#pilgrim. San Salvatore

[charlesbchawes]

Via Francigena: Abbadia a Isola to Siena

Via Francigena: Abbadia a Isola to Siena

  Just to re-cap, I had been invited on a press trip via Italian Wonder Ways to be introduced to the pilgrim route called the Via Francigena. This was our third day.

Date: 24th September 2016

Location: Tuscany, Italy

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Hardly a day goes by without my getting emails from my readers demanding another post in my “walk” along the Via Francigena. (OK, truth be told not a single one of you…

[onlymexico]

Real de Catorce , often shortened to Real, is a village in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí and the seat of the municipality of Catorce. It is located 160 miles (260 km) north of the city of San Luis Potosí, and currently has a full-time population of under 1,000 residents. This 'ghost-town' in the high and dry expanses of northern San Luis Potosí state was once a thriving silver mining settlement. Real de Catorce has long been a pilgrimage site for both local Catholics and Huichol shamanists, and is now being discovered by international tourists drawn by the desert ambience and reputed spiritual energy.

The village of Real de Catorce sits on the side of a mountain at more than 2,743 meters (9,000 ft). It is located in the Sierra de Catorce range, one of the highest plateaus in Mexico, where summits may extend over 10,000 feet (3,000 m). These mountains lie in the arid Mexican plateau, cut off from trade winds of the Gulf of Mexico by the high peaks of the Sierra Madre Oriental.

The main road to Real de Catorce leaves Highway 62 between Matehuala and San Tiburcio. This is roughly to the east of Real, near the town of Cedral. From the main highway there is a 17-mile (27 km) cobblestone road which rises into the sierra, then the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) long Ogarrio Tunnel which only accepts vehicles one way (with travelers in and out having to wait their turn).

Real de Catorce ('Royal Fourteen') is named for 14 Spanish soldiers killed here in an ambush by Chichimeca warriors. Other sources tell that in the beginning the name was "Real de Álamos de la Purísima Concepción de los Catorce" (Real de Alamos of the Immaculate Conception of the Fourteen). Although a town had been there for many years, silver was discovered in the local mountains in 1772 and a few years later in 1779 the village was officially founded. The parish church was built between 1790 and 1817. Real de Catorce's heyday was in the late 19th century, when it had a population of 15,000, with some of Mexico's richest silver mines and a mint, as well as a bullring and shops selling European luxury goods. It was almost completely abandoned when the price of silver plummeted after 1900; only a few people remained in this ghost town, eking out a living from mine tailings and an annual influx of pilgrims to a reputedly miraculous image of St. Francis in the parish church. Today, its main income comes from tourism.

Several major commercial motion pictures have been filmed in Real including Bandidas (featuring Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz), The Mexican (featuring Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts), and some scenes of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (featuring Humphrey Bogart), and of Puerto Escondido, directed by Gabriele Salvatores.

Templo de la Purisima Concepcion, a parish church containing a reputedly miraculous image of St. Francis

Thousands of pilgrims visit the Parish of Immaculate Conception the week around the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 to express their gratitude for favors granted. Inside the church are hundreds of Retablos attesting to the miracles that have been performed.

Wixárika (Huichol) indigenous peoples walk across miles of desert from Nayarit, Durango, Jalisco and Zacatecas to visit the valley of Catorce every spring to leave religious offerings at the "Cerro Quemado", a ceremonial center to the east of their mystical religious territory. Quemado is, according to their ancestral beliefs, the birthplace of their "Tatewari" or Grandfather Fire.

During this time, they also visit the Wirikuta or desert below Real de Catorce to gather a year's supply of sacred nourishment in the form of peyote or "hikuri", the magical cactus that they use to guide their path and consciousness. Though found throughout the region, the cacti in the Wirikuta purportedly produce the most desired crop.

At other times of the year, there is a continuous pilgrimage of people of all ages and nationalities. They travel thousands of miles to arrive at this sacred site and experience a mystical communion with the magical cactus. So much so, in fact, that the government has mounted a campaign to protect the cactus from these so-called "peyote tourists". It is illegal for anyone but Huichol Indians to gather, or possess, the peyote cactus.

Others come to Real de Catorce for health reasons. At almost 9,000 feet (2,700 m) the city is an excellent training ground for bicyclists and runners.

