A Pilgrimage to the Tomb of St. Francis: Walking the Via Francesco from Rome to Assisi

[Kevin Considine]

A Pilgrimage from November, 2019. I will be posting this journey on my blog over the next two weeks. Via Francesco is a perfect next Camino for thise who feel a connection to St. Francis.
—————–
After walking the Via Francigena Canterbury, England to Rome Pilgrimage over 86 days you would think it was time to take a break. However, my partner, Mika just departed for her home in Japan I am alone. While I am feeling an urge to keep going.

(Offering gratitude for the 2000K Via Francigena Pilgrimage)

The natural thing to do would be to continue south on Via Francigena to the southern shores of Italy on the way to Jerusalem.

(St. Peter holding the key to Rome)

So this morning I strolled to St. Peter’s to light some candles for friends and family and was wondering how to get some information on the southern route from Rome to Apulia which I planned to start tomorrow, 30 October.

Alway nice to see a Camino Shell. (In St. Peter’s Church)

In St. Peter’s a guard explained there are no candles for security reasons. Walking out of St. Peter’s I was thinking of finding another church nearby and thought Assisi. I’m not a big fan of St. Peter’s as it seems to be more of a monument to the Papacy then a place of prayer and reflection. Walking on to Assisi on the Via Francesco feels perfect.

A few weeks earlier I met some pilgrims on Via Francigena who were going to veer to Assisi after Lucca. Mika and I thought of walking to Assisi as well but we lacked time as Mika needed to get to Rome before her Schengen Visa expired. Walking out of St. Peter’s, reflecting, an awareness came to me that Assisi and the tomb of St. Francis, that most gentle soul and lover of nature and all of God’s creation, is where I am supposed to go.

While reflecting on Francis and Assisi, I drifted over to the fountain in the center of St. Peter’s Square, where I “coincidentally” bumped into Noëlle Dav from Holland who just completed a 3,000K Pilgrimage from Amsterdam to Rome via Assisi. One more example of the Camino and another pilgrim providing exactly what you need as she texted me a GPS routing for Via Francesco.


(With Nöelle of Holland)

It is a wonderful feeling knowing with certainty that the Pilgrimage you are on is exactly what you are supposed to be doing.

From the blog of global pilgrim. You can Subscribe at: http://globalpilgrim.net/

 

[longwalker60]

A Pilgrimage from November, 2019. I will be posting this journey on my blog over the next two weeks. Via Francesco is a perfect next Camino for thise who feel a connection to St. Francis.
—————–
After walking the Via Francigena Canterbury, England to Rome Pilgrimage over 86 days you would think it was time to take a break. However, my partner, Mika just departed for her home in Japan I am alone. While I am feeling an urge to keep going.

(Offering gratitude for the 2000K Via Francigena Pilgrimage)

The natural thing to do would be to continue south on Via Francigena to the southern shores of Italy on the way to Jerusalem.

(St. Peter holding the key to Rome)

So this morning I strolled to St. Peter’s to light some candles for friends and family and was wondering how to get some information on the southern route from Rome to Apulia which I planned to start tomorrow, 30 October.

Alway nice to see a Camino Shell. (In St. Peter’s Church)

In St. Peter’s a guard explained there are no candles for security reasons. Walking out of St. Peter’s I was thinking of finding another church nearby and thought Assisi. I’m not a big fan of St. Peter’s as it seems to be more of a monument to the Papacy then a place of prayer and reflection. Walking on to Assisi on the Via Francesco feels perfect.

A few weeks earlier I met some pilgrims on Via Francigena who were going to veer to Assisi after Lucca. Mika and I thought of walking to Assisi as well but we lacked time as Mika needed to get to Rome before her Schengen Visa expired. Walking out of St. Peter’s, reflecting, an awareness came to me that Assisi and the tomb of St. Francis, that most gentle soul and lover of nature and all of God’s creation, is where I am supposed to go.

