How lovely your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and flesh cry out for the living God. As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest to settle her young, My home is by your altars, Lord of hosts, my king and my God! Blessed are those who dwell in your house! They never cease to praise you.
The Portiuncula is significant in the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and in the history of the Franciscan order. The account below from the “Portiuncula” article in Wikipedia is accurate. Minor editing was done.
begin Portiuncula, also spelled Porziuncola or Porzioncula, is a small Catholic church located within the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in Assisi in the frazione of Santa Maria degli Angeli, situated about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from Assisi, Umbria (central Italy). It is the place from where the Franciscan movement started.
The name Portiuncola (meaning “small portion of land”) was first mentioned in a document from 1045, now in the archives of the Assisi Cathedral.
…After a pilgrimage to Rome, where he begged at the church doors for the poor, Francis said he had had a mystical vision of Jesus Christ in the wayside chapel of San Damiano, about two miles outside of Assisi, in which the Icon of Christ Crucified came alive and said to him three times, “Francis, Francis, go and repair My house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.” Francis took this literally to mean the ruined church in which he was presently praying, and so sold his horse and some cloth from his father's store, to assist the priest there for this purpose. His father Pietro, highly indignant, sought restitution. After a final interview in the presence of the bishop, Francis renounced his father and his patrimony, laying aside even the garments he had received from him. For the next couple of months, he lived as a beggar in the region of Assisi. Returning to the town for two years this time, he restored several ruined churches, among them the Portiuncula, little chapel of St Mary of the Angels, just outside the town.
Francis built himself a small hut near the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels and was soon joined by others. Here he founded the Franciscans. Around 1211 the small chapel was given to Francis by the abbot of Saint Benedict of Monte Subasio on condition of making it the mother house of his religious family. On Palm Sunday 1211, Francis received in this church Clare of Assisi and founded the Second Order of the Poor Ladies Poor Clares. Adjoining this humble sanctuary, already dear to Francis, the first Franciscan convent was formed by the erection of a few small huts or cells of wattle, straw, and mud, and enclosed by a hedge.
The General Chapters, the annual meetings of the friars, were held in this church usually during Pentecost (months of May to June).
Feeling his end approaching, Francis asked to be brought back to the Portiuncula in September 1226. …He died, in his cell, not fifteen yards from the church, at sunset on Saturday, October 3, 1226. end
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine, Quezon City, Philippines Mary the Queen, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines Santuario de San Jose, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines Church of the Gesù, Quezon City, Philippines San Juan Bautista, Pinaglabanan, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines Santuario de San Josemaría Escrivá, Gerona, Tarlac, Philippines Santuario de Santo Cristo, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines Santuario de San Antonio, Makati City, Philippines San Damiano, Assisi, Italy Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi, Italy Santa Maria di Fiore, Florence, Italy San Giuseppe al Trionfale, Rome, Italy Santuario di San Pio da Pietrelcina, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy Santa Chiara, Assisi, Italy San Francesco d’Assisi, Assisi, Italy Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Manila, Philippines Capilla de San Lorenzo, Robinsons Magnolia Mall, Quezon City, Philippines
Oura Cathedral or Basilica of the 26 Holy Martyrs of Japan, Nagasaki, Japan Myeongdong Cathedral or Cathedral Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Seoul, South Korea
Although the Porciuncula in Assisi is best known to us for its association with St. Francis, it had a remarkable history long before the “Poor Man of Assisi” was born. It is first mentioned in the year 1045, when it was called the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels; the locals had heard Angels singing there, and immediately thought of the Assumption. It was in time given to a Benedictine Monastery, whose Abbot gave it to St. Francis to repair, in accordance with a dream the Saint had had. It was inside the little building that St. Francis had the vision of Christ wherein was revealed the Porciuncula Indulgence — the annual practice whereby the Faithful may gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions by visiting a church on August 2, the feast of Our Lady of the Angels. Originally restricted to visiting the Porciuncula itself on that day, successive Popes gradually extended the privilege to all Franciscan churches, to all parish churches, and finally to any church whatsoever. Today the Porciuncula is tucked away inside the much larger and splendid Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built around the little chapel by order of St. Pius V — himself no stranger to miracles.
Photo of Church of the Gesù, cropped, courtesy of Bro. Jeffrey Pioquinto, SJ
ReplyDeletehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/90412460@N00/17016120193
Photo of Santa Maria di Fiore courtesy of Hyougushi
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duomo_-_Santa_Maria_del_Fiore.jpg
Gonzalinho
Photo of San Damiano crucifix courtesy of Giaccai
ReplyDeletehttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crocefisso_di_San_Damiano_Assisi.jpg
Photo of crypt of Saint Francis of Assisi courtesy of Peter K Burian
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Crypt_of_St._Francis_of_Assisi.jpg
Gonzalinho
PSALM 84:2-5
ReplyDeleteHow lovely your dwelling, O Lord of hosts!
My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and flesh cry out for the living God.
As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest to settle her young,
My home is by your altars, Lord of hosts, my king and my God!
Blessed are those who dwell in your house!
They never cease to praise you.
