold, relentless, insatiable, furious spirit of commerce.

Francesco di Pietro Bernardone was born in Assisi, toward the end of 1181, to a wealthy cloth merchant, Pietro Bernardone, and his wife, Pica, who may or may not have been French. He had an ordinary childhood, helping his father at his
business and attending the church school near his house, where he was an unremarkable student. He grew to be a lively young man, fond of music and parties, given to romantic tales, dreams of knighthood, fantastical treasure quests, but also to prayer in solitary chapels. During one such occasion, at the dilapidated Church of San Damiano, God spoke to him from a crucifix, bidding him to repair the church. Francesco took some bolts of cloth from his father's warehouse, sold them, and delivered the money to the priest who lived there to pay for the repair of the chapel. Pietro, enraged by his son's extravagance,brought a complaint against him, which was resolved in the public square of Assisi. When the bishop gave Francesco the money and advised him to return to his father what was his, Francesco declared, "My Lord Bishop, not only will I gladly give back the money which is my father's, but also my clothes." He stripped off his clothes, placed the money on them, and standing naked before the bishop, his father, and all present, announced, "Listen, all of you, and mark my words. Hitherto I have called Pietro Bernardone my father; but because I am resolved to serve God, I return to him the money on account of which he was so perturbed, and also the clothes I wore which are his; and from now on I will say, 'Our Father who art in heaven,' and not 'Father Pietro Bernardone.'" The crowd wept in sympathy, and the bishop covered the naked and rebellious youth
with his own cloak.

Francesco then took refuge in the poor church, where he devoted himself to
making repairs; he begged for food and oil on the streets of Assisi. His former
neighbors mocked him and drove him away, but one rich young man, Bernardo of Quintavalle, impressed by Francesco's sincerity and evident contentment in his new life, decided to join him. Together the two men gave away all of Bernardo's money and possessions to the poor.

More followers joined them. When they numbered twelve, the group walked to Rome
to ask the Pope to approve a rule by which they might live as liegemen of the
Church. After a dream in which he saw the Lateran Basilica collapsing and
Francesco holding it up, the Pope, Innocent III, gave them an oral and very
conditional approval.

Francesco's brotherhood, the Fratres Minores, grew rapidly. Within a few years the original twelve had grown to 5,000 (in comparison, the Dominican order, the Friars Preachers, as they were known, founded at roughly the same time, had fewer than fifty friars by 1220). They met each year during the feast of Pentecost for chapter meetings at the Portiuncula, a wooded area owned by local Benedictine monks and leased to the friars for one basket of fish a year. At these meetings Francesco delivered various admonitions; the friars were assigned to different regions; the custos, or caretakers, and ministers were appointed; and problems of administration were addressed. Between meetings the mission of the fratres was to wander homeless over the world, preaching repentance, begging for their food, offering themselves as servants to all. This, they believed, was the way the early Apostles had lived, the way Jesus had adjured all his followers to live -- giving the world an example of virtue, loving poverty, making no preparations for the next meal or the next bed, but leaving everything to God.

A Rich Young Man on the Road

IN the morning, when he leaves Foligno, on the last leg of his journey from Rome to Assisi, Francesco's horse plods along at a steady pace, requiring neither guidance nor urging. Francesco is in no hurry, for his home has none of the charms of the adventure he brings to a close with his return. Everyone will want to hear about what he has seen; even his father will listen to his descriptions of Rome, the city of wonders, of the towers and bridges, the palace of the Laterano, and all the rines and sacred relics he visited. But he will not mention the event that most fired his imagination, because anyone who hears of it will say it was a shameful, foolish exploit, the folly of a wealthy and useless young man who hasn't the sense to appreciate his position. Suppose, his father would exclaim, just suppose some neighbor from Assisi had recognized him.

How could he hold his head up in the town?

Something has been coming to him now for some time. He cannot be sure what it is or when it began, but he can feel it moving toward him, gathering momentum. His dreams are full of triumph; voices speak to him and counsel him, showing him scenes of great glory and making a promise: All this will be yours. But when he is awake, there are no triumphs, though he is free to indulge himself in whatever pursuits and amusements his father's money can buy. Nothing obstructs him; no one contradicts him. When he made up his mind to visit the holy places in Rome, he met with no objections. His mother provided him with a pouch full of bread and sweets, and his father encouraged him to take the better of their horses; both parents were anxious that his clothes be the finest and that he carry enough silver to make proper offerings at the shrines.

His horse shakes his head, as if to remind Francesco that he has at least some small obligations as a rider, and he comes to himself with a start. It is a spring day of stunning perfection; the air is cool and fresh, the sky overhead as blue as the mantle of the Holy Virgin, and on either side of the road the fields stretch away pleasantly, olive trees on one side, grain on the other, bordered by ranks of cypress and pine. There are contingents of chaffinches chirping in the dusty leaves of the olive trees, and swallows whirling overhead in undulating formations, like fallen leaves twisting and turning in a stream. He passes two peasants digging mud by the side of the road and another leading a reluctant goat by a bit of dirty rope. They glance at him as he goes by, a rich young man, carefree, and they give terse responses to his friendly salutations. The goat gives a strangled cry, struggling at the end of his rope while his owner curses and threatens him. Francesco looks away, wounded, as he always is by displays of pointless ferocity. He has seen too many the past few days in Rome, where men and beasts are crowded together and tempers flare at the most innocent remark. At the Basilica of San Pietro he saw two men fighting on the very steps, and later, when he came out, there was such a quantity of blood,
though no sign of the combatants, that he thought one had surely killed the other. And it was there, as he stood looking around nervously, that a voice called out to him from the shadows of the vestibule, and the peculiar and wonderful adventure began.

"Have you given it all to the thieving priests?" the voice inquired. "Or is there a coin to spare for those that may truly have need of it?"

Francesco stepped away from the blood soaking into the paving stones and approached the man -- if he was a man, for all he could see of him was one bare foot, so swollen and bruised that it looked more like a rotten vegetable than human flesh. "I have not given it all," he said, stepping in under the arch. He could see nothing, for the bright daylight had dazzled his eyes and now the shadows confounded them, but he heard the harsh laughter of several men. One of them said, "Here is the last honest man in the world," and another responded,

"It proves what I have been telling you, that the Judgment Day is near, for here
is the new Christ among us to prove it."

"And the Pope is the Antichrist," the first speaker declared. Francesco gazed
down at them as his eyes became accustomed to the dark. There were three of
them; two were old fellows, or so they appeared. The third, the one who had
announced the imminence of the Judgment Day, was a youth of perhaps Francesco's
age with thick blond hair, scarcely any beard, and an open, ingenuous
expression. He looked Francesco up and down with a bold, rapacious eye. "Now,
that's a fine cloak such as only a nobleman could afford," he observed.

"I am not a nobleman," Francesco replied. "But my father is a cloth merchant."

The young man got to his feet awkwardly, pressing his hands against the wall behind him. When he was halfway up, he hopped forward onto his one good leg. The other was stunted and shriveled. He could put his weight on this leg long enough to make a quick step; he crossed the space with a rolling, out-of-kilter gait,and then propped himself against the wall. "Wouldn't I look a prince in such a cloak as that?" he said, smiling up into Francesco's face. His lower right teeth were missing, and when he smiled, his lower lip fell in over the gap.

"For the love of God," one of the old men said, "give us a coin if you won't give us the cloak."

Francesco turned to look at the speaker, narrowing his eyes to make him out in the shadows, crouched beside his friend, who rubbed his face with his palms and echoed, "Yes, give us a coin, for the love of God."

"For the love of God," Francesco said.