Although in the southern range of the Chihuahuan desert, due to its altitude, Real can be very cool at night. Although days, particularly in summer, can be very hot, it is advised to always bring a jacket, even in summer.

Real de Catorce was named a "Pueblo Mágico" in 2001.

[anastpaul]

Saint of the Day – 26 May – S Philip Neri Cong. Orat. Priest and Founder, Mystic, Missionary of Charity, also known as:  Amabile Santo, the Second Apostle of Rome, Philip Romolo Neri –  (22 July 1515 at Florence, Italy – 27 May 1595 at the church of San Maria in Vallicella, Italy of natural causes) Canonised:  12 March 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.  Patron of Gravina, Italy, Rome, Italy, laughter, humour, joy, archdiocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy, United States Army Special Forces.   When summoned to hear confessions or to see someone who had called, Neri came down instantly with the words “We must leave Christ for Christ”.   Philip was a mystic of the highest order, a man of ecstasies and visions, whose greatest happiness was to be alone with God.   Yet at the call of charity he gave up the delight of prayer and, instead, sought God by helping his neighbour.   His whole life is that of the contemplative in action.

He was the son of Francesco di Neri, a lawyer and his wife Lucrezia da Mosciano, whose family were nobility in the service of the Italian state.   He was carefully brought up and received his early teaching from the friars at San Marco, the famous Dominican monastery in Florence.   He was accustomed in later life to ascribe most of his progress to the teaching of two of them, Zenobio de’ Medici and Servanzio Mini.   At the age of 18, Philip was sent to his uncle, Romolo, a wealthy merchant at San Germano, a Neapolitan town near the base of Monte Cassino, to assist him in his business and with the hope that he might inherit his uncle’s fortune.   He gained Romolo’s confidence and affection but soon after coming to San Germano Philip had a religious conversion:  he no longer cared for things of the world and chose to relocate to Rome in 1533.

After arriving in Rome, Neri became a tutor in the house of a Florentine aristocrat named Galeotto Caccia. After two years he began to pursue his own studies (for a period of three years) under the guidance of the Augustinians.   Following this, he began those labours amongst the sick and poor which, in later life, gained him the title of “Apostle of Rome”.   He also ministered to the prostitutes of the city.   In 1538 he entered into the home mission work for which he became famous; traveling throughout the city, seeking opportunities of entering into conversation with people and of leading them to consider the topics he set before them.   For seventeen years Philip lived as a layman in Rome, probably without thinking of becoming a priest.   Around 1544, he made the acquaintance of Ignatius of Loyola.   Many of Neri’s disciples found their vocations in the infant Society of Jesus.

In 1548, together with his confessor, Persiano Rossa, Neri founded the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents whose primary object was to minister to the needs of the thousands of poor pilgrims who flocked to Rome, especially in jubilee years and also to relieve the patients discharged from hospitals but who were still too weak for labour.    Members met for prayer at the church of San Salvatore in Campo where the devotion of the Forty Hours of Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament was first introduced into Rome

In 1551 Neri received all the minor orders and was ordained deacon and finally priest (on 23 May).   He thought of going to India as a missionary but was dissuaded by his friends who saw that there was abundant work to be done in Rome.   Accordingly, he settled down, with some companions, at the Hospital of San Girolamo della Carità, and while there tentatively began, in 1556, the institute with which his name is more especially connected, that of the Oratory.   The scheme at first was no more than a series of evening meetings in a hall (the Oratory), at which there were prayers, hymns, and readings from Scripture, the church fathers and the Martyrology, followed by a lecture, or by discussion of some religious question proposed for consideration.   The musical selections (settings of scenes from sacred history) were called oratorios.   Giovanni Palestrina was one of Philip’s followers and composed music for the services.   The scheme was developed and the members of the society undertook various kinds of mission work throughout Rome, notably the preaching of sermons in different churches every evening, a completely new idea at that time.    He also spent much of his time hearing confessions, and effected many conversions in this way.   Neri sometimes led “excursions” to other churches, often with music and a picnic on the way.

