“Three Years! In a Cave! With No Cave TV! “

After a sunburnt day at the beach on Friday, we woke up early yesterday to go on our field trip to Subiaco. I was especially pumped for this trip, because- as I made sure to tell everyone and anyone within earshot- I gave a speech pretty much every Wednesday morning this summer at camp on St. Benedict. The busdriver was a half hour late, but definitely made up for lost time by driving alarmingly fast through traffic and hills alike. Subiaco has two monasteries. This first we visited was the monastery of St. Scholastica. This was the first monastery built by Benedict. It also is known for its library (which we sadly didn’t get to see) where the first Italian book was printed.  Our tour guide was an adorable girl with the best hair I have ever seen. She pointed out the different frescos and styles of architecture.

Monastery of St. Scholastica


After our tour we had a delicious, multi course meal. This weirdly scrumptious frittata thing, pasta, beef, potatoes, a dessert with what we think may have been apricot. It was so wonderful to have such a different meal! I think we all may be a tad sick of pizza and pasta with red sauce.

Andrew and I enjoying our meal (?)

 We then took an extremely treacherous bus ride up the mountain to the Sacro- Speco- the monastery of St. Benedict. Seriously, that massive bus was way to close to the edge for comfort. As beautiful as the view was, it was difficult to watch as we twisted and turned up to the monastery. Once we got there we explored and took pictures of the beautiful mountains. We then went in for our tour, which unfortunately forbid photography. The Sacro-Speco was the cave St. Benedict lived in for three years when decided to escape from the corrupt world and become a hermit. A monk would lower food to him.  The monastery was built after Benedict died and is formed into the mountain. It really is beautiful. The inside is covered with frescos and the cave itself is small, but decorated with statues of Benedict, the cross, and a basket. Fun fact: St. Francis of Assisi came to visit and stayed in the cave for a week and had his portrait painted there. It is the last live portrait of Francis.

Sacre-Speco

The rest of the day was quite boring. I have a cold and spent the rest of the day in bed, reading, sniffling, and attempting to sleep.

Today was dedicated to homework. However, Erin and I began it with a surprising trip to Mass. We went back to Santa Susana  to find the church packed with people in remembrance of September 11, 2001.  Mass was said by William Cardinal Levada  and a reflection was given by Miguel Diaz US Ambassador to the Holy See (and former Theology professor at St. Johns!)  He had left before I arrived freshman year, but I recognized his name and face from the school website. Erin and I gathered our courage and approached him. He was extending his hand politely for a hand hake as I was explaining we went to St.Bens! He dropped his hand, exclaimed quite loudly in the somewhat quite church “BENNIES!” and gave us a big hug! He then called over his family and wife (“ Marian, come here and hug them! They’re Bennies!”). We chatted with Mrs. Diaz for a while about the Roman-Greco program, what we have done (“have you been to the beach yet? Good!”), and our majors. She and her husband were so welcoming and very disappointed we did not bring our cameras to take a picture (who knew I would need my camera at Mass!? That’s the last time I leave it at the apartment!). They both encouraged us to talk to Jean about going on a trip to the embassy. Maybe we’ll get our picture then! It was a great way to start off the day. 

Miguel Diaz!