He looked into the eyes of the ragged young man who imagined no greater glory than to have such a cloak as his. "Will you trade your clothes for mine?" he said. In reply the youth gave a hoot of delight. The old men cackled together;

there was an odd business. "Will you let me sit here with you?" Francesco continued, as he pulled off his cloak, his doublet, his leather girdle. The
young man began stripping off his rags, which took no time at all, because he wore only a short sackcloth tunic and a pair of filthy breeches embroidered with holes. "I will have to take my other clothes back when I go," Francesco explained, examining the contents of his purse, "but I will leave you my cloak
and all but two of these coins; I will need that much for my journey home."

"Giuseppe is right," one of the old men remarked. "This proves that God's
judgment is nigh on this world."

Francesco laughed. Half-naked, he bent over to pull off his leggings. Giuseppe
had already donned his shirt. "And will you share your food with me?" Francesco
asked. This sent them all into a riot of laughter. "Oh, yes," they agreed.
Giuseppe slid down the wall to the stones, clutching his new cloak, which he had
bundled in his arms like a baby. "You are welcome to everything we have," he
announced, with the casual grace and courtesy of a lord offering hospitality to
some bedraggled traveler.

Francesco stayed with them all day, and the people who saw him took him for one
of the beggars. What was this sensation, so delicious and unexpected, when a
passing lady paused to look down at him with a haughty yet pitying eye? As he
stretched out his hand to her, she turned away, drawing her heavy skirt in
close, lest he should touch it. Did she thank heaven that no son of hers would
ever be found in such disgraceful circumstances? And what would she say if she
knew that this importuning beggar was a sham, deserving neither charity nor
pity, for he had a horse, a purse, and fine clothes, and would return in a day
or two to his father's comfortable house, where a servant would greet him at the
door?

When evening came, two more men joined the group, and they all sat down in the
street to share the food they had begged. It was poor stuff, black bread and a
little grain, which they made into a porridge, for one of them owned an iron
pot, and another had begged some sticks of firewood. Francesco listened to their
lively conversation, full of profanity and derision for the vanity of the world.
Though he was wealthy, they included him, as if he, too, did not know when he
would find a meal again. After they had eaten, he changed back into his own
clothes and laughed with them over the miracle of his transformation. Yet he
felt an aching, premonitory sadness as the crisp linen settled across his
shoulders; it was as though he were putting on a costume that would deceive only
a fool, for a wise man would see at once that it did not suit him, that it must
belong to some other man, an elegant, stylish young man, and that Francesco was
an impostor in his own clothes. He folded his cloak and laid it in Giuseppe's
lap, accepting his enthusiastic blessing and the boisterous farewells of the
others, who promised him their hospitality whenever he should return. Then,
bowing and waving as they repeatedly called his name, he wandered out into the
dark streets alone.

Now he is himself again, but not himself; something has changed, and the world
looks different because of it. He has acquired, among other novelties, a memory
he will not share. His horse carries him back over the same road he traveled
before. His senses are open; he is prey to sudden and conflicting emotions. He
sees himself from the outside, and he is not entirely gratified by what he sees.

The Leper

HIS back is stiff and sore from days of riding and from the long rounds of the
shrines. He shrugs his shoulders, attempting to shake out the soreness, and
rolls his head in a slow circle, easing the knotted muscles in his neck. As he
does this, his horse starts, making a panicked sidestep that nearly unseats him.
He catches up the reins as he lifts himself out of the saddle and then, when he
drops back into his seat, he loosens his knees, gripping the horse's flanks with
his calves. He knows as he goes through these automatic calming responses that
there is something in the road just ahead, something that was not there a moment
ago. The horse comes to a standstill in a cloud of dust that rises to his knees,
and he stands working his head back and forth against the bit. Francesco rests a
hand on his mane and says his name softly, reassuringly, as he looks down past
the foaming lips to see what has so terrified this normally sedate and reliable
creature.

The leper stands in the middle of the road, perfectly still. One hand rests on
the bell cord around his neck, the other hangs limply at his side. He is dressed
in a filthy garment, patched together from bits of sacking and undyed wool,
which hangs loosely on his emaciated body. He regards Francesco and his horse
steadily, his head slightly turned and his chin lifted, the better to see them,
for his disease has eaten away half his face and he has only one eye.

Francesco does not speak. He cannot move. They face each other on the road, and
the bright sun pours down great quantities of light over them, so there are no
shadows anywhere, nothing to soften or dim the harsh reality of this encounter,
and nowhere to hide from the necessity of playing it out. The leper's eye drills
into Francesco. From childhood he has had a horror of lepers, and he has always
avoided the lazaretto at the foot of Mount Subasio, where they sometimes
congregate in the road, rattling their wooden bells and calling out for alms. He
dreams of the foul stench rising from their rotting flesh, their grotesque
faces, their phlegmy, guttural voices. He wakes sweating and shouting for help.

He glances back down the road and into the neat ranks of the olive trees. All is
uncommonly empty and still. Even the birds, twittering only a moment ago, have
been silenced.

He could ride on. There is no reason to stop. He could throw down his last coin
to the leper as he passes. His horse lifts one hoof and paws the hard dirt. It
is time to go on, to go home. As Francesco drops his hand to the reins, his eyes
fall on his own well-fitting glove, and it dawns on him that this leper is not
wearing gloves, which is odd, because he and his kind are required always to
wear them when they leave their hospitals, just as they are required always to
wear and ring their bells to warn unwary travelers of their approach.

Again Francesco looks down on the solitary figure of the leper, who has not
moved. His hand is wrapped around the cord, his head arrested at an angle. He is
like a statue, lifeless and weather-beaten, and Francesco has the sudden sense
that he has been standing there, in his path, forever.

Something has been coming toward him, or he has been coming to something; he has
known this for some time, and he has bent his energy in the direction of finding
out what it might be. This was the reason for his pilgrimage to Rome. At the
shrines he had recited the requisite prayers; gazed upon the relics, the bones,
the bits of hair and cloth, the vials of blood and tears; and proferred the
proper offerings. But he had not felt the burden of his sins lifted, and this
spiritual restlessness drove him on. Only when he was with the beggars in the
vestibule of the basilica had he felt some respite from this condition of tense
and urgent expectancy.

He is in the grip of it again as he swings one leg over the saddle and drops to
the ground beside his horse. The stillness of the world makes every sound acute
-- the clinking of the bridle chain as he leads the animal to a green patch
nearby, the sound of grass tearing, and then the big jaws grinding. Francesco
runs his hands through his hair, bats the dust from the front of his surcoat,
and turns to face the man, who is there waiting for him.

The leper watches him with interest. His blasted face is bathed in sunlight; the
black hole that was his eye has a steely sheen, and a few moist drops on his
scab-encrusted lips glitter like precious stones. He moves at last, releasing
his cord and extending his hand slowly, palm up, before him.

This supplicating gesture releases Francesco, for it dictates the countergesture,
which he realizes he longs to make. Without hesitation he strides across the
distance separating him from his obligation, smiling all the while as if
stepping out to greet an old and dear friend. He opens his purse, extracts the
thin piece of silver inside it, and closes it up again. He is closer now than he
has ever before been to one of these unfortunate beings, and the familiar
reaction of disgust and nausea rises up, nearly choking him, but he battles it
down. He can hear the rasp of the leper's breath, rattling and wet. The battle
between Francesco's will and his innate reluctance overmasters him: he misses a
step, recovers, and then drops to one knee before the outstretched hand, which
is hardly recognizable as a hand but is, rather, a lumpish, misshapen thing, the
fingers so swollen and callused that they are hardly differentiated, the flesh
as black and hard as an animal's rough paw.

