Siena, Tuscany, Italy
Catherine Benincasa was born in Siena in 1347. She encountered her first vision of Christ when she was five or six years old and took a vow of chastity at seven. As the story goes she became heavily involved in religion, developed a working relationship with the Pope and gathered herself quite a flock of Christians. She died in Rome at the age of 33 and was canonized by Pope Pius II in 1461, making her one of Italy's two patron saints.
Here is where it really gets interesting: Siena wanted Catherine’s body. Rome said no. So someone from Siena went to Rome, cut off her head and tried to it smuggle it out in a bag. He or they were stopped by Roman guards on the way out. They prayed to St. Catherine. When the guards opened the bag they found it filled with rose petals. When the poachers returned to Siena they opened the sack and gone were the flowers, divinely replaced by what they considered their rightful head.
Yesterday, Elenka and I visited the Basilica of San Domenico in Siena. (it's the church photo in the body of the text, taken from our terrace) Inside the church there's a chapel. And on the altar of this chapel sits encased the more than 600 year old head of Catherine Benincasa.
Elenka and I won't complete this journey until we've traveled all the way to Transylvania in search of Dracula's Castle. If only we'd known that Italy held such macabre treasures.
Renate from Germany
2013-05-05
This pictures remember to my last holiday in Toscana. But the sky was more blue and I went up to the top of the church.
Vickie
2013-05-05
Gory....er....I mean... Glory be!!