il Risorgimento - At Sea

As the 150th anniversary of the Unification of Italy approaches in 2011 more and more exhibitions are opening up around the country celebrating il Risorgimento (The Resurgence), the long fight that led to a United Italy. Monuments to the various battles, leaders and heroes of the struggle to bring together the diverse areas and every shifting boundaries of the Kingdoms that had until then made up the peninsula are being restored or spruced up. And the calender for the coming year is filled with concerts, parades and public displays to commemorate the event.

Already in my own neighbourhood a site of one of the major battles for the city of Rome and the Papal States has been beautifully restored (photos to follow shortly) and slightly further afield a new exhibition celebrating Giuseppe Garibaldi has opened up at Castel Sant'Angelo.

Many of the works in that exhibition were rather generic in their iconography if at times just down right sentimental in a cloying way; however one particular painting caught my eye in its simplicity and subtle power.

Piero Guccione's Studio per l'autonomia, il muro de mare (Study for the Autonomy, the Wall of the Sea) created to celebrate the Autonomy of Sicily after the war. (Click for a larger view) A master of the seascapes of his beloved Sicily, his waters always appear untroubled but beneath them there is a tension that is the harbinger of things to come. Out of the mists a boat appears, its sails the colours of the Italian flag - the historic arrival of Garibaldi at Marsala in the controversial unification which was to bring about the autonomy of Sicily.

30 ottobre - San Marcello di Tangeri

Angels and Archangels

Tomorrow is the Feast of St Michael and All Angels and back in the days when I was active at St Thomas Huron Street it was one of my favorite feast days. There was something about the readings, the music and the ceremonies of Michaelmas which I loved. I always made sure I was scheduled to serve at the Procession and High Mass of the day - perhaps as Master of Ceremonies, sometimes Crucifer or Attendant but never as Thurifer. The Thurifer is the one with the burning purse as Tallulah Bankhead use to say. After having almost set the sanctuary aflame at one memorable evensong I decided creating holy smoke was not for me.

Angelic Council (Ангелскй Собор). Orthodox icon of the seven archangels. From left to right: Jegudiel, Gabriel, Selaphiel, Michael, Uriel, Raphael, Barachiel. Beneath the mandorla of Christ Emmanuel are representations of Cherubim (blue) and Seraphim (red).

Angels are part of many world religions - amongst them Judaism, Bahai, Zoroastrianism, Islam and Christianity. By the Middle Ages Christianity had broke angels down into 9 categories: Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Dominions, Thrones and Archangels. The latter being the greatest in the hosts of the heavenly and also the ones held in common with both Judaism and Islam.

Although Gabriel the Messenger is the best know from the Christmas story, St Michael is the most important in both the Orthodox and Roman church. He is the Defender of the faith, the chief warrior against Satan and heresies. He is often depicted defeating Lucifer during the great battle that led to his fall.

Here in Roma the best known - and certainly most visible - statue of St Michael stands atop Castel San Angelo. Legend says that a vision of the Archangel sheathing his sword appeared over the Castel signaling an end to the plague that had devestated the city in 590 AD. The current bronze - created by the Flemish sculptor Peter Anton von Verschaffelt in 1753 - commemorates that event.

28 settembre - San Prospero

Across the River to the See

Yesterday was an beautiful day - sunny not too cold but cool enough that a fleece jacket was required. So clad in my Lands End fleece I headed down to Teatro dell' Opera in Centro and then across the Tiber for only the second time in five months. A slight digression - this time of year it is not unusual to see tourists lightly dressed in Centro while the locals are bundled up in ski jackets, scarfs, hats and gloves. I'm somewhere in between but still get looks in my neighbourhood - knowing Nonne at the Seniors Park shake their collective heads fully aware that I am courting my death so lightly dressed.

The trip across the river was that mail run to the Vatican Post Office with the Christmas cards I mentioned. The friendly clerk, he'd have not future with the Italian Postal Service, assured me that there was still sufficient time for cards to get to their various destinations. Service was quick, the stamps colourful and lets admit it some Aunts will be thrilled more with the fact that the envelope bears the Vatican stamp than the card inside.

While I was there I decided to stop off for lunch at an osteria on Borgo Pio a few steps from St Peter's. I can never remember the name of the place but I do remember the location. Laurent and I ended up there for dinner that damp and fog first night we were in Rome back in 1999. And our first meal - the first of many - with our good friend Robert was a lunch there on that same trip. Both times I had the Spaghetti alla Carbonara and it set the standard. Eight years later I still think its up there with the best.

I also took the opportunity to do a mini-Tosca pilgrimage: Castel Sant'Angelo and the Church of Sant'Andrea della valle - Palazzo Farnase is now the French Embassy so that's out of bounds.

And why not?

Castel San Angelo from the back - after all everyone's seen it from the front.

This elderly couple were searching in the Castel moat for greens of some sort.

The very elaborate 19th Century facade of Palazzo di Giustizia.

The facade and interior of Sant'Andrea della Valle.

Santas climbing out the window?

06 decembre - San Nicola di Bari