The Eremo delle Carceri is an important Franciscan site. It nestles in a fold of Mount Subasio which towers over the little town of Assisi at a height of about 800 metres. There is a mountain path leading to it which can be found on exiting through the Capuchin Gate (Porta dei Cappuccini) but it is also now accessible by road and a taxi will take you up in 15 minutes or so. There is a long lane from the entrance to the grounds of the friary to the little friary itself, but a tranquillity pervades the area, even though from time to time it may be filled with many tourists and pilgrims. After the lane you descend down into the friary. There is a little reception area to the right and you can obtain a leaflet in English, leaving a small donation for its reprinting (offerta). There is also a chapel reserved for prayer. But first you may want to take in the view down into the valley and then visit the sanctuary. The Hermitage of the Carceri The history of the place and its significance can be explained quite quickly. Francis came here as a place to retreat and to pray. When he came here it was a desolate place, there were simply caves used occasionally by hermits and it seems by less desirable types. The name Carceri, means prison and the natural 15
16 cells were used by both criminals and saints. The place was referred to in sinister terms in old maps as the place of the evil eye etc. Although it may not have been in the particular cave, now known as St. Francis grotto, there is reference in the early sources to Francis bringing a friend to a cave nearby Assisi even prior to his decision to enter religious life. Francis asked his friend to remain whilst he went to pray in the cave. When he came back out he told his friend that he had found a wonderful treasure. I hope that you too may find the same treasure here. The hermitage as it is known now became a place to retire to and pray not only for Francis but also for his followers after the Order was founded. Indeed Francis did not know exactly what path he should follow in respect of these brothers that the Lord was giving to him and asked St. Clare, and Brother Sylvester, who was here, to pray to the View of the hermitage with detail of refectory. Lord to discover which way the Order should follow. The same answer came back from both of them. The gift was not to be kept for themselves, the friars were to go into the world to proclaim it Let s go first into the friars refectory which you can see on the left. It is a typical early Franciscan refectory, this one dates back to the early 15 th century, the time of St. Bernardine of Siena, a great reformer and preacher who died in 1444. There is a spot marked for the guardian of the friary in the corner. It s not the head of the table in the ordinary sense, but in a corner and at the same time the place where one can most easily serve the others. For Francis there were no priors but ministers, and they were the friars servants. Passing through the refectory you will see a cross of St. Bernardine on the right followed by stairs up to where the community of friars live. You can see here how the friary is built into the rock, important for Francis and Franciscans as a symbol of Christ. There are four friars who live here the year round, and occasionally
The Hermitage of Carceri Inside the little chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. others who come to help out. This part is usually not open to tourists. Equally there is a passage which would take you out on the other side of the Hermitage which is normally closed off. Through the gate you can however just make out a little choir where the friars would have recited the liturgical hours. Exiting by the same door as we went in we can now visit the Sanctuary. There are no great works of art here. The works of the masters of medieval art inspired by Francis can be seen in the Basilica of St. Francis and elsewhere. But in the first little chapel that we are entering, that of St. Bernardine there is a fresco which pleases me very much indeed. Francis never told his friend what the secret treasure was that he found. But this painting to me reveals it. It shows Francis kneeling before the crucified Christ and looking directly into his eyes. The secret of this place is that it gives one the opportunity of a direct contact with God. Passing through the chapel of St. Bernardine you come to the chapel dedicated to Mary. It is the oldest building on the site and dates to the thirteenth century. The little leaflet neatly describes the chronological development of the buildings here, Views of the Hermitage with detail of St. Francis in prayer. 17
18 The chapel is built over St. Francis grotto. You then descend the steps to the cave, watching your head because it is a very narrow staircase, but for those of a claustrophobic disposition the exit is very shortly after you come down to the bare rock where Francis would have prayed and slept. It is surrounded by a little balustrade. He seemed to choose the most uncomfortable places to repose, always wanting to be close to the rock which to him, as mentioned above, was a symbol of Christ. You exit through a narrow door and cross out into the open air over a slit in the pavement below you known as the Devil s hole (Buco del Diavolo), which always intrigues visitors. Once outside you will see in front of you to your left a tree, held in place by a metal binding, which marks the traditional spot where Francis asked the View from the other side of the sanctuary. birds to be quiet until he finished his preaching. They duly did and waited for his blessing before flying away. The event is commemorated in a fifteenth century fresco above the door which you have just exited. What s the story about the Devil s hole? It is told in The Little Flowers of St. Francis a series of folk memories of the Order written about 110 years after Francis death. Whilst retiring to a desert to contemplate may put you in touch with God, another inhabitant of the desert as recounted in the Gospels is the Devil who tempted Jesus there. One of Francis early followers was Fra Rufino, who you may have noticed was also buried near him. He began to have visions here of a Crucifix from which the Christ spoke to him. The messages were not edifying however, and he was told that the son of Pietro Bernardone (Francis) was damned as would all those who followed him. Rufino then began to avoid Francis, but the latter knew in his spirit what was wrong and commanded Rufino to come to him. Rufino who had taken his vow of obedience could not do otherwise. Francis told him that the next time the vision appeared to Rufino he was to tell him (very colourfully) to open up his mouth and let out the dung. Rufino followed instructions and the Devil was unmasked and fled leaving a landslide in his wake. The noise was heard all the way down in Assisi. Proceeding on over the bridge you will see statues which recount
The Hermitage of Carceri The cave of St. Francis. another incident in the life of the early friars. Brother Leo who is bent down was very interested in astronomy and was remarking how the stars are a sure guide to the navigator the Plough is symbolized by marks on the ground in front of him. Francis replied that in the same way the Gospel is a sure guide to eternal life to the pilgrim travelling here below. The lane takes you on to a couple of places where mass is said and there is also a path to Brother Leo s cave. But in the time you have you may be better to head towards the exit passing by another little chapel and up behind the Hermitage. Instead of exiting turn to the right and you will come to a couple of grottoes attributed to Brother Masseo and Brother Rufino. If you have time you can then return down to the friary and go into the little chapel past the reception which is reserved for prayer. The love of Jesus O my Lord Jesus Christ I beg from you two graces before I die: The first, that during my life I may feel in my body and soul, so far as it is possible, the pain that you suffered in the hour of your most bitter Passion; the second, that I may feel in my heart in so far as it is possible, that over-brimming love with which You, Son of God, were enflamed so as to bear willingly for us, sinners, such suffering. (From The Little Flowers of St. Francis) 19