Carefully Francesco places his coin in the open palm, where it glitters, hot and
white. For a moment he tries to form some simple speech, some pleasantry that
will restore him to the ordinary world, but even as he struggles, he understands
that this world is gone from him now, that there is no turning back. It was only
so much smoke, blinding and confusing him, but he has come through it somehow;
he has found the source of it, and now, at last, he is standing in the fire.
Tenderly he takes the leper's hand, tenderly he brings it to his lips. At once
his mouth is flooded with an unearthly sweetness that pours over his tongue,
burning his throat and bringing sudden tears to his eyes. These tears moisten
the corrupted hand he presses to his mouth. His ears are filled with the sound
of wind, and he can feel the wind chilling his face, a cold, harsh wind blowing
toward him from the future, blowing away everything that has come before this
moment -- this moment he has longed for and dreaded, as if he thought he might
not live through it.

He reaches up, clinging to the leper's tunic, for the wind is so strong and cold
that he fears he cannot stand against it. Behind him the horse lifts its head
from grazing and lets out a long, impatient whinny, but Francesco does not hear
it. He is there in the road, rising to his feet, and the leper assists him,
holding him by the shoulders. Then the two men clutch each other, their faces
pressed close together, their arms entwined. The sun beats down and the air is
hot and still, yet they appear to be caught in a whirlwind. Their clothes whip
about; their hair stands on end; they hold on to each other for dear life.

In Hiding

HE can hear their voices, angry and exultant, over the terrified cries of their
prisoners, like the shouts of butchers one to another when they are herding
squealing, struggling pigs into the slaughtering pen. These captors are neither
men nor beasts; in spite of their hairy backs, black horns, brutish snouts, and
birds' feet, they stand upright and brandish in their large human hands the
tools of their trade: lashes; slashing hooks; glowing, red-hot irons. One digs
his talons into the neck of a naked man who writhes beneath him, his face
swollen and blue, his body drawn up in an impossible arc. The man's mouth is
opened wide in a howl, for his captor has forced a thick rod between his
buttocks and is bearing down hard upon it. Behind these two a woman has fallen
to her knees as she struggles to release her shoulder from the jaws of another
demon. The creature's thick reptilian tail is wrapped around her torso, holding
her fast against his thighs. He mocks her suffering, pointing out her
destination: a black tube with teeth, like the mouth of an enormous serpent,
down which two of his fellows have thrown another victim -- whether male or
female is uncertain, because only the legs and feet are visible. The feet are
curiously flexed. All but two of the prisoners are naked: a man in rich garb,
carrying a sack across his shoulders and entering the awful scene through a
flaming gate at one side, and another man crawling on the ground near the
serpent's mouth, naked but for the bishop's miter still firmly in place on his
head, his torso wrapped tightly in the coiled tail of another demon. The bishop
is gazing at another man, who has a demon crouched on his stomach. The creature
is positioned so that his buttocks are poised just over his victim's face; his
sharp talons are sunk in the man's genitals. The sufferer's mouth is held open
by an iron device, and his eyes are rolled back in agony and horror. From the
demon's anus flows a stream of gold coins, filling the open mouth, choking the
man with gold.

Francesco lets out a soft huff of amusement as he examines this last image. He
looks up from the dark and lurid sufferings of the damned to the bright sunlit
window next to him, but he does not notice the limpidity of the light that
illuminates the book and the table he is bending over, because he hears the
sound of footsteps on the gravel outside. Hurriedly he crosses the room and
drops down into an open recess in the floor, a space so narrow and shallow that
he has to curl himself in a ball to fit into it. He reaches up to slide the flat
stone that serves as a lid for this, his own personal hell, into place, closing
his eyes tight against the dirt that always showers down when the stone's edge
lodges in the earth.

The door has opened, the intruder has paused, and then the footsteps come
purposefully to the hiding place. Two sharp raps bring down a fresh shower of
dirt. Francesco pushes against the stone, lifting it, while his friend grabs the
edge and pulls it back across the floor. Francesco sits up in his hole and rubs
the dirt from his eyes.

"Your father has not relented," the old priest says. "He knows you are in hiding
hereabouts, and he has sworn to find you if he has to pay the entire guard."

"He won't have to pay anyone," Francesco says flatly.

The priest throws up his hands. "What will you do?"

"I'm going to Assisi," Francesco says. "He will find me in the street easily
enough."

Ingrate, Thief, Scoundrel

INSIDE the gates of Assisi two boys, returning from the forest, each burdened by
a large dead hare, push past Francesco, and he is so weak that he staggers into
the wall. Their heads come up like those of young wolves alerted by the misstep
of a sheep, their eyes fix coldly upon him, and their nostrils quiver, testing
the air, deciphering the scent of vulnerability and fear. "Idiot," one observes
to the other. Francesco rights himself and continues up the street, holding the
skirt of his tunic so that he will not trip on it. The boys fall into step
behind him. Each is half his size but has twice his strength. "You know who this
is," one says to the other. "This is the son of Pietro Bernardone, the one who
has robbed his father and disgraced his name." Francesco plods on, his eyes on
the paving stones rising ahead of him.

"Why have you come back, madman?" one of the boys taunts him. "Do you think your
father will welcome you?" The other steps up quickly, overtaking Francesco and
dancing out ahead of him, brandishing his hare. He squeezes his nose with his
free hand and whines, "God, how he stinks."

"He stinks of his friends at the lazaretto," his companion offers. "He is
searching for his new love among the lepers." At this Francesco looks briefly
over his shoulder, his expression a mixture of exhaustion, fever, and irony. The
boy feels the hot black arrow of this regard as a momentary hesitation,
instantly banished by the arrival of a boisterous trio clattering down the steps
from San Giorgio. They are just released from school and wild from a morning of
Latin declensions, intent now on merriment or mischief, whichever comes easiest.
At once they spy Francesco and his persecutors and rush forward to join in the
game, shouting imprecations -- "Idiot," "Swine," "Thief," "Madman." Circling
Francesco, they pluck at his sleeves, bump him hard with their hips and elbows,
mock his efforts to keep his footing and to continue on his way. His resistance
is feeble and he does not protest, which excites their contempt. They speak for
him, grinning and winking at one another, "Oh, do not push me so, my dear
Giorgio." "Matteo, why are you so rough with me?" The racket brings women to the
upper windows along the street. "It is Pietro Bernardone's son," one observes to
another. Like a feather riding on the air, this phrase is borne away along the
streets, fluttering across the piazza at San Giorgio, sucked into the narrow
passageway and puffed out across the marketplace, where the stalls are closing
for the day. Old women, trudging homeward with their baskets half empty --
summer is over, and already there is little to buy but turnips, apples, and
quinces -- lift their sharp faces to hear the news: "Pietro's son, Francesco,
has come back."

As Francesco makes his way through the town, the mocking entourage thickens
around him, and he can scarcely see what is ahead. The children pick up stones
and clods of dirt, which they pitch at him, shouting with delight when they hit
their mark. He plods on, indifferent to all provocation; but when they pass the
ancient columns of Minerva's temple, the press in front of him suddenly parts,
and he is faced with a sight that weakens his knees, though not his resolve. His
father rushes toward him, bellowing, cursing, calling on God and on all his
neighbors to witness his disgrace and his fury. His face is bright red, his eyes
bulge in their sockets, his lips are pulled back over his teeth like an enraged
dog's. Francesco stands his ground, but at the last, as his father charges down
on him, he throws up his hands to protect his face.

"Ingrate!" Pietro shouts, grabbing his son by the hair. "Thief! Scoundrel!" He
knocks Francesco to his knees with a backhanded blow and then jerks him up and
slaps him across the ear. Francesco does not struggle or cry out. He has been
living in a hole for a month, refining his courage for this confrontation, and
though the father has superior strength, the son's will has been formed as
igneous rock is formed, under pressure, and it is unyielding.