While reflecting on Francis and Assisi, I drifted over to the fountain in the center of St. Peter’s Square, where I “coincidentally” bumped into Noëlle Dav from Holland who just completed a 3,000K Pilgrimage from Amsterdam to Rome via Assisi. One more example of the Camino and another pilgrim providing exactly what you need as she texted me a GPS routing for Via Francesco.

View attachment 116212
(With Nöelle of Holland)

It is a wonderful feeling knowing with certainty that the Pilgrimage you are on is exactly what you are supposed to be doing.

From the blog of global pilgrim. You can Subscribe at: http://globalpilgrim.net/

 

[longwalker60]

great pics and good story. Hang in there, and Buen Camino-No matter what route!

 

[FeatherG]

A Pilgrimage from November, 2019. I will be posting this journey on my blog over the next two weeks. Via Francesco is a perfect next Camino for thise who feel a connection to St. Francis.
—————–
After walking the Via Francigena Canterbury, England to Rome Pilgrimage over 86 days you would think it was time to take a break. However, my partner, Mika just departed for her home in Japan I am alone. While I am feeling an urge to keep going.

(Offering gratitude for the 2000K Via Francigena Pilgrimage)

The natural thing to do would be to continue south on Via Francigena to the southern shores of Italy on the way to Jerusalem.

(St. Peter holding the key to Rome)

So this morning I strolled to St. Peter’s to light some candles for friends and family and was wondering how to get some information on the southern route from Rome to Apulia which I planned to start tomorrow, 30 October.

Alway nice to see a Camino Shell. (In St. Peter’s Church)

In St. Peter’s a guard explained there are no candles for security reasons. Walking out of St. Peter’s I was thinking of finding another church nearby and thought Assisi. I’m not a big fan of St. Peter’s as it seems to be more of a monument to the Papacy then a place of prayer and reflection. Walking on to Assisi on the Via Francesco feels perfect.

A few weeks earlier I met some pilgrims on Via Francigena who were going to veer to Assisi after Lucca. Mika and I thought of walking to Assisi as well but we lacked time as Mika needed to get to Rome before her Schengen Visa expired. Walking out of St. Peter’s, reflecting, an awareness came to me that Assisi and the tomb of St. Francis, that most gentle soul and lover of nature and all of God’s creation, is where I am supposed to go.

While reflecting on Francis and Assisi, I drifted over to the fountain in the center of St. Peter’s Square, where I “coincidentally” bumped into Noëlle Dav from Holland who just completed a 3,000K Pilgrimage from Amsterdam to Rome via Assisi. One more example of the Camino and another pilgrim providing exactly what you need as she texted me a GPS routing for Via Francesco.

(With Nöelle of Holland)

It is a wonderful feeling knowing with certainty that the Pilgrimage you are on is exactly what you are supposed to be doing.

From the blog of global pilgrim. You can Subscribe at: http://globalpilgrim.net/

Hi Kevin & thank you for your input. St Francis was my Dad's favourite saint. He loved the outdoors, especially birds. I've just fed my garden birds ... my daughter would say they're better fed than us! Another coincidence, & this is where the Camino, as you mention yourself, has an uncanny way of gifting us what we need to know/do/say/plan ... I work as a Home Carer & a lovely man I looked after, who sadly passed, almost exactly a year ago, was also 'connected' to birds & sang to them in his garden. They flew around him & almost answered his song! Joe was special! Why I'm also mentioning him is because his surname was Considine! He was from County Clare. He's always around me & I miss him. I know he & my Dad, though they never met on earth, are best buddies in Heaven! I have been contemplating doing another 'stretch' of the Camino this summer, ;& I'm taking this as Joe's blessing/nudge to do it. I also love Italy & my brother has been to Asissi & raved about it, & because Dad loved St Francis, I'm wondering if He's nudging me in that direction! I wouldn't have the 'luxury' though of taking more than a week off work Either way, between the pair of them, they want me going somewhere! I also lived in the Netherlands for years! I'm a big believer in angels & the spiritual world too (my Facebook page is GG's Nest) & when I did my last Camino stretch, solo, in memory of Dad after he died, I had some 'hairy situations' that I know they got me out of! Your photos are beautiful! Buen Camino & best of luck with your journey ... 'may the road rise to meet you ...'

