Ornate, Bold, and Beautiful

San Francesco (Matteo Carboni)

Yesterday I visited a small Tuscan town called, Pienza. Many movie buffs will know Pienza as the back drop in movies such as Gladiator (2000) and Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet (1968). In Pienza, there is small, simple medieval church called Chiesa di San Francesco. When I walked in, the room was dimly lite. The light streaming through the windows above the altar illuminated the building. The once beautiful frescos on the walls have largely faded away.

The church captured my attention because it was the opposite of many of the churches in Rome. Many churches had been touched by the Baroque period. There are many beautiful examples of Baroque architecture, decorations, and paintings in Roman churches. There are not many churches that have the wooden roof, for example.

As I walked farther into the church I noticed an open door beside the altar that led to a side chapel. The side chapel was stunning! The ceiling was painted with gold and vibrant blue. I struggled to wrap my head around the notion that a simple church could have a side chapel so ornate and bold and beautiful, complete with marble columns.

Chapel of San Francesco (Matteo Carboni)

Chiesa di San Francesco is like our own selves. We all have parts of ourselves that are ornate, bold, and beautiful. Speaking for my introverted self, these parts I don't often share with people/ These parts are hidden from the view of tourists who pass through my life, giving me only a quick glance to see if there is anything attractive on the surface. Most introverts I have met are the same. We treasure those we can sit with. Even extraverts have those parts to themselves they don't often reveal.

It is only when we sit with another person and listen to them, hear their stories about life, do we learn about those colorful and bold parts of them.

I loved San Francesco because it surprised me in so many ways. I did not expect to find a humble church in Pienza. Once I did, I did not expect to find an ornately decorated chapel tucked away, off to the side. The church reminded me to not walk through the world as if I know it (especially in areas of the world I have never walked). It reminded me to always listen to the person beside or the rhythms of the city, and be ready for the ornate, bold, and beautiful surprises that are waiting for us around the corner.

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Parting ways

Our last dinner with the University of Toronto group was truly memorable. Overall, the Rome trip wa a great experience and I learned a lot about ecumenism, something I had no experience with before. The concept of ecumenism as a dialogue, where one can be "strong in their identity yet open to dialogue", really resonated with It's inspiring to see how such an approach can foster understanding and unity, even with our own "small group" from Toronto, there was so much diversity (again, it included an Anglican priest, a secular Jew, and 3 Catholics). Yet, despite our differences, there will always be a way to talk and talk to each other, if they share space with each other. I will truly miss this group , and the larger group at the Centro Pro Unione. I am looking forward to more enlightening conversations and shared ecumenical experiences in the future! Very grateful again to Dr. Attridge, Dr. Skira and the RSM management for this wonderful opportunity! Until next

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