The Saint Mary's Chamber Singers had a busy day. They woke up to a wonderful Italian breakfast of cereal, breads, cheeses, meats, biscotti, coffee, hot chocolate, fruits and much more. Everyone seemed very satisfied before the 2.5 hour bus trip to Assisi, Italy.
We spent the day in this famous city that is located in the Umbria region of central Italy. Assisi is known best for its two famous residents, St. Francesco di Assisi (Saint Francis of Assisi) and St. Chiara di Assisi (St. Clare of Assisi). They both have beautiful churches dedicated in their honor. This city has a great presence in the Umbria region and has kept its historic heritage and character.
The highlight of the trip was that the Chamber Singers were allowed to sing for 10 minutes within the lower church of the Basilica of Saint Francis. You are not allowed to take photos in this church, but we were able to grab an audio recording. The audio recording is below. The musical works that were sung were Preghiera Semplice by A. Eric Heukeshoven and Ave Maria by Anton Bruckner.
The students spent the day touring the city, shopping in the local stores and soaking up the culture and FOOD in this great city. Was a great day trip.
Around 6 p.m. we ventured back to Rome. The group then split up and enjoyed dinner on their own and had a low-key evening. Tomorrow the group will have a tour involving Ancient Rome. I hope you are enjoying the updates from Italy!
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| SMU students enter Assisi through an arched gate |
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| The wall of Assisi with the Basilica of Saint Francis. This is taken from below the city. |
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| Jessica Ingvalson, Bryan Moore hanging out below the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, Italy |
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| Dr. O'Shea on the phone in Assisi |
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| Eric Heukeshoven, Alex Green and Jessica Ingvalson enjoy the sunshine and a sculpture below the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. |
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| Basilica of Saint Francis from an Assisi road above the church |
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| Main altar in the Church of Saint Clare in Assisi, Italy |
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| Church of Saint Clare |
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| Michelle Cullen and Katie Sapper enjoying the sunshine in Assisi, Italy |
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| The view from the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi |
Wonderful update, loved the photos and the audio!
ReplyDeletePatti
Bob,
ReplyDeleteGood work.
-- Bob.
It was a really wonderful day, capped off by getting permission to sing in the Basilica of St. Francis.
ReplyDelete-PMOS