 

[Kevin Considine]

Hi Kevin & thank you for your input. St Francis was my Dad's favourite saint. He loved the outdoors, especially birds. I've just fed my garden birds ... my daughter would say they're better fed than us! Another coincidence, & this is where the Camino, as you mention yourself, has an uncanny way of gifting us what we need to know/do/say/plan ... I work as a Home Carer & a lovely man I looked after, who sadly passed, almost exactly a year ago, was also 'connected' to birds & sang to them in his garden. They flew around him & almost answered his song! Joe was special! Why I'm also mentioning him is because his surname was Considine! He was from County Clare. He's always around me & I miss him. I know he & my Dad, though they never met on earth, are best buddies in Heaven! I have been contemplating doing another 'stretch' of the Camino this summer, ;& I'm taking this as Joe's blessing/nudge to do it. I also love Italy & my brother has been to Asissi & raved about it, & because Dad loved St Francis, I'm wondering if He's nudging me in that direction! I wouldn't have the 'luxury' though of taking more than a week off work Either way, between the pair of them, they want me going somewhere! I also lived in the Netherlands for years! I'm a big believer in angels & the spiritual world too (my Facebook page is GG's Nest) & when I did my last Camino stretch, solo, in memory of Dad after he died, I had some 'hairy situations' that I know they got me out of! Your photos are beautiful! Buen Camino & best of luck with your journey ... 'may the road rise to meet you ...'

thank you FeatherG. Replies like yours motivate me to keep writing. My deceased Dad and Sister are Francis and Frances so walking there was special for me. I would have liked to have met Joe (he sounds like a wonderful man) when I walked from Clare to Santiagl in 2018. I walked for 2 weeks through Clare. Do you know where he was from? I hope you make it to Assisi. Please do follow (subscribe) my blog over the next few weeks at least to get the Via Francesco posts.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Looking forward to following

 

[FeatherG]

thank you FeatherG. Replies like yours motivate me to keep writing. My deceased Dad and Sister are Francis and Frances so walking there was special for me. I would have liked to have met Joe (he sounds like a wonderful man) when I walked from Clare to Santiagl in 2018. I walked for 2 weeks through Clare. Do you know where he was from? I hope you make it to Assisi. Please do follow (subscribe) my blog over the next few weeks at least to get the Via Francesco posts.

Hi Kevin, Joe was from the village of Creegh. I've actually never been to Clare, so that was on our 'Bucket List', along with going to Thomand Park to see a Munster match! Although I'm from Leinster, I prefer the Munster team ... the supporters are passionate & the lads give it their all, every match! I'm not very 'techie' so how do I subscribe to your blog? I can hear Joe laughing now , it was like 'the blind leading the blind' when his son skyped from Sydney It wasn't on the job spec to be fair!

 

[Kevin Considine]

Hi Kevin, Joe was from the village of Creegh. I've actually never been to Clare, so that was on our 'Bucket List', along with going to Thomand Park to see a Munster match! Although I'm from Leinster, I prefer the Munster team ... the supporters are passionate & the lads give it their all, every match! I'm not very 'techie' so how do I subscribe to your blog? I can hear Joe laughing now , it was like 'the blind leading the blind' when his son skyped from Sydney It wasn't on the job spec to be fair!

FeatherG: Creegh is a small village and happens to be the village of many of my cousins. It is where my grandfather Patrick Considine grew up. I stayed at the house he was born in on my Camino de Santiago from Clare. Do you know how old Joe was and when did he die? For subscribing just click on the blue link in my main post and in it will be the post and ther will be a subscribe button that you press after typing in your email address. Then you will get an email from Global Pilgrim with a blue “Confirm Follow” button you press and that’s it.