In 1564 the Florentines requested that Neri leave San Girolamo to oversee their newly built church in Rome, San Giovanni dei Fiorentini.   He was at first reluctant but by consent of Pope Pius IV he accepted, while remaining in charge of San Girolamo, where the exercises of the Oratory were kept up.   At this time the new society included among its members Caesar Baronius, the ecclesiastical historian, Francesco Maria Tarugi, afterwards Archbishop of Avignon and Ottavio Paravicini, all three of whom were subsequently cardinals, and also Gallonius (Antonio Gallonio), author of a well-known work on the Sufferings of the Martyrs, Ancina, Bordoni, and other men of ability and distinction.   In 1574, the Florentines built a large oratory or mission-room for the society, next to San Giovanni, in order to save them the fatigue of the daily journey to and from San Girolamo and to provide a more convenient place of assembly and the headquarters were transferred there.  Below -  San Giovanni dei Fiorentini Rome – the home of the First Oratory

As the community grew and its mission work extended, the need for a church entirely its own made itself felt and the offer of the small parish church of Santa Maria in Vallicella, conveniently situated in the middle of Rome, was made and accepted.  The building, however, not large enough for their purpose, was pulled down and a splendid church erected on the site.   It was immediately after taking possession of their new quarters that Neri formally organized, under permission of a papal bull dated 15 July 1575, a community of secular priests, called the Congregation of the Oratory.   The new church was consecrated early in 1577 and the clergy of the new society at once resigned the charge of San Giovanni dei Fiorentini;  Neri himself did not leave San Girolamo until 1583 and then only by virtue of an injunction of the pope that he, as the superior, should reside at the chief house of his congregation.   He was at first elected for a term of three years (as is usual in modern societies) but in 1587 was nominated superior for life.   He was, however, entirely free from personal ambition and had no desire to be superior general over a number of dependent houses, so he desired that all congregations formed on his model outside Rome should be autonomous, governing themselves and without endeavouring for Neri to retain control over any new colonies they might themselves send out—a regulation afterwards formally confirmed by a brief of Gregory XV in 1622.   Below -  Santa Maria in Vallicella after being rebuilt for the Oratory

Philip Neri embodied a number of contradictions, combining popular venerations with intensely individual piety.   He became embedded in the church hierarchy while seeking to reform a corrupt Rome and an uninterested clergy.   He possessed a playful humour, combined with a shrewd wit.   He considered a cheerful temper to be more Christian than a melancholy one and carried this spirit into his whole life:  “A joyful heart is more easily made perfect than a downcast one.”  This was the secret of Neri’s popularity and of his place in the folklore of the Roman poor.   Many miracles were attributed to him.   When his body was autopsied it was found that two of his ribs had been broken, an event attributed to the expansion of his heart while fervently praying in the catacombs about the year 1545.  ] Benedict XIV, who reorganised the rules for canonisation, decided that Philip’s enlarged heart was caused by an aneurism. Ponnelle and Bordet, in their 1932 biography St. Philip Neri and the Roman Society of His Times (1515-1595), conclude that it was partly natural and partly supernatural.   What is certain is that Philip himself and his penitents associated it with divine love.

“Practical commonplaceness,” says Frederick William Faber in his panegyric of Neri, “was the special mark which distinguishes his form of ascetic piety from the types accredited before his day.   He looked like other men … he was emphatically a modern gentleman, of scrupulous courtesy, sportive gaiety, acquainted with what was going on in the world, taking a real interest in it, giving and getting information, very neatly dressed, with a shrewd common sense always alive about him, in a modern room with modern furniture, plain, it is true but with no marks of poverty about it—In a word, with all the ease, the gracefulness, the polish of a modern gentleman of good birth, considerable accomplishments, and a very various information.”

Accordingly, Neri was ready to meet the needs of his day to an extent and in a manner which even the versatile Jesuits, who much desired to enlist him in their company, did not rival;  and, though an Italian priest and head of a new religious order, his genius was entirely unmonastic and unmedieval, frequent and popular preaching, unconventional prayer and unsystematized, albeit fervent, private devotion.

Neri prayed, “Let me get through today, and I shall not fear tomorrow.”

When summoned to hear confessions or to see someone who had called, Neri came down instantly with the words “We must leave Christ for Christ”. Philip was a mystic of the highest order, a man of ecstasies and visions, whose greatest happiness was to be alone with God. Yet at the call of charity he gave up the delight of prayer and, instead, sought God by helping his neighbour. His whole life is that of the contemplative in action.