The crowd now takes the side of youth against age, and chides Pietro for his
anger. This criticism stings him, and he protests vociferously. How could they
know what he has been through day after day, with this good-for-nothing boy who
claims he has God's blessing to steal from his own father? He grips Francesco by
the elbow and pulls him forward so roughly that he feels the sinew pop at
Francesco's shoulder, but he will not be stopped now. If his son resists, he
will take his arm right out of the socket. Francesco reels, his eyes roll back
in his head, and he stumbles forward, endeavoring to keep up. Pietro rains down
curses on his son, on his neighbors, on his town, on the world, on God himself,
who has cursed him with the infamy of an ungrateful son.

The Friar and the Pope

THEY have arrived at the Lateran palace, a city within the city, and have made
their way through the outer courts and inner vestibules to the great hall where
the Lord Pope receives the never-ending tributes and entreaties of the horde
that constitutes Jesus Christ's Church on earth. Clerics and prelates,
secretaries and legates, lords and guildsmen, each in the costume suitable to
his condition and rank, occupy themselves with the ceremonies required to
command for even one moment the sublime attention of His Holiness. Bishop Guido
guides Francesco and his brothers through the crowd, exchanging a word with a
guard here and a secretary there, until they stand before a pair of doors as
tall as trees, which open before them ponderously and with an impressive
creaking of hinges, like the long-unopened gates of Paradise. They are herded
inside by the bishop and passed along by a series of papal functionaries. The
Lord Pope, seated at the far end of the great room on his high throne, leans
forward to watch their approach. The babble of conversation does not entirely
cease, but the volume drops appreciably as all eyes are gradually drawn to this
ragged, uncouth, unwashed collection of bumpkins, whose bare feet slap the
polished marble floors. Their small, dark, bright-eyed leader steps out ahead of
them, his eagerness so barely contained that he seems to execute a bizarre new
dance step as he charges forward. The Pope sends Cardinal Giovanni, who stands
at his side, an incredulous and skeptical look: This is his discovery? This
shabby, inelegant creature fresh from the sty? This is his idea of what the
Church will require if it is to stem the flood of heresy and dissension that is
washing down from the north? Truly, God's wonders have not ceased.

When Francesco reaches the foot of the steps leading to the Pope's throne, his
progress is checked by a terse command from a guard. He looks up to Cardinal
Giovanni, who nods at him distantly. He sweeps back the skirt of his patched and
unsightly tunic as if it were the robe of an emperor and inclines his head and
shoulders in a lordly bow. He can hear the cardinal's introduction: "Here is our
Brother Francesco di Pietro Bernardone of Assisi, whom I have examined, and who
begs the ear of Your Holiness." Francesco keeps his head down but raises his
eyes and looks directly into the Lord Pope's opaque and chilly scrutiny. The
Pope's golden corona is studded with jewels, and it rises like the dome of a
gleaming beehive high above his head. The rigid collar of his cope is so high
that it obscures the lower part of his face, so he appears to be a small mound
of gold, brocade, and jewels from which peer steadily two heavy-lidded,
skeptical eyes above a long aquiline nose. As Francesco stares, uncertain
whether to speak, genuflect, or back cautiously away, the folds of the cope
rustle, and a small, pale hand appears, the index finger extended, pointing at
him. Then the finger crooks once in a summoning gesture. He casts an anxious
look at the cardinal, who lifts his chin, reinforcing the Pope's command.
Eagerly Francesco climbs the wide steps to the foot of the papal throne.

Francesco stands before the Lord Pope, nodding his head at something the
cardinal is saying. Pope Innocent listens, his neck bent forward beneath the
weight of his corona, his shoulders drooping beneath the weight of his robes.
His gaze wanders from the cardinal to Francesco and then out to the brothers,
huddled together nervously like dull sheep liable to panic and run off a cliff
if their shepherd isn't quick about his business. He looks back at the shepherd
in question, a dreamy fellow at best, full of enthusiasm, lacking judgment,
doubtless barely literate, though Bishop Guido and Cardinal Giovanni have
assured His Holiness that these penitents do much good in their district,
nursing the poor and even the lepers, repairing churches, preaching repentance
and, more important, respect for the Holy See. How much harm could they do if
sanctioned, and how much more if refused? He presses his eyelids with his
fingertips, listening to the cardinal, who seems determined to keep his protoge
from speaking for himself.

The brothers have begun to feel more at ease and to look around curiously.
Brother Egidio, gazing up into the gloom, makes a discovery, which he brings to
the attention of Brother Angelo. Up there, on the capital of that column, can he
see it? Angelo cranes his neck; he doesn't see anything. Then, as Egidio raises
his arm to point, Angelo does see it. But what is it? Is it a sparrow or a wren?
The bird hops from one marble leaf to another and then takes off in the
direction of the doors. It is a sparrow. They follow its dizzy flight as it
sails through the cloudy upper atmosphere of the room.

"It seems to me that your way of life is too hard," the Pope comments at last,
addressing himself pointedly to Francesco, who smiles as if he expected just
this objection, though he says not a word to refute it. Straightway the cardinal
offers his unsolicited opinion, which is that it might cause painful and
unnecessary misunderstandings among the laity if the Holy Father should decree
that the way of life recommended in the Gospels is too difficult for a Christian
to undertake. This is not, the Pope concedes, an insignificant point. And as he
considers it, his gaze wanders again to the brothers huddled out there in the
aisle -- surely an unpromising lot. One of them is rubbing his eyes with two
fists, like a sleepy child, and two others stand apart, gazing up at the ceiling
with their mouths ajar, like simpletons in a field making fantastic pictures out
of the clouds.

Stigmata

THE shadows have lengthened, and the night birds have begun their plaintive
chorus. Brother Leone lights the lamp, adjusts the flame, and returns to his
occupation, cutting long strips from a square of white wool. Francesco sits next
to him on a stone, his hands resting palms up in his lap. Leone's method is to
cut the edge and then rip the strips away. The repeated complaint of the tearing
cloth is the only sound in the dim cell. Francesco dabs at his eye with the
sleeve of his robe.

It is always worst on Saturday, because Francesco refuses to have his bandages
changed on Friday, the day when the Lord Christ suffered on the cross. Leone has
removed the cloths from his hands and feet without much difficulty, but they
both know that the wound in his side is the most painful to clean, because it
bleeds more copiously than the others. So they leave it for last. Leone lays out
his strips, takes one up, and kneels at Francesco's feet. Because the nailhead
protrudes from the flesh, he lays the strip beneath the iron, passing the cloth
around the foot until it is level with the hard black disk. He does this
carefully, gently. Moving the nail is excruciating to Francesco, though he never
complains, only draws his breath in sharply.

When he has finished with Francesco's feet and hands, Leone helps him pull his
tunic over his head, so that he can change the wide bandage that wraps his
torso. Francesco groans as he lifts his arms, and Leone winces, apologizing for
the pain. Francesco's fingers flutter around the waist of his breeches, touching
the edge of the bandage. Leone bends over to inspect it. The blood has soaked
through and dried.

Leone has confessed to Brother Rufino the anxiety in his heart when he thinks of
his own sinful nature and how unworthy he is to serve so holy a man, yet he is
convinced that only through the grace of Father Francesco has his poor soul any
hope of salvation. God has chosen Francesco as his instrument to save many souls
that would otherwise be damned, and Leone's most fervent prayer is that through
no merit of his own but through his devotion to Francesco he will be one of that
select company of the redeemed. Yet even as he nourishes that hope, he knows
that he has no right to it, because he is so sinful and plagued by temptations.

Now, as he studies the bloodstained bandage, he feels a welling up of emotions:
fear, pity, devotion, heart-smiting love. For a moment he does not move, and
Francesco asks, "What is it, brother lamb of Christ?"

Leone shivers, drawing away. "It's dry," he says. "But when I unwrap it, it will
open again."