 

[FeatherG]

FeatherG: Creegh is a small village and happens to be the village of many of my cousins. It is where my grandfather Patrick Considine grew up. I stayed at the house he was born in on my Camino de Santiago from Clare. Do you know how old Joe was and when did he die? For subscribing just click on the blue link in my main post and in it will be the post and ther will be a subscribe button that you press after typing in your email address. Then you will get an email from Global Pilgrim with a blue “Confirm Follow” button you press and that’s it.

Hi Kevin, Joe was 77; a retired school teacher who lived in Courtown, Gorey, County Wexford. He died in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin on 3rd January, 2021, with his lovely daughter Carmel & niece Maureen, at his bedside. He has 3 lovely sons, Martin, Ciaran & Stephen. Martin's in Sydney. His wife died in her late 30's, so times were tough for Joe ... & the kids; but the family I was welcomed into are kind, caring & adored Joe. He has lots of grandchildren too - who he adored, & talked about constantly. He has a sister in NY that we emailed often & sent photos of roses from his garden. 'She's the one with the green fingers' Joe would say! He loved his garden ... & when I'm in mine, I think of him. Sure it's full of so many 'cuttings' Joe gave me! He was constantly giving ... plants, advice, stories, smiles ...

 

[Kevin Considine]

Hi Kevin, Joe was 77; a retired school teacher who lived in Courtown, Gorey, County Wexford. He died in St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin on 3rd January, 2021, with his lovely daughter Carmel & niece Maureen, at his bedside. He has 3 lovely sons, Martin, Ciaran & Stephen. Martin's in Sydney. His wife died in her late 30's, so times were tough for Joe ... & the kids; but the family I was welcomed into are kind, caring & adored Joe. He has lots of grandchildren too - who he adored, & talked about constantly. He has a sister in NY that we emailed often & sent photos of roses from his garden. 'She's the one with the green fingers' Joe would say! He loved his garden ... & when I'm in mine, I think of him. Sure it's full of so many 'cuttings' Joe gave me! He was constantly giving ... plants, advice, stories, smiles ...

FeatherG. It’s a small world. Joe is my Grandfather Patrick’s nephew. My second cousin. I visit his brothers; Tommie, John, and James when I am in Clare. I stayed with his father, Stephen, on my first trip to Ireland. I never met him as he had moved to Wexford by the time I started traveling to Ireland. I am FB friends with his son Martin.

 

[FeatherG]

Fe


View attachment 116288
FeatherG. It’s a small world. Joe is my Grandfather Patrick’s nephew. My second cousin. I visit his brothers; Tommie, John, and James when I am in Clare. I stayed with his father, Stephen, on my first trip to Ireland. I never met him as he had moved to Wexford by the time I started traveling to Ireland. I am FB friends with his son Martin.

OMG! This is incredible!
Joe is at work .... again!
First photo is Joe & ii on Curracloe Beach ... our first outing & first photo!
Second photo is @ Lavender Gardens in Incg, where there's a lovely walk ... & Joe was an avid walker! Martin will be shocked when you tell him this! I only txt him on Joe's 1st Anniversary & Carmel too. It's such a small world!!!

 

[FeatherG]

OMG! This is incredible!
Joe is at work .... again!
First photo is Joe & ii on Curracloe Beach ... our first outing & first photo!
Second photo is @ Lavender Gardens in Incg, where there's a lovely walk ... & Joe was an avid walker! Martin will be shocked when you tell him this! I only txt him on Joe's 1st Anniversary & Carmel too. It's such a small world!!!

My name is Gabrielle, by the way!

 

[Kevin Considine]

My name is Gabrielle, by the way!

Gabrielle. I think they are telling you to go to Assisi. The walk from Rome was special.

 

[FeatherG]

Gabrielle. I think they are telling you to go to Assisi. The walk from Rome was special.

Oh, you could be right Kevin!
Went to Rome a few years ago - just a w/e trip. Loved the Trevi Fountain, but it was sooo busy. Wanted to go back early morning when there's no crowds, but was told there's always crowds! Rome to Assisi would be a 'push' for me (time constraints with work ) but Assisi is definitely 'calling', so maybe a shorter route close by? I'll have to check it out