The sanctuary of San Damiano is located just outside the walls of Assisi and is surrounded by nature and the green of cypresses. The small church was restored by Saint Francis in compliance with the message of the Crucifix “Go, Francis and repair my collapsing house”. Five years later the Saint sent St. Clare here with her first followers. In this Franciscan site, the saint composed his well-known “Canticle of the Creatures”. To be seen the frescoes inside the church and the Garden, the Oratory and Dormitory where Saint Clare died.
Assisi – Excursion Eremo delle Carceri and San Damiano
FRANCISCAN SITES (only reached by minivan).
Excursions for individuals and groups.
San Damiano
Eremo delle carceri: A place out of time
About 4 km from Assisi, nestled in the woods of Mount Subasio, near its summit at 780 meters, lies the Eremo delle Carceri. The serenity and the sense of peace that every visitor perceives make it the Franciscan site par excellence. The Convent developed near the cave where the Saint used to spend many hours praying and meditating, feeding only on bread and water. Later in the 15th century a small church was built there.
Porziuncola
Small Benedictine chapel built in the 9th century that St. Francis chose as his home. It used to be a simple site surrounded by fields and woods. Subsequently, when an increasing number of companions gathered around the Saint, it was restored. Here, Saint Francis elaborated the rule which would become the foundation of the Order of Friars Minor, centered on the principles of poverty, obedience and chastity, symbolized in the clothing of the Franciscans by the three knots of the cord that tightens the cassock.
** The Eremo delle Carceri – San Damiano cannot be reached by bus. We can organize the excursion for both individuals and large groups with 8-seater minivan. On request, we can give you the contact of a local guide who will accompany you to visit the sites of Francis.
