SanTiago and San Rocco and arrivederci.

[Joseph Kohut]

Hello from a newbie to the list:

You may be interested in the following: I have recently perused a book
entitled, "Songbirds, Truffles and Wolves; an American Naturalist in Italy",
written by Gary Paul Nabhan.  Specifically about:

"A journey from Florence to Assisi in the steps of St. Francis proves as
much a spiritual quest as an eclectic scientific inquiry for enthnobotanist
Nabhan (Enduring Seeds, 1989). While recovering from a painful divorce,
Nabhan, who's part Lebanese, decided to walk the two hundred miles between
Florence and Assisi ``in part to ponder my Mediterranean roots, and in part
to learn of the land of my saint, San Francisco.''

Apparently Nabhan followed an old 200 mile pilgrimage trail taken by St.
Francis. I haven't yet read the book, but I was told that the author gives
no details re. the trail. I would dearly like to learn more re. this
pilgrimage route. Perhaps you would too.

Have a wonderful trip.

Joe, El Peregrino Futuro. (I leave for the Camino in April.)

----- Original Message -----
From: Rosina Lila <BlaroliaAOL.COM>
To: <GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU>
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2001 10:03 AM
Subject: SanTiago and San Rocco and arrivederci.


> Hello you all,
>     When I went to Venice for Thanksgiving I was not able to get any
> substantial information about St. Rocco's pilgrimage to Santiago, other
than
> general assertions that in San Rocco's times most better off young men
made
> pilgrimages to Santiago, and that San Rocco, being French and, therefore,
> closer to Spain, was surely to have done so.  I was directed, however, to
> sources at the pontifical library in Assisi which are believed to contain
> more precise information.
>     In truth, I did not try too hard to find relative data..... Venice
being
> Venice... Besides, when I got there, and for most of the few days that I
> spent there, Venice was entirely enveloped in a thick, magnificent fog.
It
> was impossible to distinguish the sea, or lagoon, from the sky, and as
people
> walked they sort of disappeared in the mist and became one with the
sea-sky
> element.  Having being so occupied in the effort to process so many (so
very
> many) death certificates, I guess that my mind was death imbued .... yet,
> watching people walking in Venice, and disappearing as though they had
become
> souls united to the universe, I was consoled thinking that death can be
> beautiful.
>     Further, during those times when the tourists give Venice a rest, the
> Venetians take their city to heart and go to town having all sorts of
> celebrations.  On thanksgiving day they were celebrating our Lady of the
> Salute and had built a bridge on boats, for the occasion, leading from the
> San Marco side to the church.  The bridge was lit by torches, day and
night,
> and looked after by the Carabinieri in full regalia, and edged by little
> islands of winter flowers. I was mesmerized by the way in which the
vaporetti
> managed to make it under that bridge with about one inch to spare on
either
> side.  There were also those bagpipers and their lively dirges giving the
> scene a fantastic atmosphere.
>     There was a long line to get inside of the church, and once there one
> easily could miss the NYC subway at rush hour for its comparative
roominess.
> There were services in all of the altars of the church, at the same time,
> with music and all, and more candles that I have even seen anywhere. It
took
> about an hour or so just to make it through the inside of the church
which,
> as many of you surely know, it is really small.
>     Outside, there were saltimbanchi and musicians in period costumes, and
> lots and lots of pastry and candy making.... as well as that delicious
white
> wine which they serve hot to be stirred with a cinnamon stick.  As my
> hotelier friend said "all Venice was there".
>     The next day the bridge was gone, the church was back to its heavenly
and
> majestic  whiteness and the whole area was as clean and peaceful as a
> postcard of the Dogana in winter.
>     Back in New York and now, I have been medically ordered to take a rest
of
> a few weeks; the doctors are very insistent and I shall comply.
Therefore, I
> am leaving tomorrow, Saturday for Venice to spend New Year's and a few
days
> there, and will spend the rest of January in Italy during my prescribed
> idleness.  I plan to go to Pisa, to see the renovated tower, and spend a
few
> days in Assisi (which I love and where I would like to live out my life).
> -Since I have the time, I will probably walk from Rome to Assisi, which is
> something I have wanted to do for some time.-  The Pope is having a
meeting
> of world religious leaders there around the 25th of January, so I'll try
to
> get there much sooner and avoid the multitudes, in order to pursue the San
> Rocco's leads which were given to me in Venice.
>     I was going to send you this message tomorrow, just before I leave,
but I
> am doing it today so that if there is something that I can look up for
you,
> or get for you,  while I am in Italy there is time for you to send me a
> message about it.
>     On an unrelated note,  among my Christmas presents there is a book
about
> a pilgrimage in America called "The Road to Guadalupe, a Modern Pilgrimage
to
> the Goddess of America"; the book was written by Eryk Hanut, from Las
Vegas
> (who wrote a book about Marlene Dietrich) and deals with the pilgrimage to
> our Lady of Guadalupe Basilica in Mexico City which receives an estimated
> seventy five thousand pilgrims a month.  The book's ISBN is 1-58542-120-0.
I
> haven't read it yet, but shall do so on the plane.
>     By the way, three days ago the Pope inaugurated a website to the
Virgin
> of Guadalupe's Cathedral.   The site address is:
> www.virgendeguadalupe.org.mx
>     There has been a series of very interesting messages, in Portuguese,
in a
> Spanish Camino list-serv,  from a Brazilian pilgrim referring to the
believed
> pilgrimage of St. Thomas to South America. After I finish the work that I
> still must complete, and pack and all, if I have time I will translate the
> messages and post them.   If  I don't have the time I may print and take
them
>  with me and will send them  from abroad.  (I do look into the cyber-world
in
> stores sand cafes now and then).
>     Much affection to you all.  I am truly, deeply thankful for this list,
> and for you, and I wish you a very happy and peaceful New Year.
>     Love ya!
> Rosina