Medieval Majesty

So this past weekend, I got to be a princess! See following photo for proof:

Still smiling cuz the heavy dress hadn't yet started to make my shoulders tired and my whole body melt lol

On Sunday, May 27th, I got to wear this costume as part of a cultural parade here in Viterbo. I was excited to participate in something so random, and then in class, I got to learn about the history of the event too!

To learn the origins of this day celebrating Mary, we have to go back in time. Wayyyy back to 1288 in fact when a picture of Mary was found intact in the Chiesa della Santisima Trinita and was said to have miraculous powers.

La Chiesa della Santisima Trinita

Flash forward about 30 years to 1320. Legend has it that the skies of Viterbo went completely dark and strange creatures filled the skies. The people were frightened by wild birds and flying devils swarming above the city. In the midst of this chaos: enter Mary. Her image (the picture from the painting!) appears in the sky and tells the people to go to the Chiesa della Santisima Trinita to pray. The citizens obeyed and miraculously, it is said that the skies cleared.

So now, every year in late May, the people of Viterbo celebrate Santa Maria Liberatrice - the holiday where Mary "liberated" the city. The parade was solemn as our medieval group was followed by men carrying a massive, decorated statue of her all the way to the church in the heat.

A visit to the church is actually pretty incredible as you step back in time to the past of Viterbo. After Mary's miracle, Viterbo became a major spot for pilgrims which is reflected in the church itself.

One of the intriguing aspects of the church is that there are side "walkways" like this one along the main sanctuary which allow for visitors to walk through and explore without disturbing worshipers in the middle who may be praying. As you can see from the left of my photo, there are columns separating these paths from the main area.

And then, perhaps my favorite part of the church is the collection of tiny "chapels" off of the main sanctuary. It is incredible how ornate and detailed they are despite not even being the main altar! I'm not exactly sure the purpose of having all of them, but I feel like it definitely creates a sense of awe in visiting the church. It's not just a place to hear mass. It becomes almost a living sacred experience. Your breath is taken away by various colors of marble and carvings all around you.

You can't help but feel a sense of awe. The idea of reverence and honoring the divinity of God seems to be reflected in the grandeur of the church. It truly is a destination worth journeying for, and viewing these churches gives me a glimpse into the motivation that lured so many pilgrims to Italy.

Another fun thing I like to do in the churches I've seen in Italy is look up and down. It's easy to focus on things at eye level, but studying the ground and ceiling frequently offer some pretty incredible sights.

I loved this one spot on the floor in particular with intricate designs formed by various colored stones. I mean how cool that you're literally walking on art. You can't help but feel surrounded by beauty which for medieval Christians, seems to be an important part of worshiping God.

Then going up, your eyes trace their way up massive columns culminating in beautiful arches. This church I noticed had its windows all around the top as you can see in the middle photo. In general, the building was somewhat dark and only illuminated by the light entering through the windows. Considering how every detail in these churches seems to have meaning, I wondered on their significance. It's almost as if the designers tried to capture the light from above to brighten this dark sanctuary. It's a lovely image of God's light shining down on the followers below... Perhaps they didn't think this much about their window placement, but I like imaging it has some significance.

Walking through this church was amazing, and I wonder what it would have been like for medieval pilgrims, dusty and tired from months perhaps of walking dirt roads to arrive in such massive and impressive structures. Who knew churches could be so fascinating?!