Francesco straightens his spine and opens his arms out from his sides as if he
were praying, and perhaps he is. Leone unfastens the end of the bandage and
slowly pulls away the outer layer. It comes loose easily, but with the next
layer he feels a slight resistance, and Francesco's knitted brow tells him what
he already knows. "Forgive me, Father," Leone says, pulling the cloth free with
a quick jerk. Francesco bites his lower lip without speaking. There is one layer
to go, and it will be the most painful. Leone brings the loose part of the
bandage just to the edge of the wound, and then pulls it lightly to find the
deepest part. Francesco's face has gone white, but he does not flinch. Instead
he raises one hand and lays it on Leone's chest, just over his heart. "My dear
son," he says softly.

Leone looks down at the bandaged hand pressing gently against his chest. The
wonder of the moment overcomes him. Francesco's hand is like a burning sword
plunged into his heart, inflaming him with such passionate devotion that his
vision blurs and he gasps for air. How is it possible that he is here, tending
the miraculous wounds of this new Christ, who is also his dearest friend and
companion, his brother, father, and mother, who inspired him, when they were
both young and in love with Lady Poverty, to follow him on a great adventure of
the soul? They have walked a thousand miles in this quest, only to come to this
cell, where Francesco touches Leone's heart with the hand that bears the proof
that he is the most dearly loved of all those who serve the Lord Christ, because
of all the saints only he has been chosen to share in Jesus Christ's own
suffering.

"Francesco," Leone says, leaning into the hand that presses, that holds, his
heart, and meeting his beloved's eyes, which, though they can scarcely see him,
still pour forgiveness, love, and perfect understanding over him like warm rain.
Brother Leone is swooning. He fears he will be destroyed by the power of this
love. Yet his hands are still engaged in their task. With a cry of terror
commingled with joy, he pulls sharply at the cloth, freeing it from the wounded
flesh. As he loses consciousness, he sees the blood gushing forth, and it seems
to him that his whole body and his soul are bathed and refreshed in this blood,
which is shed for him, and which he cannot deserve.

Epilogue

SOME see the stigmata as the crowning achievement of Francesco's life, signaling his complete identification, and hence union, with his beloved Jesus Christ. Others suggest that there was an element of despair in the miracle -- that Francesco saw himself as crucified by the unrest and infighting in the great movement he had founded. His contemporaries, though they had never heard of such a thing before, seem to have accepted it as well within the realm of possibility, and even in keeping with what they understood to be the nature of God's continual interference in the world of men. Francesco had, in their view, been singled out and marked by Jesus as his own. It proved what everyone already suspected -- that he was a living saint. Two years later, in October of 1226, Francesco died peacefully at Assisi, revered by all, his devoted friars gathered around him. He was forty-five years old.

Valerie Martin is the author of two collections of short fiction and six novels, including Italian Fever (1999). Her article in this issue is taken from herbiography Salvation: Scenes From the Life of St. Francis

Outside Resources and Notes

2007-08-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

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The Italian Lira (ITL) is obsolete. It was replaced with the Euro (EUR) on January 1, 1999.One EUR is equivalent to 1936.27 ITL.

The CoinMill.com - The Currency Converter will show you how the dollar converts to the euro/

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Since, during this trip, we will come in close contact with the land where St. Francis lived, worked and died, regardless of your opinion or belief, it enriches everyone to take a little more time to find out more about who he, born Giovanni Bernardone and renamed Francis, became. The stories told about him are not just interesting as stories themselves - factual or not - but represent religious or mystical (or as some call t now- `third brain thinking') teaching stories, as were the parables that Jesus taught, and in many ways these are a continuances.

Saint FRANCIS OF ASSISI
(The short biography by Pastor Richard E. Edmonds Snohomish, Washington)

Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni Bernardone in the late 12th century into a family of wealth and prosperity.

He grew up in the Italian city of Assisi.

As a young man, he was popular with his peers and known for his sense of humor. While he had dreams of becoming a troubadour or knight, he expected to follow his father into the trade as a clothing merchant. However, a turn in Francis' life was to take place. In a war between Assisi and the neighboring city of Perugia, he was taken captive and held in prison for a year. During this time, he became severely ill and his mind began to turn to religion. Upon his release, he returned to Assisi, but he was not the same young man who had left. Having become more contemplative, Francis found no comfort in his family's wealth and privilege.

Francis had a dream in which he believed that God was calling him to repair his church and interpreted this to mean that he was to repair the church in San Damiano near Assisi. Francis was soon to renounce all of his possessions and his family treasures including his clothes - a decision which disturbed his family deeply. Dressing as a beggar, he was joined by companions who were called brothers. They rebuilt the church of San Damiano and traveled throughout central Italy preaching for people to turn from materialism to Christ. They worked or begged for their food. When there were eleven brothers, Francis gave them a short Rule and received approval from the pope to form a brotherhood which Francis called the Friars Minor.

Francis called for simplicity of life; poverty and humility before God. With the brothers, he worked to care for the poor. One of his first actions after his conversion was to care for lepers. Thousands were drawn to his sincerity and joy. His named has lived on respectfully, and the University of St. Francis is named after him.

************************************************

The Prayer of Saint Francis

"O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace!
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light, and
Where there is sorrow, joy.
Oh Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand; to be loved
as to love; for it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life."

As one theologian wrote (paraphrased)

"The simple prayer of St. Francis of Assisi provides for us a mold in which to cast our own life's conduct and character. It provides a blueprint upon which to pattern our living in our thoughts, speech and actions within our day to day relationships with our fellow beings and with all life around us. Therefore, the prayer of St. Francis is a precious document for us, an indispensable, invaluable frame of reference by which to judge our own lives, and referring to which we can do the necessary to bring about the needed alterations and modifications for the upliftment and purification of our own daily life."

*******************************************

Though on this trip you will come upon the works of many great artist, one artist in particular you should know is Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini (December 7, 1598 – November 28, 1680) who was a pre-eminent Baroque sculptor and architect of 17th century Rome.

On this trip these are some of his works you might be able to see, some you can't avoid seeing.

Read up on him here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernini

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Books that might be useful:

Book Description
There is something for just about everyone in Florence and Tuscany. From viewing some of the world's greatest Renaissance art to wandering around designer boutiques. Discover a whole new side of Florence and Tuscany with the Eyewitness Travel Guide. This guide will give you practical information without any hassle. All of the important towns and other places to visit are described individually. Within each town or city, there is detailed information on important buildings and other sites. Make the most of your trip with the Eyewitness Travel Guide.

Product Description
Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers how to stroll the same streets walked by Michelangelo, explore world-reknown art museums, or sample Tuscan cuisine? With Rick Steves’ Florence and Tuscany 2008, travelers can experience Steves' favorite destinations in Florence, including the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Bargello, and the Ponte Vecchio — economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, this guide includes opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights, friendly places to eat and sleep, suggested day plans, walking tours and trip itineraries, and clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot. America’s number one authority on travel to Europe, Steves' time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.

Walk With Me : A Self Guided Audio Walking Tour of Florence, Italy (Audio Cassette)
Walking tour on 60-minute cassette tape. A self guided walking tour covering the heart of Florence from the magnificent dome to the Pitti Palace. This is a full day's tour or several shorter walks. A large print map is included with transportation, toilets, ATMs and eating arrangements clearly marked. Narration is clear and interesting. The Cicerone shows the traveler the beginning work of the Renaissance and tells of the genius that created the famous and elegant Dome. He shows us where the Elves and Goblins waged a war so ferocious that all of Europe talked about it. See where the Medici had their humble beginnings in the medieval section and the Palace they finally ruled in. See the square where Michelangelo put his famous David and the infamous Bonfire of the Vanities threatened to destroy Florence's great art. Florence is like no other city in the world. The Cicerone helps us see why. Other cities are also available.

