Terracina with long beautiful beaches. In the background,
Jupiter's temple on top of the mound. We walked to the top to take the
picture.
On the second day in Terracina, Patty and I left at 10 am, spent
the day near the ocean. In the evening, we had a wonderfull supper at
Pappagallo restaurant.
Cattedrale di S. Cesario in Terracina:
11/13 in Gaeta at
the Seminario
In the am, we went to the cathedral in Terracina
to pray. Apparently, Pope Urban II was elected here. He is the
pope who commissioned the Crusade to Jerusalem.
In the pm, we walked the 21 K to Gaeta, another
coastal town.
It was at Gaeta where the popes in the 19th century used to
vacation. In 1849, Pope Pius IX was in Gaeta on an extended stay because
of illness. He prayed to Mary in the Cathedral there, and he
claimed Mary spoke to him and said she was the Immaculate Conception. He
apparently kept this to himself until a few years later, the 14-year
girl in Lourdes, France claimed the same. A short time later, the pope
officially pronounced her immaculate conception (born without sin). It
is mainly because of this apparition that Roman Catholics, especially
the Italians, venerate Mary.
11/14 in Montagone
at the Instituto
11/15 and 11/16 in Garzano de Caserta
at the
Orarorio
11/16 - Rest day - Trip to Pompeii
1
1/17
in Arpata at the Covento Frati
Minori (Don Roberto)
Finding accommodation these days by knocking on doors about 5 pm
each day.
11/18 in Grottominarda
at the Sanctuario Madonna
di Carpignano11/19 in Bisaccia at the Chiesa Baptista11/20 in Melfi at the Chiesa Sacro Cuore
Melfi was an important town as Urban II had a council
here and crusades were organized. Normans here were already able
warriors who were pushing back Greeks and Arabs back in territorial
games.
Pope Urban II and the Norman castle in Melfi
Cathedral in Melfi:
11/21 in Melfi at the Monasterio San Vinvent de
Paulo
We had to push walk today to keep a schedule. We walked 2 x 5
and three team pushes today for a total of 55 km.
Lots of rain. In the last three days walking, we saw many
(about 100) rainbows, also colors in the sky near the sun.
Melfi is an interesting town, besides being the place where
Behemond, a leader of the first crusade, is entombed (second picture
below).
From 4 pm to 8 pm, the town centro is closed to vehicular traffic.
Older men (Patty guessed 500) were in the streets socializing.
Patty and I went out and surveyed the town for about 7 pm to 8:30.
Slowly, the older men disappeared and a younger crowd showed up.
We are staying in a large hall on the second story next to the
Cathedral in the town square. Probably the last day we have to sleep on
the floor.
11/22 in Canosa at the Cattedrale Don Filipo
Olive pickers are out these days. In the second photo, Nadia
is passing out a tract.
11/23 to 12/01 in Ruvo at
the Centro Evanagelical Christiano