Francis Lives Here.indd

San Damiano
S
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an Damiano is a mysterious and
beautiful place. At the time of
St. Francis it was a church that was
already falling into ruin, so it is at
least a thousand years old and there
were buildings here for many centuries
before that. The best way to come to
it is on the old road that leads down
from Assisi – it is very steep and passes
by fields of olive trees – and you can
appreciate the beautiful Spoletan valley
as you walk down, knowing that this at
one time was the main road from Assisi
to Foligno and then to Rome at the time
of St. Francis. You will come first to a
little roundabout where you can see the
walls of the friary. Continuing on down
you will notice on your right a modern
bronze statue of St. Francis. It seems
he is being buffeted by the wind, but
his face is calm and serene
untroubled by the
storms of this world. You arrive in the
square in front of San Damiano and you
can pause to take your breath. If you
have approached by the other way – a
more convenient car park, you will still
have walked past glades of olive trees
and also have seen some of the Spoletan
valley below you on your right.
Stand in front of the building and
look at it. You will be able to make out
the original church which dates back to
St. Francis’ time. On the left side is the
cloister – it is the door by which you will
exit, close to the little reception room,
where again you can usually obtain an
information leaflet in English – on the
right side is the entrance, which was not
there at the time of Francis. The original
building is in fact in the middle and
formed a sort of L-shape, comprising
the church on the ground floor, the
oratory and dormitory on
San Damiano
The interior
of San Damiano
with detail of Francis’ father.
the upper floor in respect of the first
limb, and the refectory (ground floor)
and infirmary (first floor but not open
for visitors) which make up the second
limb of the L.
The origin of the name of the church
is also somewhat odd. The saints Cosma
and Damiano were well known, but their
names generally went together which
has led some historians to speculate
that the name of the church is due to
some local saint. Whatever the case may
be San Damiano is central to Franciscan
history because it is here that St. Francis
received his first vocation and where
St. Clare lived out hers for some 42 years.
Francis came in to the church to pray
here before that crucifix which is now
in the Basilica of St. Clare. He wanted to
know what to do with his life – and to
his great surprise the Christ on that cross
replied to him saying, “Go rebuild my
church which as you can see is falling
into ruins!”. What does it take to rebuild
a church? If you are a rich merchant’s
son the answer seems obvious – money.
Francis is impetuous. He goes on to
Foligno, a nearby town, sells some of
his father’s goods and returns to offer
the old priest that lives in San Damiano
the money for the necessary repairs and
asks that he may live there to help serve
the church. The priest accepts the latter
offer but refuses the money fearful of
Francis’ powerful father. Francis leaves
the money in the church window and
pays no further attention to it. There is
an amusing 14th century fresco which
surrounds the niche where the window
once was. It shows Francis praying
before the cross with the priest nearby
looking up fearfully towards Assisi from
where Pietro Bernardone is descending
with a large stick in his hand to castigate
his son. The fresco can be found at the
back of the little church, when you turn
to your left upon entering.
Francis is not perturbed at the end
of the day. His Father is in heaven,
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and no longer Pietro Bernardone.
He goes around begging for
stones to rebuild the church.
He calls passers-by to help him
prophetically saying that ladies
whose name will become famous
throughout the world will come
to live here. He begins to attract
followers to him and they rebuild
three churches in the area, the
last being the Porziuncola which
is now enclosed in the Basilica of
Santa Maria degli Angeli. But the
Church is not a building of material,
but of living stones and Francis comes
to realize his mission to rebuild the
Church which during his time suffered
from much corruption and malpractice.
That he was the man to build it up again
was recognized by the Pope of that time
who dreamed that this little Poor Man
of Assisi was holding up the tottering
Lateran Basilica, wonderfully depicted
by Giotto in St. Francis’ Basilica.
I should perhaps give you a warning
before entering here. Franciscan sites
St. Francis before
the Crucifix
in San Damiano
Most High glorious God
Illuminate the shadows of my heart.
Lord, give me right faith,
sure hope and perfect love
good sense and understanding
so that I may always follow
your holy and true commandments.
(St. Francis of Assisi)
touched by the lives of Francis or Clare
and their followers are powerful places
that can still change peoples’ lives
radically today. Francis and Clare are
alive – as Jesus said when rebuking the
Sadducees for their error in not knowing
the Scriptures, the God of Israel is a god
of the living and not of the dead. I first
came here as a tourist – and returned to
live here and complete my novitiate as
a friar. Here you may come across some
novices – recognizable by the fact that the
cords round their habits do not yet have
the three knots which symbolize the vows
of poverty, chastity and obedience. Each
of them has their own individual
story and in the past few years
you would have found
doctors, lawyers, research
scientists, plumbers and
pastry cooks amongst
The cloister
of San Damiano.
San Damiano
them. If you kneel and pray before the
cross of San Damiano – the copy of
the original – do so in the knowledge
that you may receive a response to the
deepest questions that have remained
unanswered in your heart.
Let’s go in now to the building. The
first room that you enter has been added
since the time of St. Francis however
it leads into a second which probably
formed part of the priest’s living quarters
and sacristy at the time of St. Francis. You
will notice on the right a very graphic
crucifix carved by a friar, Innocent of
Palermo. Going on into the chapel you
will immediately notice on the right
the copy of the original cross of San
Damiano. The choir behind the altar,
where the friars still intone their morning
praises and evening vespers, dates back
to the early 16th century and it is possible
that the Madonna with the large eyes on
the ceiling above was there at the time
of Francis. The scene is particularly
evocative if you attend vespers on an
early summer’s evening when the sunset
lights up the church from the west. You
will notice also the decoration of stars in
the ceiling above the altar, a motif that
you will find repeated in the little church
of the Porziuncola which you are also to
visit. Rest for a little while to contemplate
on these antique surroundings, not
forgetting the “window” with its
surrounding fresco at the back of the
church. It is a place for prayer and guides
are not allowed to speak inside.