Italian English Bilingual Visual Dictionary (BILINGUAL VISUAL DICTIONARY)
Dorling Kindersley makers of the popular Eyewitness Travel Guides have created an interesitng little volume that works as both a visual dictionary and vocabulary builder. Using full color photographs and diagrams, the book's 360 pages offer fairly comprehensive groupings of nouns with appropriate verbs and some idiomatic phrases for the different categories of People (body parts, expressions, family) Appearance (clothing and grooming), Health (ailments, exercise), Home (house, workshop, decorating, gardening), Services (emergency, banking, telephone etc.), Shopping(markets, florist, pharmacy, etc.), Food (fruits, vegetables, dairy, etc.), Eating Out(restaurant, breakfast, lunch, dinner, etc.) Study (school, science, math etc.), Work (office, computer, farm, etc.), Transportation (roads, cars, trains, buses, planes etc.), Sports (Soccor, basketball, hockey etc.), Leisure (arts, music, games, outdoor activities, camping, etc.), Environment (Space, the earth, landscape, plants, animals, etc.), and reference( time, numbers, weights and measures,maps, useful phrases etc.). The book also includes a full index of Italian to English and English to Italian words cross-referenced with the page number where they appear in the book.

The History of the San Damiano Crucifix

2007-03-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

The History of theSan Damiano Crucifix

An unknown Umbrian artist painted the Crucifix Icon in the 12th Century. There is strong Syrian influence, and history tells us that there had been some Syrian monks in the area.

It is painted on wood (walnut) to which cloth had been glued. It is about 190 cm high, 120 cms wide and 12 cms thick. It is more than likely it was painted for San Damiano to hang over the Altar as the Blessed Sacrament was not reserved in non Parish Churches of those times and especially those that had been abandoned and neglected as we know San Damiano had been. In 1257 the Poor Clares left San Damiano for San Giorgio and took the Crucifix with them. They carefully kept the Cross for 700 years.

In Holy Week of 1957, it was placed on public view for the first time over the new Altar in San Giorgio's Chapel in the Basilica of St Clare of Assisi.

The Icon of the Transfigured Christ

For Eastern Christians the Icon is a representation of the living God, and by coming into its presence it becomes a personal encounter with the sacred, through the grace of the Holy Spirit. The San Damiano Icon is then a personal encounter with the transfigured Christ - God made man. The Crucifix contains the story of the death, resurrection and ascension into glory. It expresses the total and universal Paschal Mystery of Christ. It invites us all to take part in it with a lively and lived faith, just as St Francis did. Christ's saving death is shown in John's Gospel in its serene majesty, and this Crucifix portrays this in picture form. It is not surprising that Saint Francis was attracted to this Icon and that the inspiration for his life came from this Christ who spoke to him "Go repair my Church ... ".

The Figure of the Christ

The central figure of the icon is Christ, not only because of the relative size, but because Christ is a figure of light dominating the scene and giving light to the other figures "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. " (John 8:12). Christ stands upright, not nailed. The eyes of Jesus are open: He looks out to the world, which He has saved. He is alive, the one who is eternal. Jesus' vestment is a simple loin cloth - a symbol of both High Priest and Victim. The chest, throat and neck are very strong, Jesus gives power of re-creation to His Disciples (John 22:23). He breathed on His Disciples (John 20:22), the Greek word used recalls the moment of Creation (Gen 2:7). The shadow over the face of Jesus is increased by the fact the halo and face are tilted forward on the original Icon. The humanity of Christ veils the true glory of the Word who lives in the super illuminous darkness of the Godhead. Behind the outstretched arms of Christ is His empty tomb, shown as a black rectangle.

The Medallion and Inscription.

The Ascension is portrayed within this circle of red: Christ is breaking out of the circle, holding a golden cross which is now His Royal Sceptre. His garments are gold - a symbol of royalty and victory. His red scarf is a sign of His Dominion and Kingship; exercised in love. Angels welcome Him into Heaven. IHS are the first three letters of the name of Jesus. The little bracket above indicates it is shorthand. NAZARE is the Nazarene; REX is' king' and IUDEORUM is 'of the Jews', which is reported in St John's Gospel "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews"

The Hand of the Father

From within the semi-circle at the very top of the Icon, He whom no eye has seen reveals Himself in a benediction. This blessing is given by the right hand of God with the finger extended - the Holy Spirit. The Father gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to all because of the merits of the Christ's Passion.

The Mystical Vine

Around the Cross are various calligraphic scrolls which may signify the mystical vine "I am the vine, you are the branches... " (John 15), which also contain the words "Greater love has no one than this, that one lays down one 's life for one friends ". At the base of the cross there seems to be a section that looks like a rock - the symbol of the Church. The seashells are symbols of eternity - a mystery hidden in the vast and timeless sea of eternity is revealed.

Mary and John

As in John's Gospel, Mary and John are placed side by side. Mary's mantle is white meaning victory (Rev 3:5), purification (Rev 7:14); and good deeds (Rev 19:8). The gems on the mantle refer to the graces of the Holy Spirit. The dark red worn under the mantic indicate intense love, while the inner dress is purple - the Ark of the Covenant (Ex 26: 1-4).

Mary's left hand is raised to her cheek - her acceptance and love of John, and her right hand points to John while her eyes proclaim acceptance of Christ's words "Woman, behold your son... " (John 19:26). The blood drips on to John at this moment. John's mantle is rose colour indicating eternal wisdom, while his tunic is white - purity. His position is between Jesus and Mary as is fitting for the disciple loved by both of them. He looks at Mary "Son, behold your Mother", but points to Christ.

Numbers

There are 33 figures in the Icon - Two Christ figures, 1 Hand of the Father, 5 major figures, 2 smaller figures, 14 angels, 2 unknown at His hands, 1 small boy, 6 unknown at the bottom of the Cross and one rooster. There are 33 nail heads along the frame just inside the shells and seven around the halo.

The Other Major Figures:

Mary Magdalene.

Mary Magdalene is next to Christ making her very special; her hand is on her chin indicating a confided secret "He is risen ". She wears scarlet, which is a symbol of love; her mantle of blue deepens this.

Mary Clopas.

Some authorities make her the mother of James. She wears garments of an earthen color a symbol of humility, and her light green mantle - hope. Her admiration of Jesus is indicated by the gesture of her hand.

The Centurion of Capernaum.

He holds a piece of wood in his left hand, indicating his building of the Synagogue (Luke 7: 1 - 10). The little boy beyond his shoulder is his son healed by Jesus. The three heads behind the boy show "he and his whole household believed" (John 4: 45 - 54). He has extended his thumb and two fingers, a symbol of the Trinity, while his two closed fingers symbolise the hidden mystery of the two natures of Jesus the Christ. "Truly He is the Son of God" (Mark 15:39).

The Lesser Figures:

Longinus.

The Roman soldier who pierced Jesus' side with a lance.

Stephen.

Tradition gives this name to the soldier who offered Jesus a sponge soaked in vinegar wine after Jesus cried out "I thirst" (John 19: 28 -30).

The Unknown Saints.
The Unknown Saints represented on the San Damiano Crucifix" />
At the bottom of the Icon are six unknown saints whom Scholars postulate are Sts Damian, Rufinus, Michael John the Baptist, Peter and Paul, all patrons of Churches in the Assisi area. St Damian was the Patron of the Church that housed the Cross and St Rufinus was the Patron Saint of Assisi. There is too much damage of that area to make a proper identification.

The Astonished Angels.

There sat two groups of angels - animatedly discussing the scene unfolded before them. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not die but have life everlasting" (John 3:16).

The Tomb.

As mentioned before behind Christ is the open tomb; Christ is alive and standing over the tomb. The red of love overcomes the black of death. The gestures of the unknown saints at His hands indicate faith. Could these be Peter and John at the empty tomb? (John 20: 3 - 9).

The Rooster.

