Loreto and Mary's House

It feels like we just talked.  Yesterday a couple of the other tutors and I took a short train ride, about 15 minutes, to the town of Loreto.  It is a area most famous for this really old church, about 1295, just a few years older then our country.  It was not only amazing but so much more.  We got off the train and climbed up this fairly long, but doable, staircase to the top of this large hill to where the church is located.  In front of the church is a small cemetery that we speculated was former Popes, Cardinals and what have you.  Before we got in the church though the view was INSANE!  You could actually see several towns over in each direction up and down the coast.  I would have been fine there but we continued on.  Besides being really old and beautiful this church is most famous for housing some of the original pieces of the Virgin Mary's house and the grotto just down from her house.  They have been authenticated by actual scientists and archeologists has being from that time era and that region of the world.  They could not confirm that angels had originally moved them from their first spot.  It was a really big church with lots of painted ceilings, stained glass windows and hand craved alters and other pieces.  You could even got to confession and they were starting mass just as we were about to leave.  I took that as my time to leave before I ignited into flames, te he!  Before you go in there is a sign that tells you to "act with decorum while in the church".  They even make you cover up if you are showing a little too much skin.  No one wants to temp the priests.  The Pope is coming to visit in October.  After you walk out of the church though there is a whole town there with shops and restaurants.  We were all taken aback because we thought it was just the church.  The town was small but had some really nice little shops and of course gelato.  YUM!  We would have explored town more but had to catch our train back to Porto Sant' Elpidio.

I was talking in Italian with one of the stand workers who sells trinkets and religious paraphernalia.  Don't worry Ehren I got you a really nice Rosary.  He had the Tour de' France on and he and I got to talking about bikes.  My Italian is getting fairly decent and grows everyday with new experiences.  I am even looked to to translate for some of my fellow tutors.  Sometimes I think I even can convince locals that I can speak fluent, but we are not there yet.

Well that is all.  This blog is mostly about the pics.  Enjoy and have a great weekend.  I am going to Venice tomorrow and will likely have more to write about when I return.    

Ciao

PS Photos to follow