Church Tours
As a professional Cantor, I have the privilege of visiting a lot of churches for work. However, I also love to travel for fun! While on vacation, I am always sure to stop in and see beautiful church buildings. The art and architecture of Christian churches are truly magnificent. This blog is dedicated to sharing travel tips and suggestions for other Christians who love to tour churches.
Basilica San Marco
St. Mark’s Basilica is a symbol of the City of Venice, almost as recognizable as the gondolas of Venice. Piazza San Marco has been the heart of Venice for centuries, with its big open square surrounded by colonnades of posh stores, cafes, and restaurants, with the Basilica San Marco towering over the far eastern end of the square. To say that Piazza San Marco is “magical” is an understatement.
Basilica di San Francesco
The Basilica di San Francesco, along with a monastery for the Order of Friars Minor sits on a large campus overlooking the modern city of Assisi and the Umbrian valley. It is on the opposite side of the walled, ancient town of Assisi from the Basilica di Santa Chiara. St. Francis died at only 44 years old in 1226, and just two years later his friend, Pope Gregory IX named him a Saint, and placed the first stone for the Basilica in his honor in July 1228.
Basilica di Santa Chiara
My family and I visited Assisi just after the Feast of the Epiphany in January. My husband and I attended the pre-dawn, 7:15AM Mass in the St. George Chapel, and we had the joy of listening to the cloistered sisters chant the Mass. The original San Damiano Cross rests above the altar in this Chapel, and it was so inspiring to experience Mass under the same Cross that called St. Francis to a life of service in building the Church. Ironically, the ancient church of San Damiano where St. Francis experienced his calling, only has a replica of the San Damiano cross. The St. George Chapel in the Basilica felt particularly holy that morning, as it was only my husband and I, along with two other visitors, at Mass with the sisters. It was such a quiet moment, and very different from attending a Mass at one of the Vatican Chapels, or other large Italian Basilica.