Firstly, the inclusion of the rooster recalls the denial of Peter who wept bitterly. Secondly, the rooster proclaims the new dawn of the Risen Christ 1 the true light (1 John 2:8). "But for you who revere my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings" (Malachi 4:2 or 3:20 depending on your translation).

The Shape of the Cross.

The shape of the Cross has changed to enable the artist to include all who participated in the drama of the Passion. Note that the arms of the cross lift to Christ's right indicating that the Good Thief (traditionally called Dismas) went to Heaven; while the left hand dips - the other thief did not.

Pictures from Spring 2009

2006-12-01T11:52:00.000-08:00

We had a lot of fun!

Added by Jenna Hayes
to the group "USF Students in Italy"
from the album "Cruising around the town..."
View from one of the bridges

Photo byAmanda BojanPhoto by Amanda Bojan

Nicole Worthem write about this pic: "best prof EVER"

Piazza de Republica Added by Jenna Hayes

posted by Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson

Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson's Photo - Climbing Florence

________________________________________________

We made an awesome afredo sauce tho, we should package it and become rich and famous here in Florence..
Report - Delete

Tara Sandhya Rodriguez (St. Francis IL) wrote
at 9:06am on February 10th, 2009

They don't have Alfredo sauce here or heavy cream to make it. We actually learned that Alfredo is a name of a man that probably came to America and made the sauce for a restaurant, but Italians have no idea what the Alfredo is. Yesterday Jenna and I went to the store to try and find creme to make the sauce and they just looked at use like we were crazy. It might of been because or Italian was horrible or because creme is a dessert item not a ingredient. We had to improvise and make the sauce with milk instead but it turned out really well. We also sauteed some mushrooms to but in it as well.
----------------------------------------------------------

Added by Tara Sandhya Rodriguez

Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson's Photo - Climbing Florence

Photo byAmanda BojanPhoto by Amanda Bojan

Tara Sandhya Rodriguez (St. Francis IL) wrote
at 9:01am on February 10th, 2009
Going out for a drink after class has a whole other meaning here. A drink is just that, a drink. The class with John went out and we had a really great discussion aobut St. Francis and his ego. It was nice to be able to have a conversation with people about something so deep while sitting in a bar. The night was a great one to walk around and take pictures on too. The lights fit the river off of the pantivecio just right and illuminate everything, its magical.

Florence at dusk by Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson

Another view of the Duomo and Cathedral by Jenny Hays

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The University of Saint Francis of Joliet Il. is here in Florence (arrived 1/31/08)

We hope in these few pages to provide future students with information and inspiration.

___First week___

Tara Sandhya Rodriguez wrote at 6:20am

Florence is actually easier to walk around in then i expected, all you have to do is find a point of reference like the Dromo and everything else just kinda is branched out from that. The shops are crazy small and everything feels like its travel size. Milk doesn't come in a gallon it comes in a quart, nothing bigger. And all the cars look like ... Read More Tonka Toys. The keypad here is all in Italian too so i keep hitting the wrong button, but it helps you figure out what words mean like Block Maiusc is the Caps Lock!

*****

Nick Matesevac (Tera's Boyfriend,USF & USF Italy Trip alum) Suggest that the group check out Florences Museum of Natural History: "Spiders, insects on pins, stuffed animals in glass cases, and wax bodies."

Here are some more details:
.

Florence's Museum of Natural History:

Several generations of the Medicis had collected with passion great artistic treasures, but also a wide range of natural treasures like fossils, animals, minerals and exotic plants. This material was used to create a Museum of Natural History.

For this reason, the prince purchased in 1771 the block of buildings situated next to the Pitti Palace, which still is the present-day location of the museum. "La Specola" was officially inaugurated in 1775; until the early years of the l9th century it was the only scientific museum specifically created for the public, with opening hours, guides and keepers. Today the philosophy of the museum is very much the same.

Today visitors have access to 34 rooms: 24 are dedicated to zoology and 10 to anatomic waxes.
The zoological section displays both recently acquired and old examples of animals preserved with the technique of taxidermy, such as the hippopotamus (shown on your left) that was apparently given to the Grand Duke in the second half of the 17th century and lived for a few years in the Boboli Gardens.

The Museum is particularly proud of its collection of anatomic waxes, an art introduced in Florence by Ludovico Cigoli (1559-1613), which enjoyed its maximum period of splendour and technical and scientific accuracy during the 18th century.
The most important pieces of the wax collection is represented by the group of waxes by Gaetano Zumbo (1656-1701), which possess an extraordinary artistic value besides representing excellent anatomical models..The wax collection, unique in the quantity and beauty of its pieces, was created in order to teach anatomy without having to directly observe a cadaver.

The interior of the museum also houses a very special area: the so-called Ttibune of Galileo designed and built in 1841 by the architect Giuseppe Martelli to celebrate the famous Tuscan scientist and to display his instruments together with those belonging to the Accademia del Cimento (this material is now displayed in the Museum of the History of Science). The room is decorated with frescoes and sculptured and inlaid marbles that illustrate some of the most important Italian scientific discovers from the Renaissance period to our days. http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei /museum_of_natural_history.html

***

Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson started his own blog titled:
A Black Man in Italy- here is an excerpt:

We loaded on the train to Florence and its so odd that I'm the stranger speaking a different language, but I am surprised at how many people speak some form of English. As we road the train we got to see what I call the Italian country side. It was truly amazing. On the train ride we saw so much. To the right of me I had hills that kissed the clouds, and to the left was the vineyards that made this country legendary.

Ciao
Theadore, thats my Italian name
_____________________________________

"Italy is awesome it really love it. there is this little place next to capa that has the best rebolitta and the guy in the shop sings as he serves you hes the cutest guy ever and him and his wife argue all the time its soo cute. the apt. is great its awsome soooo amazing i love my room the view is great i'll have pics up soon." -Tara

(Note: Ribollita =Tuscan Vegetable and Bread Soup)

Tara Sandhya Rodriguez , Hayley Schommer , Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson celebrating their arrival

Florence 2009 -Facebook Suggestions

2005-02-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

If you are into " Facebook" (free memebership) you can belong to many differnt groups. There is even a "Study Abroad Florence Spring 2009" group which post interesting ideas for trips or for places around Florance -this is thier latsest posting:

Basic Info

Type:

Student Groups - Abroad/Overseas Groups

Description:

Hi guys! If you are coming to Florence to visit or to study abroad this spring or you know anyone that is, this is your group.

All you need to know about where to go, where to eat, and what to do, to have fun while you are in Florence.

We'll hook you up at the best events and parties. We’ll let you know about great offers and deals regarding nightlife and traveling.

If it is not posted on the group feel free to write us a message, wall post or email and we will get back to you with more Florence Info.

-----------------------WEEKEND TRIPS-------------------------

Best deals for weekend trips to the most exciting and interesting locations in Tuscany and famous cities of Europe.

Europe: Europe: Prague - Czech Republic, Swiss Alps - Interlaken, Paris - France , Vienna - Austria , Corfu - Greek Islands, Canary Islands, Munich - Germany, Nice French Riviera and much more....

Italy:Amalfi Coast, Cinque Terre, Chianti,Tuscany, Siena, Venice, Rome, Lake Como and more....

******************** CORFU & ATHENS SPRING BREAK ********************
The Ultimate Spring Break balanced between island fun and the grandeur of Athens. Corfu is considered to be Greece's most beautiful island with breathtaking beaches and Europe's FUNNEST hostel - The Pink Palace.

After the fun and festa of The Palace! Visit the ancient city of Athens, as important as Rome for archaeological treasures, classical mythology, history and grandeur.

€450 - 7 days, 3 Nights in Corfu, 3 Nights in Athens
Includes: Round-trip Cruise from Italy to Greece and back on a cruise boat with bars, clubs, cinema, restaurants, Wi-Fi, shops and more..., Transport between Corfu and Athens and back to the ferry, Accommodation in the FUNNEST hostel in Europe on Corfu Island!!!, Breakfast and some dinners in Corfu, Hotel accommodation and breakfast in Athens, And of course FlorenceForFun Tour Leaders to help you make the most out of your Spring Break.

