Italy Day 10 pt 2 {Subiaco}

Monastery of Saint Benedict, Subiaco, Italy 

Nestled in the cliff side, towering over the town of Subiaco, the Benedectine Monasteries of Subiaco  brought us right to where St. Benedict lived in prayed in a cave as a hermit for three years. 

The irregular shape of the inside of the St. Benedict Monastery, where the chapels and churches seem to grow out from around the rocks of the cliff-side could not be photographed, as it is protected as a "no photo" area.  The grotto, reserved for prayer and meditation, offered a quiet oasis amidst the crowds visiting this holy place on a Sunday afternoon.  Being one of Zachary's "must sees" in Italy, he hadn't waited til morning to come and visit, he took a short run/walk from our room at St. Scholastica's Monastery on arrival night to get his first peek at St. Benedict's Monastery.

In formation with the Passionist Order in Rome, on retreat at St. Scholastica, Salvadore came to visit in the morning.

Peter and Joseph join a game of soccer in the play area (parking lot) at St. Scholastica.

Tim enjoys the view from the steps leading to our room at St. Scholastica, Subiaco, Italy.

Who knew how much our younger boys would miss playing with other kids?  The looks on their faces when we pulled into the parking area at St. Scholastica, filled with kids around their age filled in the blanks. Within moments of exiting the vehicle, Joseph and Peter had been invited to join the game, and Joseph even scored a goal.  They were the willing daredevils who volunteered to retrieve the ball when it flew over the hedge (a sheer cliff below, but somehow they managed).  The fun and games ended when one of the older boys proudly shared the English (swear) words he knew.  Joseph and Peter took that as a cue to exit the scene.

Noteworthy:

• "Speak Italy" means, "If you want to talk to me, don't use English and your stupid sign language; speak Italian!"
• Being guests at a monastery does not necessarily mean solitude and an escape from the everyday: especially if a group of middle-schoolers are visiting at the same time.
• Joseph was the first male on this excursion to voluntarily do his own laundry!