Neri died around the end of the day on 25 May 1595, the Feast of Corpus Christi that year, after having spent the day hearing confessions and receiving visitors. ] About midnight he began hemorrhaging and Baronius read the commendatory prayers over him. Baronius asked that he would bless his spiritual sons before dying and though he could no longer speak, he blessed them with the sign of the cross and died.

Neri was beatified by Paul V in 1615, and canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.   His memorial is celebrated on 26 May. His body is in the Chiesa Nuova (“New Church”) in Rome.

Neri is one of the influential figures of the Counter-Reformation, mainly for converting to personal holiness many of the influential people within the Church itself.

[tmnotizie]

PESARO – Rossini in Pediatria è un progetto dedicato ai bambini ospedalizzati che attraverso la realizzazione di un filmato musicale permetterà di far conoscere loro il mondo della musica classica e degli strumenti musicali. Saranno gli stessi musicisti della Filarmonica, durante le riprese del video, a recarsi dai bambini ricoverati e a portare loro la musica di Rossini.

Il progetto è patrocinato dalla Sezione di Pesaro dall’associazione ABIO – Associazione Bambini In Ospedale e coinvolgerli, dal Comune di Pesaro, dall’Azienda Ospedaliera San Salvatore e rientra nelle iniziative del Comitato Rossini 150.

La Filarmonica Gioachino Rossini, attiva dal 2014 con numerose attività musicali a livello nazionale e internazionale, ha fra i suoi obiettivi statutari quello di realizzare interventi sociali e solidali attraverso la musica. In questo ambito è nato il progetto Rossini in Pediatria, che vuole raccontare con un video la musica ai piccoli ricoverati presso l’Ospedale San Salvatore di Pesaro.

Il lavoro è affidato al regista e sceneggiatore Andrea Magnani, nelle sale nel 2017 con il film “Easy – Un Viaggio Facile Facile” presentato al Festival di Locarno, vincitore di numerosi premi e candidato al David di Donatello 2018. È lo stesso regista che presenta il lavoro «La musica e i bambini. Un’attrazione reciproca. In questo video racconteremo la musica classica ai bambini dell’Ospedale San Salvatore di Pesaro.

Per farlo abbiamo bisogno che la musica esca dal suo luogo naturale, il teatro, ed entri tra le corsie dell’ospedale. Questo viaggio verrà fatto da un pupazzo, che assomiglierà a Gioachino Rossini, che dal teatro, con il sottofondo della musica e qualche immagine dell’orchestra e dei musicisti, passeggerà brevemente per la città di Pesaro per poi entrare in ospedale e cominciare a dialogare con i bambini lì ricoverati.

Gioachino riuscirà a far breccia tra i bambini e questo permetterà agli orchestrali di poter percorrere le corsie, far vedere, far conoscere gli strumenti ai bambini, la musica classica e la bellezza di quelle note. Sarà un incontro pieno di sorrisi e complicità. Gioachino porterà, se possibile, i bambini a teatro che così scopriranno dove quei musicisti, visti tra le corsie del reparto, realizzano i loro concerti.»

Il disegno del pupazzo Gioachino è creato da Riccardo Rossi di Twenty One Avenue. La campagna di crowdfunding, lanciata sulla piattaforma EPPELA, ha l’obiettivo di raccogliere 12.500 euro, che saranno utilizzati per realizzare il video e in seguito metterlo a disposizione delle attività di ABIO Pesaro e diffonderlo in rete.

Il progetto è promosso dalla Filarmonica Rossini con il presidente Michele Antonelli e i suoi musicisti, ed è sostenuto dal direttore principale della FGR Maestro Donato Renzetti, musicista e direttore di fama mondiale. Il video verrà girato in collaborazione con la Pilgrim film. Il Comune di Pesaro ha dato l’opportunità di girare le riprese nella città di Pesaro e al Teatro Rossini, mentre la Direzione dell’Azienda Ospedaliera ha aperto le porte del reparto pediatrico dell’Ospedale San Salvatore di Pesaro.

Tutte le informazioni e le modalità per aderire alla raccolta sulla pagina: https://ift.tt/2Pj1Aj2 La campagna si chiude il prossimo 17 dicembre, e la Filarmonica Rossini chiede a tutti un piccolo contributo per regalare qualche momento di bellezza ai bimbi in ospedale.

[jorgemiroslavjarasalas]

Jorge Miroslav Jara Salas: Italy, divine land of wine

Wine in Italy is much more than a drink. Much more than a lifestyle. It is a priesthood. From Veneto to Sicily, all regions produce wine, without exception. Its viticulture goes back to the oldest antiquity: the Romans and before them the Etruscans, already cultivated vines. The Greeks even gave the territory the nickname of Œnotria, meaning the land of wine.

With 690,000 hectares planted and no less than 9.2% of the world’s wine surface, let’s embark for an overview of the world’s largest producer since 2015(1).

Sardinia, the island where the Su’entu blows

Turning back the paths of Italy, starting with Sardinia, we met Stephano and Imma Flores, a lovely Sardinian-Catalan couple, on an epic ferry trip departing from the port of Barcelona.

A meeting as beautiful as fortuitous, which gave us the pleasure of being welcomed by the family of Stephano during three days, in the small coastal village of Marceddi, west of Sardinia. After having literally installed our motorhome in their garden, we were offered – among other local specialties – to enjoy delicious octopus spaghetti and cockle penne.

Fate would have even wanted us to stay during the feasts of the Madonna (mid-August). A sacred annual procession for Marceddi, during which a procession of hundreds of bikers and pilgrims follow the statue of the Madonna throughout the village, ending at the church. Then a weekend of festivities starts.

A superb introduction to the subject, before heading to the vineyards, further south.

We had an appointment at Su’entu estate, south of the island, where we met Salvatore Pilloni, the founder, and his daughter Roberta. A charming family property, which covers 50 hectares, 32 of which are planted with vines. “Su’entu” means “wind” in local dialect.

Because at the top of the vineyard wind blows continuously throughout the year, bringing a unique freshness to the grapes of the estate, in this hot region of the Mediterranean. In the evening, the humidity suddenly dropped on the property, where we spent the night. A coat was more than welcome.

Discovery of the autochthonous red varietal Bovale, a grape that has been forgotten because considered rustic. Personally, we loved it, with its aromas of black fruit, cedar and blackberry. “Before the Phylloxera crisis (late nineteenth century), Italy had more than a thousand different grape varieties.

Today, there are still hundreds”, Roberta explained to us. Adding : “it is fundamental to preserve our heritage, which is both our strength and our identity”.

Cantina del Vesuvio, at the foot of the volcano

Discovering the Cantina del Vesuvio, a 12-hectare property planted on the volcanic soils of the Vesuvius.

Probably the best way to discover the wines of the “Lacryma Christi” appellation, a D.O.C. mainly producing wines from the indigenous varieties Caprettone (white) and Piedirosso (red), on the slopes of the Vesuvius. “Wine has been produced here since ancient Roman times ; its first mention going back to the 5th century BC”, Maurizio Russo, the owner said.

Halfway between Naples and Pompeii, the Cantina del Vesuvio is a must see in the region. Maurizio’s family has been producing wine since 1948, four years after the last eruption of Vesuvius!

The gray dust soils that cover the vineyard are unique and bring to the wines of the domain a real typicity. Their blend of Piedirosso and Aglianico, a red wine with a strong character, was a perfect accompaniment during lunch time with home-made lasagna.

And if you want to continue the experience, Maurizio’s family offers cooking classes at home, around traditional Italian dishes that you will prepare together and then enjoy, with your family, friends or with your beloved, while drinking the wines of the estate.

A beautiful moment.

Do you know the DOC Tarquinia?!

Halfway between Rome and Grosseto, the DOC Tarquinia is one of the most interesting viticultural areas of the Lazio region. A new one for us, in a country that has no less than 300 000 vineyards, two-thirds of which have a planted area of less than 2 hectares.

Visiting Muscari Tomajoli estate, a nice example of the dynamism of the Tarquinia DOC. This family winery of 2 hectares is located only a few kilometers from the Mediterranean sea. Accessing the vineyard with our camper was a challenge, as we had to drive for 1km of narrow and winding roads in the forest, before arriving on the property.

Planted in 2007 by Marco (the son) and Sergio (the father, who tragically passed away since), the estate produces wines built for gastronomy. Impressive. Five grape varieties make the vineyard’s reputation: Montepulciano, Petit verdot, Alicante bouschet, Barbera and Vermentino.

A nice discovery that we were happy to have been able to share with two friends, what a weekend! Generous donors during our participatory fundraising campaign last year, Philippe and Gaëlle dreamt of visiting the Italian vineyard aboard our motorhome. It’s done now! A very nice moment of sharing, gastronomy, petanque, laughter and friendship. That’s also the Wine Explorers adventure.

Tuscany, as we had never drunk it before

We had promised ourselves not to visit Tuscany during the project (a beautiful region but a bit too famous for our readers), unless we found a vineyard against the current of the appellation.

We did it. Welcome to Podere San Cristoforo estate. This biodynamic certified vineyard has 45 hectares in total. Fifteen are planted with vineyards, two with olive trees and twenty with cereals. Created in 1999, the estate is led by Lorenzo Zonin (owner and oenologist), Davide Elisei (director and agronomist) and Alessandro Dalle Carbonare (oenologist). The trio produces wines that are the opposite of other local wines.

The secret of this vineyard? An exceptional terroir. The constant presence of marine breezes that keep the grapes in a perfectly healthy state and mitigate the high summer temperatures, combined with soils of Aeolian sediments (stony soils rich in clay).

“A microclimate that gives a balsamic perception in wines,” Alessandro explained. Result : wines as precise and generous as they are fresh and complex. Pure happiness … Sangiovese, Petit Verdot (a dream terroir for this variety), Syrah, Vermentino and Trebbiano.

Cinque Terre, a paradise for the senses

Cinque Terre, in the north of Italy (midway between Florence and Turin), is simply a work of art… A wild, lost and preserved place, where I would dream to come and stop by one day, to write a book or two.

A wine region as beautiful as it is fascinating, entirely shaped by the hand of man in the Middle Ages, planting vines on terraces. Forget about machines! Here, everything is done by hand. Only a few monorails were recently installed here and there, to transport the heavy equipment, as well as the grapes during the harvest. Or to carry a curious explorer on occasion!

Discovering the (micro) estate Azienda Agricola Andrea Pecunia, a vineyard of 0.5 hectares with 3,000 vines spread over 24 small terraces!…

The work of a titan, for a production of up to 1,800 bottles per year. Simply amazing. We loved Andrea Pecunia wines, 100% natural, with a special mention for its blend of Bosco and Albarolla. Respect to this viticulture of the extreme.

Silvio Morando, the art of vinifying Grignolino

We wanted you to discover a fantastic winemaker (and friend) from Piedmont : Silvio Morando. A winemaker with a big heart, kneaded with talent, with a strong temperament, who does not have his tongue in his pocket and who likes to call himself “the anarchist”.

So many reasons why we love him so much! In addition to producing some of the best Barbera del Monferrato wines in the area, Silvio likes to play off the beaten path of Piedmont wines. For example, by blending a white grape (Cortese) and a red one (Syrah) to make a rosé. Or, by having many international red grapes in one of his cuvées (a heresy in Piedmont, where traditionally a wine comes from a single grape variety). I just love it.

Best of all, Silvio specializes in Grignolino del Monferrato, named after an appellation and an Italian red grape from Piedmont.

Characterized by aromas of small red berries, a nice acidity and sustained tannins, this grape variety produces delicious and very refreshing wines. We were in full harvest and clusters were beautiful. At lunchtime, Silvio served us a Grignolino del Monferrato at cold temperature. “That’s the way to drink this wine”, he explained. A pure delight with local antipasti, or a pepper pizza!

WineExplorers’cheers, JBA

  Thank you to Su’entu, Cantina del Vesuvio, Muscari Tomajoli, Podere San Cristoforo, Azienda Agricola Andrea Pecunia and Azienda Agricola Silvio Morando for their warm welcome. And a big thank you to Stephano and Imma Flores for this incredible moment in Sardinia.

  (1) In 2015, Italy became the world’s leading producer of wine, ahead of France, with 5.09 billion liters (source: OIV, 2017).

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[cawamedia]

In Switzerland, travel to Lugano Paradiso and stay in a nice comfortable hotel (Novotel Paradiso) and from there walk some 100 meters to the Funicular San Salvatore. It’s will be a day of new discovery, and a visit never to forget. You choose on the summit to descent by funicular again, ore by nature & hiking trails.

Experience the The Sugarloaf Mountain of Switzerland – Monte San Salvatore  –  Quote: “You need to have been up there in person, if you want to get an idea of its greatness and magnificence, and then that moment will become one of the most beautiful and unforgettable experiences in your whole life.” C. C. Lorenz Hirschfeld.

Way back in the year 1200 pilgrims made their way up to the mountain summit on foot in order to pay their respects to the Son of God, who according to ancient legend took rest here afore his heavenly ascent.

In 1213, the Bishop of Como, Lord and Master of Vallugano sold his property in Ciona and the mountain known in ancient times as “Bellenio” to the Chapter of San Lorenzo in Lugano. In those years, at the top of the mountain there was already a small chapel dedicated to San Salvatore (hence the name). The canons of San Lorenzo soon turned it into a small church.

Reference to the church’s original appearance dates back to 1414: a piece of parchment kept in the archives at the municipality of Carona, describes: “A white mountain against a shady blue backdrop. On the summit the church of San Salvatore with its steeple”. During the Feast of the Ascension in 1680, the Chapter of San Lorenzo transferred ownership of the church and the summit to the Confraternity of St Marta and the Good Death.

After 23 years, in 1703, the Confraternity decided to demolish the original church and to build a new one. The following year the foundations were laid and in 1719 the building works were completed. In 1722 it was decided to complete the building beneath as a residence with a tavern next to it in order to set up an “inn”.

Over the last two centuries the history of the area has provided us with a wealth of information on the many efforts made by the Confraternity and later the Funicular Company as, respectively, the owner and guardian of the site. On 26 March 1890 the Funicular began operating, and in 1943 the Lightning Research Centre was set up.

Mankind has always been fascinated by this universal phenomenon and has long tried to unveil its mysteries. “Tracking down lightning” is the title of this new exhibition. Through the history of the lightning research centre, a world-renowned laboratory equipped with sophisticated technology for monitoring and measuring lightning which operated on the summit from 1943 to 1982, directed by Professor Berger of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, the exhibition illustrates the unusual activities that for nearly 40 years defined the history of the mountain. The current from direct lightning strokes where collected by two towers on mount San Salvatore and grounded via a shunt resistor. Special cables transmit the voltage signal to the oscilloscopes in the laboratory. Tower 1 is the todays Swisscom TV transmitter, and tower 2 is located further north on mount San Carlo. The measuring instruments where located inside a Faraday cage made of fine wire net, which served to protect instruments and observers. A cathode ray oscilloscope and the exhibited mirror-galvanometer oscilloscope recorded the current of direct strokes to the towers. Other instruments recorded the negative and positive coronal discharges known as St. Elmo’s fire. Thunderstorm detectors enable precise statistics to be compiled of all such activity in the vicinity of this mountain peak. Special cameras also recorded the chronological development of lightning flashes. Every year each of the two towers was struck by lightning up to about 100 times.

In 1969 Swiss Post Office television and radio antennae were erected. Last but not least, in 1999 the two organisations established the San Salvatore Museum, illustrating the proactive role they both still play today.

Around these important structures, year after year, the Confraternity managed to enrich and beautify the church on the summit. It became a focal point for the faithful and of great significance for the entire Lugano area. This was reconfirmed in 1900 with the erection of a huge iron cross, historic testimony to the importance of the mountain for the Funicular Company and the Confraternity of St Martha and the Good Death.

Enjoy your lunch ore dinner at The Ristorante Vetta with open air terrace and a panoramic veranda can welcome over 200 people. It offers gourmet menus inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, with healthy products of the season, fresh from the market. It is comfortable, practical and ideal for lunches, aperitifs, coffee breaks and snacks, or for relaxing and enjoying the breathtaking views on the summit of the beautiful Monte San Salvatore.

  Monte San Salvatore – Lugano In Switzerland, travel to Lugano Paradiso and stay in a nice comfortable hotel (Novotel Paradiso)

[pope-francis-quotes]

26th February >> Pope Francis' Address before and after today's Angelus at midday with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square

Below, please find an English translation of the address Pope Francis gave today before and after praying the midday Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square: Before the Angelus Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning! Today’s Gospel page (cf. Matthew 6:24-34) is a strong call to trust in God, don’t forget: to trust in God, who takes care of the living beings in Creation. He provides food for all the animals, is concerned about the lilies and the grass of the field (cf. vv. 26-28); His beneficent and solicitous gaze watches daily over our life. It flows under the goad of so many worries, which risk taking away our serenity and balance; however, this anguish is often useless because it does not succeed in changing the course of events. Jesus exhorts us insistently not to be worried about tomorrow (cf. vv. 25.28.31), reminding us that beyond all there is a loving Father who never forgets His children: to entrust ourselves to Him does not resolve problems magically, but enables us to face them with the right spirit, courageously; I am courageous because I entrust myself to my Father, who takes care of everything and loves me so much. God is not a distant and anonymous being: He is our refuge, the source of our serenity and our peace. He is the rock of our salvation, whom we can cling to in the certainty of not falling; one who clings to God never falls! He is our defense from evil always lurking. God is for us our great friend, ally, Father, but we are not always aware of it. We are not aware that we have a friend, an ally, a Father who loves us, and we prefer to lean on immediate goods that we can touch, on contingent goods, forgetting and at times rejecting the supreme good, namely, God’s paternal love. It is so important to feel Him a Father in this time of orphanhood! To feel Him a Father in this orphan world. We distance ourselves from God’s love when we go in obsessive search of earthly goods and riches, thus manifesting an exaggerated love of these realities. Jesus tells us that this strenuous and illusory search is the reason of our unhappiness. And He gives His disciples a fundamental rule of life: “Seek first, instead, the Kingdom of God” (v. 33). It is about realizing the plan that Jesus proclaimed in the Sermon on the Mount, trusting in God who does not disappoint — so many friends or so many that we believed were friends, have disappointed us; God never disappoints! –; making us faithful administrators of the goods that He has given us, also the earthly, but without “overacting” as if everything, including our salvation, depended only on us. This evangelical attitude requires a clear choice, which today’s passage indicates with precision: “You cannot serve God and mammon” (v. 24) — either the Lord, or fascinating but illusory idols. This choice, which we are called to make, then has repercussions on all our acts, programs and commitments. It is a choice to be made clearly and to renew continually, because the temptations to reduce everything to money, pleasure and power are pressing. There are so many temptations because of this. Whereas honoring these idols leads to tangible though fleeting results, choosing God and His Kingdom does not always show its fruits immediately. It is a decision that is taken in hope and that leaves to God its full realization. Christian hope is outstretched to the future fulfilment of God’s promise and does not halt in face of a difficulty, because it is founded on God’s fidelity, which never fails. He is faithful, He is a faithful Father; He is a faithful friend, He is a faithful ally. May the Virgin Mary help us to entrust ourselves to the love and goodness of our heavenly Father, to live in Him and with Him. This is the presupposition to overcome the torments and adversities of life, and also the persecutions, as the testimony of so many of our brothers and sisters shows us. [Original text: Italian] [Translation by Virginia M. Forrester] After the Angelus Dear Brothers and Sisters, I extend my warm greeting to all of you, pilgrims of Rome, of Italy and of different countries. I greet the Polish faithful of Warsaw and of other localities, who have carried out a Marian pilgrimage; and, from Spain, those of Ciudad Real and the young people of Formentera. I greet the youngsters of Cuneo, Zelarino, Mattarello and Malcesine, Fino Mornasco and Monteolimpino; the Confirmation candidates of Cavenago d’Adda, Almenno San Salvatore and Serravalle Scrivia; the faithful of Ferrara, Latina, Sora, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Creazzo and Rivalta sul Mincio. I greet the group that came on the occasion of the “Day of Rare Diseases” — thank you, thank you for all that you do — and I hope that the patients and their families are adequately supported in the not easy course, be it at the medical as well as the legislative level. I wish you all a good Sunday. Please, do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch and see you soon! [Original text: Italian] [Translation by Virginia M. Forrester]