The Portland daily press., 1900-03-21

trapped, and thinking Hannibal with his
forces had marched ON to Rome. he en-
tered the fatal dsrle. The Roman army
was surrounded. and put to flight with q
loss Of fifteen thousand men. One OF the
brooks which crosses the valley is still
called Sanguinetto, because the stream
YVES then redeemed with blood.
Soon after emerging from this interest
ing region we arrive at Perugla, she
metropolis of the surrounding country,
built high on a hill. the Perutia Of the
ancients, the birth place Of Psrugino and
the home Of much earlier art. Between
Perugia and Assist you notice some old
tombs Of the Voiumnii, nation which
existed in the evolution period of Italy
when Rome was absorbing all the sur
rounding distriots.
We arrived at the station Of Assist at
80 in the evening and spent an hour
in the omnibus, climbing to the little
town which is celebrated for its monas-
terry founded by st. Francis.
This sanity monk was one OF the few
really godly characters Of the Middle
Ages. Dante even mentions him in his
Paradise Lost and says that he rose like
the sun, illumi mating everything by his
arys. Born at Assist In 1889 A. d., q
child of wealthy family, his youth was
spent in the frivolous pastimes OF the
young men of that day. But enlisting as
soldier In the OWL wars he was taken
prisoner, and after dangerous Illness
his attention was called to higher pursuits
which resulted In his founding the Order
of Franoisoans; and thenceforth devot-
ing his life to the Church.
The monastery on the brow Of the
hill was finished In 1928. 1t IL now used
az school for the sons Of teachers and
IL as oomfortiess as the two
churches adjoining are beautiful. These
churches are gracefully decorated with
fine frescoes and some exquisite paint
ings by Giotto, the beautiful ones in the
ceiling of the high altar Of the lower
church illustrating the vows OF the
franciscan brotherhood, Poverty. Chas-
tity and Obedience. In the upper church
the lower section of the nave contains In
frescoes. twenty eight scenes from the
life of st. Francis. also from Giotto.
visions. In one of which Christ is said to
have imprinted upon him the marks Of
his wounds 1.-THE stigmata).
There are several churches OF great in
tersst in ASSIST, all Of them connected In
some way with st. Francis. One of these
10 st. Clara and another San Damiano.
st. Clara, the patroness OF the former
was a devotee who, inspired by enthusi-
asm for st. Francis when she was young,
abandoned her home. parents and wealth
aud formed the Order of Clarissines;
but she made her home at st. Damiann
where she was Abbess. The church Of
Marta degli Angel near the station In
the valley below, Is an object Of no In
ferior interest connected with Assist.
The central point here Ia the Portiumcula
which is said to have been built In the
forest In t55. A ID. in the time OF Pope
Liberius. by four hermits from the Holy
Land who placsd In 1t relic Of the
Virgins tomb and dedicated 1t to our
Lady OF the PoTtiumoula, this word
meaning a little portion. st. Francis
liked to think of 1t as q spot which God
from all eternity had given himi Maria
of the Angels L. another appellation for
this holy houEs which st. Benedict re-
stored in the 9th century and later st.
Francis repaired with his own hands.
Although no larger than q small room,
thouss nds of pilgrims annually visit Il
to gain healing aud religious support. II