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Pilgrimage through Italy
  • Clare Friel
  • Chris Friel
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  • Clare Friel
  • Chris Friel

Pilgrimage through Italy

I am traveling to Italy/Spain on the 3 May with my brother Fr Chris and 10 others. Our travels to Italy will take us to the great pilgrimage sites of the country from St Padre Pio in the south to the historic saints in the north. Read more
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  • Currently in
    🇮🇹 Venice, Italy
    Pilgrimage through Italy

    San Domenico

    5 minutes ago in Italy ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    The Basilica of San Domenico in Bologna is one of Italy’s most important Dominican churches, filled with stunning art and history. It is especially revered for housing the relics and skull of Saint Dominic 😏 The magnificent tomb also features sculptures created by a young Michelangelo early in his career. It really needs to be seen as hard to photograph. We were all in awe. As for the skull😏 but that was way back in 1220 when they kept relics. Maybe a tourist attraction 😉Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy

    On the road.

    3 hours ago in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Another day full of history, and breathtaking art.
    In Bologna, we visited the Basilica of St. Dominic — no Mass today. The Baroque paintings inside were out of this world.
    Then we continued on to Padua and the Basilica of St. Anthony… double wow! 😮📸 Truly magnificent and unforgettable. Arrived Venice about 5 pm all worn out and ready for a cold drink and dinner. Only 13,000 steps today 😉Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy
    The town we explored 😉📸
    Beautiful BasilicaDavid looking out over Florence. Not a Michelangelo

    Goodbye Florence

    4 hours ago in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    First thing this morning on leaving Florence, our new bus driver detoured us to Piazzale Michangelo. Best view high on a hill to capture Florence. 🥰

  • Pilgrimage through Italy

    Steps

    Today in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    “Just another 5 min walk” says Chris. It turned out to be 30. Google got a bit confused 😂 another delicious dinner and trodded home just as the lights were coming on. Goodbye Florence loved every minute.Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy

    Michael Angelo Tomb

    Today in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Though Michelangelo died in Rome, his body was secretly taken to Florence and buried at Basilica of Santa Croce — against his original wishes. I did listen to that part and thought very sad 🤷‍♀️😢

  • Pilgrimage through Italy
    Front part
    Someone's tomb. No body bits in this church 😏Allot of impressive artThere is a story about this but I can't remember 🤷‍♀️Captured half downOvertired. I asked Chris why there was a Mafia guy in church. He said Clare that's America 😂😏🤷‍♀️Viewing all the Frescoes1I love this of Mary and stood and stared at her. Thought of Mum she loved Mary 🥰

    Most important Church

    Today in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Basilica di Santa Croce is one of Florence’s most important churches, famous for its Gothic architecture and for housing the tombs and memorials of major Italian figures like Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, and Niccolò Machiavelli. Built by the Franciscans beginning in the 1200s, it is also renowned for its art, including frescoes by Giotto and the Renaissance-style Pazzi Chapel designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. And we saw it all with our guide, but very tired by then so not taking it all in. Iv just googled it! A massive Church.Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy

    David

    Today in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    And he’s just as impressive as our last visit Jo 😉 Michelangelo’s original David is in the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence.
    The statue was moved there in 1873 from Piazza della Signoria to protect it from weather damage.Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy
    Irish Anne
    Usual lunch for Chris has a flash name but it's porkMy usual lunch

    Lunch

    Today in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    30 minute break for lunch. Always delicious no matter where we go. Chris speaks Italian and all the staff love it. They chatter away all the time.

  • Pilgrimage through Italy

    Dogs

    Yesterday in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Gerard you won’t like Florence, too many dogs!😉😂 Dogs out walking happily with their parents everywhere!

  • Pilgrimage through Italy
    1The pic everyone take in front of Ponte Vecchio

    Florence

    Yesterday in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    We are staying very central. Jo and I stayed in the same area only 6 mths ago😉 We followed Chris around all day. Early morning we set off and he took us to where he stayed when he studied Italian here way back in the 80”s. And his Church. Walked over the bridges, poked around in shops. Lunch. Another walkabouts and Chris giving us info on buildings, history etc. then we meet up with a guide who took us to see the big David statue, museum etc. Thought that was it as 3.40 but we walked -back to where Chris had already givin us info on. Then we walked to another huge church! No body parts this time!😉We were all buggared to be honest by then! What the guide was saying just went over my head and I took the ear piece out. 😏 But what a church!! Massive!! Taxied home! I don’t know how Chris does it. Keeping tabs on the touring and us girls and our wandering behind the group. Looking in windows and taking photos etc 16,000 steps todayRead more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy
    1After seeing a dead head it was nice yo come out and see this pretty Geranium.
    11Nope! No time to browse!1Just like this contrast 😉2Somewhere 🤷‍♀️Chris following Google maps. We are like Browns CowsA slight climb somewhere in Siena

    Bits and bobs

    Yesterday in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Other bits I captured on the huff while we passed quickly around Selina. Then hit the road again arrived Florence later in afternoon. Departed from bus said our goodbyes to Giocomo. Following Chris with his Google maps on up a street to find our hotel. “Nope gone too far!” Backtrack, and found it down an alleyway 😂 16.000 steps today including walking around looking for our dinner location 😉💤💤Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy
    1Delicious
    1The bug Cathedral with the black and white pillarsPiazza del campo lunch hereChris and I were quickly served probably because he speaks Italian. The others missed out!2

    Lunch!

    Yesterday in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We were all getting parched and hungry as we had missed out on morning tea. I was famished! And we’re all getting jaded after walking and climbing. Walked downhill to Piazza del Campo. A lively square is surrounded by charming cafés where people sip espresso, enjoy pastries, and watch the world go by. And we only had 45mins from the boss to find something. Chris and I went straight to closet cafe and served super quick! The others scattered and ending up just getting a gelato as had a bit of difficulty with a staff member? Language problems 😂Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy

    Another Cathedral

    May 11 in Italy ⋅ 🌙 16 °C

    And on we went and up another flight of stairs to the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption. Very old this one. was originally built between the 12th and 14th centuries, making it around 800 years old, and is famous for its stunning black-and-white marble façade, intricate mosaics, and masterpieces by artists including Michelangelo and Donatello. I myself thought it looked a bit depressing. Paintings were awesome. We are getting pooped by now. “Chris! It’s lunch time!”Read more

  • Pilgrimage through Italy
    A famous painting
    Rather big lots of huge paintingsHead of St Catherine the rest of her body is in RomeHead 😲A flash surrounding for the head

    Florence

    May 11 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Basilica of San Domenico houses the preserved head of Catherine of Siena, one of the most famous relics connected to the saint. I wasn’t exspecting that! Other pieces of her are at other places 😏 Chris captured her finger too I didn’t see that one! 😉Read more

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