Gonzalinho
PORTIUNCULA
ReplyDeleteThe Portiuncula is significant in the life of Saint Francis of Assisi and in the history of the Franciscan order. The account below from the “Portiuncula” article in Wikipedia is accurate. Minor editing was done.
begin Portiuncula, also spelled Porziuncola or Porzioncula, is a small Catholic church located within the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels in Assisi in the frazione of Santa Maria degli Angeli, situated about 4 kilometres (2.5 miles) from Assisi, Umbria (central Italy). It is the place from where the Franciscan movement started.
The name Portiuncola (meaning “small portion of land”) was first mentioned in a document from 1045, now in the archives of the Assisi Cathedral.
…After a pilgrimage to Rome, where he begged at the church doors for the poor, Francis said he had had a mystical vision of Jesus Christ in the wayside chapel of San Damiano, about two miles outside of Assisi, in which the Icon of Christ Crucified came alive and said to him three times, “Francis, Francis, go and repair My house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.” Francis took this literally to mean the ruined church in which he was presently praying, and so sold his horse and some cloth from his father's store, to assist the priest there for this purpose. His father Pietro, highly indignant, sought restitution. After a final interview in the presence of the bishop, Francis renounced his father and his patrimony, laying aside even the garments he had received from him. For the next couple of months, he lived as a beggar in the region of Assisi. Returning to the town for two years this time, he restored several ruined churches, among them the Portiuncula, little chapel of St Mary of the Angels, just outside the town.
Francis built himself a small hut near the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels and was soon joined by others. Here he founded the Franciscans. Around 1211 the small chapel was given to Francis by the abbot of Saint Benedict of Monte Subasio on condition of making it the mother house of his religious family. On Palm Sunday 1211, Francis received in this church Clare of Assisi and founded the Second Order of the Poor Ladies Poor Clares. Adjoining this humble sanctuary, already dear to Francis, the first Franciscan convent was formed by the erection of a few small huts or cells of wattle, straw, and mud, and enclosed by a hedge.
The General Chapters, the annual meetings of the friars, were held in this church usually during Pentecost (months of May to June).
Feeling his end approaching, Francis asked to be brought back to the Portiuncula in September 1226. …He died, in his cell, not fifteen yards from the church, at sunset on Saturday, October 3, 1226. end
Gonzalinho
Photo of the Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception—also known as Manila Cathedral—courtesy of Vyacheslav Argenberg
ReplyDeletehttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Manila,_Manila_Cathedral,_Philippines.jpg
Gonzalinho
INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS
ReplyDeleteOur Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine, Quezon City, Philippines
Mary the Queen, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines
Santuario de San Jose, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines
Church of the Gesù, Quezon City, Philippines
San Juan Bautista, Pinaglabanan, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines
Santuario de San Josemaría Escrivá, Gerona, Tarlac, Philippines
Santuario de Santo Cristo, San Juan City, National Capital Region, Philippines
Santuario de San Antonio, Makati City, Philippines
San Damiano, Assisi, Italy
Santa Maria degli Angeli, Assisi, Italy
Santa Maria di Fiore, Florence, Italy
San Giuseppe al Trionfale, Rome, Italy
Santuario di San Pio da Pietrelcina, San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy
Santa Chiara, Assisi, Italy
San Francesco d’Assisi, Assisi, Italy
Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Manila, Philippines
Capilla de San Lorenzo, Robinsons Magnolia Mall, Quezon City, Philippines
Gonzalinho
Oura Cathedral or Basilica of the 26 Holy Martyrs of Japan, Nagasaki, Japan
DeleteMyeongdong Cathedral or Cathedral Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Seoul, South Korea
Gonzalinho
Photo, cropped, of Oura Cathedral interior courtesy of Masoud Akbari
ReplyDeletehttps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Altar_of_Oura_Church_-_panoramio_%283%29.jpg
Photo, cropped, of Myeongdong Cathedral stained glass windows courtesy of Noulovanarderso
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SK_%E5%8D%97%E9%9F%93_South_Korea_tour_%E6%BC%A2%E5%9F%8E_%E9%A6%96%E7%88%BE_Seoul_%E5%A4%A9%E4%B8%BB%E6%95%99_%E6%98%8E%E6%B4%9E%E6%95%99%E5%A0%82_Myeong-dong_Cathedral_CCVMIC_interior_July-2013_ceiling_08.JPG
Gonzalinho
OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Porciuncula in Assisi is best known to us for its association with St. Francis, it had a remarkable history long before the “Poor Man of Assisi” was born. It is first mentioned in the year 1045, when it was called the Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels; the locals had heard Angels singing there, and immediately thought of the Assumption. It was in time given to a Benedictine Monastery, whose Abbot gave it to St. Francis to repair, in accordance with a dream the Saint had had. It was inside the little building that St. Francis had the vision of Christ wherein was revealed the Porciuncula Indulgence — the annual practice whereby the Faithful may gain a plenary indulgence under the usual conditions by visiting a church on August 2, the feast of Our Lady of the Angels. Originally restricted to visiting the Porciuncula itself on that day, successive Popes gradually extended the privilege to all Franciscan churches, to all parish churches, and finally to any church whatsoever. Today the Porciuncula is tucked away inside the much larger and splendid Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built around the little chapel by order of St. Pius V — himself no stranger to miracles.
https://www.thequeenofangels.com/mary-the-queen/our-lady-of-the-angels/
—“Our Lady of the Angels,” Queen of Angels Foundation
Gonzalinho