Afterwards continue on up past the
altar on the right. You will enter a little
space where you can see the little choir
of St. Clare on your left. It was originally
larger, or it couldn’t have fitted the 50
sisters whose names you see are listed
on a lectern inside on the right. Which
way it extended however is not known.
The ground on which you are standing
was also the place where
the first sisters were buried,
but when the Poor Clares
left San Damiano in 1260
they took with them all
the precious remains up to
the new Convent beside the
Basilica of St. Clare and of course
the original cross of San Damiano.
There is also a window in front of
you. It looks out on the
Garden of the Canticle
of the Creatures. This
is the first poem of the
Italian language – and
was written by St. Francis
when he spent a couple
of months here at the end
of his life when he was
suffering from many illnesses, the
stigmata, and was almost blind. Its
composition followed upon a night
when he was tortured with pain,
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annoyed by rodents and for the first time
since his conversion recorded as feeling
sorry for himself. Accepting this for the
love of Christ however, he received the
response that from now on he should
live in serenity as if he had already
entered into the Kingdom of Heaven. He
composed the poem in the morning and
set it to music which unfortunately we no
longer have.
Proceeding on up the stairs there is
a window with looks out onto the little
garden of St. Clare little more than a
window box but as you will see from the
window in the oratory in which you are
now entering it provided a wonderful
view over the valley below. The oratory
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The stairway
to the oratory.
is over the choir and you can see a trap
door through which a light could be let
down in order for the prayers to be read.
There is also a niche from where the Holy
Eucharist was kept. St. Clare when the
convent and town was besieged by Saracen
mercenaries prayed for help from heaven,
before confronting the invaders with the
Eucharist. The saint’s prayer for protection
was replied to by a voice like that of a child
which according to the evidence given by
a sister at Clare’s canonization process
said that He had always protected her
and always would. The invaders fled and
the town also was saved. Each 22nd June
a procession descends from the town of
Assisi and the Mayor presents the Guardian
here with votive candles in thanks for the
protection of Saint Clare.
We carry on up a further little set of
steps into the dormitory. The place in
the corner is where
San Damiano
Clare is traditionally said to have slept. The
sisters slept on wood or straw and, with 50
sleeping together here, the austerity of the
surroundings gives one food for thought.
St. Clare, through extended fasting, was
often ill and on one Christmas after
Francis’ death she was left alone by the
other sisters who had gone to pray. Whilst
she remained alone she heard the friars
singing in celebration at the Basilica of
St. Francis, the instruments being played
and even saw the Christmas crib. With
the advent of television, it is perhaps no
surprise then that she was made its patron
saint in the 1950s. The windows of the
dormitory look out on the cloister which is
an addition from the time of St. Francis as
only the refectory and the infirmary which
you can see on the right hand side were in
existence then.
Exiting by the door in the corner
on the right from
which you can see the cloister which is
splendid in its simplicity. The exhibition
hall at the same level allows you to
see art inspired by the Canticle of the
Creatures and prints of some of these
can be obtained here. If there are any
mistakes in the English translations
accompanying these – it is my fault!
Descending the stairs one exits into
the cloister and on the far side you can
view the original refectory from the
cloister. On the right side the position of
Clare is marked by flowers – again in the
place most suitable for serving the other
sisters. On the left wall the miraculous
blessing of the bread by St. Clare is
recalled. Much against her will she was
The dormitory of the Poor Ladies
of San Damiano.
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San Damiano
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asked to bless the bread by
a visiting Pope, the sign
of the cross appeared on
each of the loaves. The
wood here is the original
and the refectory is still
used once a year by the
friars here when they eat
a simple meal of lentils
in silence on Good Friday.
Just in the corner beside
the viewing location for
the refectory there are two
sixteenth century frescoes
by Eusebio Perugino,
depicting the Annunciation
and St. Francis receiving
the stigmata. If you look
up along the side of the
wall which forms the
external part of the church
you can see the signs of
the restoration for which
St. Francis was originally
responsible.
The exit is via the
door which leads out onto
the square in front of the
church. You can also get a
better view of the Garden
of the Canticle of the
Creatures by going across
a little bridge on the right
of the square, and it is
perhaps then appropriate
to finish by reading those
memorable words of
praise.
The Canticle
of the Creatures
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
all praise is yours, all glory, all honour, and all blessing.
To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.
All praise be yours, my Lord,
through all you have made,
and first my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day;
and through whom you give us light.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendour;
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All Praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon
and the stars; in the heavens you have made them,
bright, and precious, and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord,
through Brothers wind and air, and fair and stormy,
all the weather’s moods,
by which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
so useful, humble, precious and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how cheerful!
Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through our Sister
Mother Earth, who sustains us and governs us,
and produces various fruits with coloured flowers
and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord,
through those who grant pardon for love of you;
through those who endure sickness and trial.
Happy are those who endure in peace,
By You, Most High, they will be crowned.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,
From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing your will!
The second death can do them no harm.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks
And serve him with great humility.
(St. Francis of Assisi)