*****BOOK NOW, CLICK THE LINK*****
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=2085

******************** Venice Carnivale Day Trip ********************
Spend a the day at the most famous Carnevale celebration. Join the masked revilers for one of the biggest parties in Italy!

Discover this unique city of water, starting with a boat trip down The Grand Canal. Admire the sumptuous palaces, the museums renowned for both their antique and their modern art, The Rialto Bridge and the many splendid churches. Arriving finally in the heart of Venice - Piazza San Marco, with its famous cathedral, The Clock Tower, The Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs

€65 – Day Trip
Sunday February 15 & 22
Includes: transport by private bus, a boat ride down the grand canal of Venice to San Marco Square and the opportunity to spend a full day enjoying the Masquerade and Venice festivities.

*****BOOK NOW, CLICK THE LINK*****
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=167

****************************** INTERLAKEN ******************************
You've heard all about from your friends! It is truly one of the winter travel destinations not to be missed. Adventure, fun, all wrapped up in the Swiss Alps. Skiing, Snowboarding, Skydiving, Night Sledding & more

Interlaken, labeled the adventure sports capital of northern Europe, couldn't be a more magical place. This gorgeous village is nestled in between the Lakes Thun and Brienz and framed by the snow-capped trio of peaks of the Swiss Alps, the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau. Offering Skiing, Snowboarding, Skydiving, Night Sledding, Paragliding and more, there are endless activities to keep the adrenalin pumping. For those of you who like to keep you feet a little firmer on the ground, explore the region by taking a day trip to the Swiss Capital - Bern, discovering Interlaken by quad bike or horse back, take a ride on the Jungfrau to the highest railway station in Europe, indulge in spa beauty treatments or shopping along the elegant streets of Interlaken.

€180 – 3 days and 3 nights
Includes: accommodation, breakfast and round trip transport.

*****BOOK NOW, CLICK THE LINK*****
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=1979

***************************** LAKE COMO *****************************
Discover why George Clooney chooses Lake Como as his vacation destination!!! Visit the famous & elegant town of Bellagio (used as inspiration for the Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas) and the stunning Lake Como Villas used as locations for films such as Casino Royal and Episode 1 & 2 of Star Wars. Relax lake side, rent boats, water ski, wake board & more...

€150 - Transport in private coach & accommodation in bungalows on
the lake. Plus Day 1 transport to Belagio & ferry boat across the lake to the town of Varenna. Day 2 transport to Tremezzo - Villa Carlotta & Lenno - Villa del Balbianello - Star Wars. Entry fee to the villas not included.

*****BOOK NOW, CLICK THE LINK*****
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=2093

******************************** PRAGUE ********************************
One of Europe's most fascinating cities, Prague is a haunting and enchanting, modern and an old-world, fairytale city - all in one.

Fondly referred to as the "City of a Hundred Spires" or the "Golden City", Prague is one of the most visited cities in Europe, renown for its well-preserved city center featuring a smorgasbord of architectual styles including; Gothic spires, Baroque Domes, Art Nouveau and Cubist facades. Unforgettable is the Ancient Castle sitting on top of the hill keeping a watchful eye over the city and the charm of walking across the Charles Bridge. Prague, as a modern city, offers an irresistable array of food including but definitely not limited to traditional Czech, some of the best bagels outside of New York and some of the best beer produced on the continent.

€250 – 3 days and 3 nights
Includes: Round-trip transport in private coach, Accommodation in a 3-star Hotel in the historic center of Prague, Breakfast, FlorenceForFun Tour Leader, and Information sheet about Prague

*****BOOK NOW, CLICK THE LINK*****
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=2012

---------NIGHTLIFE CONCERTS BARS, CLUBS & EVENTS---------

*****TWENTYONE Club*****
Open Wednesday – Saturday
Live DJ Hip hop and House
No Cover Charge, No Drink Card, Happy Hour 10pm – 12am 3 Drinks for €10
Via dei Cimatori 13/R (Near Piazza Signoria)

Join the TwentyOne Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10513152062

*****MONDAYS at YAB*****
Every Monday Night
Live CONCERTS with international artists and DJs
Via Sassetti, 5/R
http://www.yab.it/

------------------------- SPORTS EVENTS ---------------------

*****FIORENTINA SOCCER GAMES*****
you can purchase tickets at the FlorenceForFun Office
Via della Pergola 10A (Red) from 12:00pm to 06:00 pm.
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=1235

Plus info on BIG American sports games and events for example NFL (Superbowl), NHL (Stanley Cup), MLB (World Series), NCAA Sports (March Madness, College Bowls and more…)

------------------------ COOKING CLASSES ----------------------

*****ITALIAN COOKING CLASSES*****
Italian and Tuscan Cooking
PIzza and Gelato Making
Wine Tasting

Every Tuesday and Thursday

*****BOOK NOW, CLICK THE LINK*****
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=64

------------------- MORE FUN STUFF IN FLORENCE ---------------

*****AMERICAN STYLE BRUNCH*****
every Sunday from 12pm to 3pm at Angels Restaurant . Huge plates of all your favorite foods including pancakes, french toast, omelettes, eggs benedict, fresh baked bagels, burgers and more.

Average cost of a plate is €10 which includes an all you can eat breakfast buffet of muffins, cereal, yogurt, bread, jam, and more…. Table reservations call or sms Anna 3287290848.
*****MORE INFO, CLICK THE LINK*****
http://www.florenceforfun.org/index.php?lng=1&id=115

***** Swan Gymnastic Center: Via dei Pepi 28 *****
http://www.palestraswan.net
Monday - Friday
9am - 10pm
Saturday 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 1pm

One Day Free Trial and Discount Prices for Students!!!! Just Bring your ID Card or Tell them Fabio from FlorenceForFun sent you!!!

GAG, Step, Pilates, Aerobica, Body Tone, Total Body Sculpt, Fit and Stretch, Fit-Boxe, Body Building, Hip-Hip, Funky Fitness

Contact Info

Email:
Website:	http://www.florenceforfun.org
Office:	FlorenceForFun SRL - Tours & Travel
Location:	Via della Pergola 10A - red Florence, Italy

2003-08-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

The University of Saint Francis in Joliet Il. is offering and opportunity for their students to study in Italy.

We hope in these few pages to provide you with information and inspiration.

There is a limit to how many students we may take, and also a cut off date for applying. I wish all the students could have the chance to participate in this exciting program.

I look forward to talking to all those interested, or answering any questions you have.

Dr. John Bowers

Program Coordinator

USF Students :: Come to Italy to Study for a Semester

University of Saint Francis Of Joliet Illinios Study Abroad in Italy

Survey

Questioning Student attitudesabout studying abroadChance to win Itune Gift Card

Myths about Studying Abroad

Pictures from Spring 2007

Frequently asked Questions

locations

Money Matters

admission

University of St. Francis CAPA Florence Program Spring 2011

imprtant dates

home

Why the U.S. Senate thinks study abroad is a good idea

Being St. Francis by Valerie Martin

Outside Resources and Notes

The History of the San Damiano Crucifix

Pictures from Spring 2009

Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson started his own blog titled:A Black Man in Italy- here is an excerpt:

Florence 2009 -Facebook Suggestions

If you are into " Facebook" (free memebership) you can belong to many differnt groups. There is even a "Study Abroad Florence Spring 2009" group which post interesting ideas for trips or for places around Florance -this is thier latsest posting:

Contact Info

Questioning Student attitudes
about studying abroad
Chance to win Itune Gift Card

Thaddeus Kakeuko Henderson started his own blog titled:
A Black Man in Italy- here is an excerpt: