Our next stop was at the Santuario della Verna, a mountaintop sanctuary north of Assisi and east of Florence, where St. Francis received his stigmata in 1224. Many miracles occurred at this place, including the appearances to St. Francis of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Water also sprang from an oak tree when St. Francis needed it, and a rock miraculously turned soft to enwrap St. Francis when a windstorm threatened to blow him off the side of the mountainous promontory. While you are at La Verna, don't miss the sasso spicco, a large protruding rock at that base of the sanctuary. Legend holds that the promontory upon which La Verna sits emerged from the ground at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The legend is tied to the biblical description of the crucifixion: "At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split." (Matthew 27:51)

Our next stop was at the Santuario della Verna, a mountaintop sanctuary north of Assisi and east of Florence, where St. Francis received his stigmata in 1224. Many miracles occurred at this place, including the appearances to St. Francis of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary. Water also sprang from an oak tree when St. Francis needed it, and a rock miraculously turned soft to enwrap St. Francis when a windstorm threatened to blow him off the side of the mountainous promontory. While you are at La Verna, don't miss the sasso spicco, a large protruding rock at that base of the sanctuary. Legend holds that the promontory upon which La Verna sits emerged from the ground at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The legend is tied to the biblical description of the crucifixion:

"At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split." (Matthew 27:51)

One enchanting sidetrip from La Verna took us to the medieval town of Cortona, where we toured the hermitage of Le Celle, the monks’ hermitage where St. Francis and other monks lived and prayed (see photo). You can also visit the place where St. Francis slept, and attend a mass along with resident monks at a medieval church within the complex. Beautiful gardens outside the monastery are the perfect setting for a picnic. The medieval complex offers lodging to pilgrims. 

In the nearby city of Cortona, which is bustling with artists and has a thriving culinary scene. you can also view the incorrupt remains of Santa Margherita di Cortona (Saint Margaret of Cortona) at the Basilica di Santa Margherita di Cortona (Basilica of Saint Margaret of Cortona). (see photo) Margaret’s life began inauspiciously in 1247. By age 7, her mother had died, after which time she was raised by her father and an unloving stepmother. By age 17, she ran away with the son of a nobleman to live with him and their son, as his mistress, in his family’s castle. Ten years later, when the son of the nobleman was murdered, she went into a frenzy of fasting and prayer, and went to live with the Franciscan friars of Cortona. From there she established a hospital and a new religious order of nuns. She died in 1297 and was canonized in 1728.

Also in Cortona, the Chiesa di San Francesco (Church of Saint Francis) has relics from an earlier time, including a tunic worn by St. Francis and an embroidered cushion where laid his head prior to his death. You will also find a fragment of the wood from the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified preserved in a reliquary on the altar of the church (see photo).

In visiting other medieval hill towns near La Verna, we also stumbled upon the miraculous holy cross of Anghiari, at the Chiesa di Sant’Agostino (Church of Saint Augustine). It is said that a nun who was blind and mute had kissed this cross and was returned to good health. 

And another peaceful place to enjoy the Tuscan countryside and experience the spiritual vibrations of Italy’s saints is at the Eremo di Monte Casale (Hermitage of Monte Casale). At this peaceful mountaintop hermitage near the city of Sansepolcro, you can visit the cells where St. Francis, Saint Anthony of Padua, and Saint Bonaventure slept and prayed. Also on display are the pillow of St. Bonaventure, the blanket of St. Anthony, and a tunic of St. Francis. You also will see the preserved skulls of the two thieves converted by St. Francis. They became friars in the Franciscan order. 

On our way back to our home base in Florence, we stopped in the out-of-the-way lush mountain village of Cetica (population 265). We met proprietors Ricardo and Vanessa, who invited us to drink the healing waters of Cetica, where we found the water to be even sweeter than the water at Collevalenza.  The miraculous healing waters have been enjoyed by pilgrims since Roman times. According to Roman-era legends, Saint Giovanni Gualberto, founder of the Valambrosian Order, and Saint Romualdo, founder of the Camaldolese Order, were both were moved to go to the mountain spring at Cetica at the same time--without the benefit of the internet or any prior communication. When they met at the source, the spirit of another saint, Saint Romolo, the first bishop of Fiesole (a town near Florence) miraculously appeared. The three saints blessed the water and miraculous healings have occurred for those who drink or bathe in the 40-degree spring water ever since (except for a period from the 1200s to the 1600s, when a landslide buried the water source). 

Not one to drink from streams flowing from mountainsides, I cast caution to the wind and gulped down a glass of the water from the mountain spring. It was the sweetest, most vibrant water I’d ever tasted! We filled several jugs with the Cetica waters and drank from them over the course of the next few weeks. Never did the water taste old or stagnant. There is no admission charge, nor is there a line to wait for the healing waters of Cetica as it is a relatively unknown destination. We were the only visitors on a sunny, springlike day in late May (an optimal time to visit Tuscany to avoid crowds),  just prior to the “official” opening of the inn at Cetica. Perhaps it’s the winding mountain road leading to Cetica, which can be impassable in winter, or its virtual lack internet presence in English, that has rendered Cetica such a well-kept secret. In searching for Cetica online, I found only a handful of mentions on Italian websites, including its own website, http://www.bagnodicetica.it, and another Wikipedia entry in Bosnian that simply notes the existence of Cetica. Cetica is definitely one of the lesser-known and pleasant surprises we found along our path from Rome to Florence and ultimately to the Italian Alps.

But even as we adhered to well-researched and planned visits to holy places, we were amazed by the presence of even more unanticipated holy places tucked away in unassuming corners of both small villages and large city churches along our route. It turned out we didn’t have to look very far for a cross, a Madonna, or a relic of a saint, where miracles—and testimonials to these miracles—abounded.

We unexpectedly discovered the cord that was said to have been wrapped around the waist of the Virgin Mary at a Romanesque-style church in Prato, a city northwest of Florence, at the Duomo di Prato-Cattedrale di Santo Stefano (Dome of Prato-Cathedral of Saint Stephan). The Sacra Cintola (Sacred Cord)  is kept in a reliquary under lock and key in a chapel dedicated to the sacred cord. The Virgin Mary is said to have handed the cord to the Apostle Thomas at the time of her assumption into heaven as a way of proving the validity of miracles to “doubting Thomas.” (see photo)

A priest at the church explained to us that we could attend a mass at the chapel of the sacred cord but that the cord is only shown to the public on five occasions every year: at Christmas, Easter, May 1 (marking the month dedicated to the Virgin Mary), August 15 (when Mary’s Assumption is celebrated), and September 8 (the day devoted to her nativity). Three keys are required to open the reliquary: the keys are held by the Archbishop of Prato, the Mayor of Prato, and the Priest of the Duomo di Prato. All three people must be present to open the reliquary. 

At another church within Florence’s city limits, the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata (Basilica of the Most Holy Annunciation), we were surprised to find a 13th century painting that is said to have been miraculously completed by an angel. The painter, Fra Bartolomeo, a 13th century monk, was painting a scene of the Archangel Gabriel visiting the Virgin Mary to announce the birth of Christ. At a certain point, Fra Bartolomeo, was unable to paint the face of the Madonna. So, he left empty the spot where her face should have been, and went to sleep. When he awakened, an angel had completed the painting for him. The painting, on display in a chapel to the left of the entrance to the basilica, does look like it was painted by two different hands (see photo). For believers, the site of the painting by an angelic hand is a moving experience that stirred many visitors to bend to their knees in reverence and prayer.

And finally, in Florence, I personally had one of the more uplifting spiritual experiences of this moving trip. A certain positive energy seemed to accompany our journey in the footsteps of the saints. And my receptivity to the positive energy seemed to increase with each new experience, perhaps as my sense of faith and belief in divine intervention grew with each successive step. At one shrine we visited, I had the fortunate experience of being handed a small box by a friend of my friends. I felt as if my feet were lifting off the ground as I held the mysterious box. I inquired as to what was inside of this little box, and when I opened it, I discovered it contained 3 strands of hair from St. Clare of Assisi. I felt as if I had been simultaneously transported back in time with my mind expanded beyond the confines of my mortal frame—without even knowing what I was holding. 

Each visit to a sacred place left my heart a little more open than the visit before, as we experienced each of these holy venues dedicated to the infinite love of the divine. It seemed as if a mere willingness to receive opened a channel for positive energy to flow. At those times when I felt a wee bit sceptical about purported miracles, I felt myself close a little, and was unable to receive positive energy that seemed to permeate these holy places. As soon as I would open my heart, a positive sense of upliftment would envelope me. Whether all of the miracles were true or not, I do not know. I saw preserved bodies from 800 years ago with my own eyes and I know the authenticity of various relics, such as the wood from the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified and the blood of Christ have been corroborated by papal authorities. But outside of “official” verification, it seemed simply a matter of faith that allowed a positive expansion of positive awareness to occur.

From Florence, we headed to the Ligurian Sea on the west coast of Italy. There, we visited the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Asunta (Cathedrale of Saint Mary of the Assumption) in Sarzana, just north of the seaside town of La Spezia. La Spezia is famous for its proximity to Cinque Terre, where colorful, boxlike houses that look like Legos cleave to the side of mountains as if they are about to tumble into the sea). The unassuming cathedral of Sarazana has been the repository of a cloth that bears the blood of Christ, stored in a reliquary in the Capella del Preziosissimo Sangue (Chapel of the Most Precious Blood). The Sarzana Cathedral also houses the oldest painted cross in Italy. The Croce di Mastro Guglielmo (Cross of Master Guglielmo) was painted in 1138.

Other unexpected—and touchingly uplifting—spiritual experiences came in other unanticipated venues throughout Italy. One sunny afternoon in the Italian Alps, we visited the the town of Aosta at the foot of Mont Blanc, near the Italian border with France. We decided to go to the cathedral to meditate and were surprised to discover the cathedral filled to capacity with more than 400 people. From infants in strollers to elderly people in wheelchairs, there was barely space to move. It turned out that two young men from the town had been ordained as priests, and the whole town came to the church to celebrate. It brought tears to my eyes to think of people being so joyous for others embracing a religious life. I imagine, in some communities in the United States, families would lament the choice!

Finally, on our way back to Florence from the Italian Alps, we detoured to Bologna, to visit the incorrupt body of St. Catherine of Bologna. There, her miraculously preserved body remains seated on a throne since the 1400s. Verified accounts hold that 18 days after St. Catherine of Bologna’s death in 1463, a sweet fragrance emanated from her grave. After she was disinterred, she stood up, kneeled before a crucifix in the church, and sat down on a throne, where her supple body remains to this day. (see photo)

Throughout the journey, I felt the power of my own thoughts to allow me to be blissful or doubtful. I could feel myself going from tired and overwhelmed to energized and happy, simply by tuning in to the spirit of the places we were visiting. I discovered I could just as easily “tune in” as I could “tune out.” 

To truly feel the power of these relics, incorrupt saints, Madonnas, and miraculous crosses, one must suspend the analytical mind to allow space for the divine presence, which seems to be the thread that connects each of the reported miracles: belief and faith that the miraculous is possible. The openness to believe in and experience the existence of of beneficent divine intervention generates a state of wellbeing and positive energy that can attract even more good.

I might add at this point that I grew up in the Jewish faith, which has its own share of miracles, including burning bushes, commandments delivered on tablets from heaven, prophets bringing forth water from rocks, and angels drinking wine from goblets at the Passover supper. During my late 20s, I discovered Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF), a spiritual path that combines the wisdom of Eastern religious teachings from the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita with those of the Christian Bible. This meditative path opened my mind to the beauty in all religious traditions. Several years later, while living in Florence, I immersed myself in the teachings of love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. I visited the many beautiful Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque churches of Florence and experienced the power of built-up spiritual devotion over the centuries, and have been continually fascinated by the uplifting energy it is possible to experience when we open our hearts at these sacred holy places.

We ended our journey on the way to the airport in Rome with a visit to Saint Peter’s Square, where generous friends helped reserve second-row seats for the Wednesday morning talk of Pope Francis (affectionately known as “Papa Francesco"). He delivered a moving address on love, a message that is so needed in our world. He concluded his talk by shaking the hands of many of the onlookers and by touchingly blessing a baby named “Lara,” who had been tenderly passed forward through the audience to “meet” the Pope.

The way I observed Italians in the audience gently passing the baby (a long distance from its parents) to be touched by the Pope said so much to me about the Italian psyche. There is so much reverence for those elements of life considered holy and sacred. The Italians are infinitely respectful of those who engage in prayer or meditation. Even burly construction workers seemed to melt into little children as they paid their respects to the crucifix behind the altars of the many ancient churches practically on every corner.