The Provincial Augustinian Lay Commission, under the direction of Fr Franco Grech 0SA, this year saw its dream come to true to organize an Augustinian pilgrimage, with the help of God. This was done with the participation of Mr. Marcel Zammit Marmarà as tour leader and Ms. Gwen Mousù who organized the pilgrimage.
Between 24 and 31 July 2024, 54 people joined us as one family on this pilgrimage and at the same time a tour. Despite the heat and the walking, everyone had fun, even those who were older, walked and showed courage and perseverance!
We left on Wednesday 24 July for Milan, where we took the coach to Treviso, also known as Little Venice because of the water channels there. The next day, Thursday 25 July, we took the train to Venice. Fr Franco celebrated mass in the church of Santa Maria of Nazareth, known as Chiesa Degli Scalzi. We couldn’t fail to visit San Marco square and the Ducal Palace, the Ponte dei Sospiri, la Torre dell’Orologio, the Rialto Bridge and others.
We walked through the narrow streets around the canals and undoubtedly did not miss a tour with the famous Venetian gondola for those who wished. Back to the train we went by ferry – the public transport in Venice!
Friday 26 July, we left for Padua, the famous city of “il Santo”! This is how Saint Anthony, who was actually from Lisbon, Portugal, is known throughout Italy. As soon as we arrived in Padua we continued to see the Degli Scrovegni Chapel, known for Giotto’s frescoes, famous all over the world that were made between 1303 and 1305. A wonder of paintings on all the walls that show the history of salvation.
In the free time we had for lunch at noon we entered the beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and also visited a bridge over the river named after Saint Augustine! Afterwards we all visited the Basilica of Saint Anthony – the highlight of the day – where we went to his tomb and next to his well-known relics, including the incorrupt tongue and the jaw. Fr Franco celebrated the mass in a chapel at the side of the basilica.
Afterwards we went to a beautiful garden, Prato della Valle, with many statues and fountains. It didn’t fail to end the day with a typical Paduan meal, in an agriturismo restaurant!
On Saturday 27 July, after the mass that Fr Franco celebrated in the crypt of the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Treviso, we saw the baptistery near the Cathedral, in the church of Saint John the Baptist and we visited Piazza dei Signori where the Torre Civica is. We left Treviso for Milan.
On our way we stopped in Verona where we saw the Arena di Verona, Giulietta’s house and Piazza delle Erbe among other beautiful places. Verona is a beautiful city and there is a lot to see! We continued the road to Milan where we arrived in the evening at the hotel next to the train station.
On Sunday 28 July, we took the road to Sotto il Monte, from where Angelo Roncalli, the holy Pope Saint John XXIII, was. We stopped at the Casa del Pellegrino where we watched a short documentary on his life and then we visited the Garden of Peace and the San Giovanni XXIII Sanctuary.
We went to the house, now a museum linked to Pope Buono, who lived in it when he visited Sotto il-Monte before he became Pope. After a good meal prepared for us by the volunteers of the Sanctuary at Casa del Pellegrino, we had mass in the small church of Santa Maria in Brusicco where Angelo Roncalli was baptized in 1881. The baptistery is still there and there is also the marble that was on his tomb in the crypt of the popes in the Vatican before he was canonized. Then we visited the house where Pope Saint John XXIII was born and lived in his childhood.
Later we passed Bergamo where we went up to Città Alta by cable car and visited Piazza Vecchia, Cappella Colleoni, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Baptistery – fantastic churches full of works of art.
Monday 29 July, we started the day with the mass celebrated by Fr Franco in the Sanctuary of Saint Camillo de Lellis, where we commemorated our 23rd wedding anniversary. Afterwards we paid a well-deserved visit to Saint Ambrose in his Basilica in Milan.
There we worshiped the relics of this great bishop of Milan who was providential in the conversion of our father Saint Augustine. In fact it was Saint Ambrose who baptized Saint Augustine and his son Adeodato on the Easter Vigil of the year 387. Afterwards we continued to Como where we visited the beautiful Cathedral and admired a number of large tapestries hanging in-aisle among other art pieces of art.
After time for lunch near Lago di Como, we took the ferry that took us around the lake for an hour, where we could enjoy beautiful views of the surrounding mountains.
The climax of the pilgrimage as Lay Augustinians was reached on Tuesday 30 July, with our visit to Pavia when we went to the Basilica of San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro where the relics of Saint Augustine are venerated. These are held with great veneration in a reliquary in a box in a large marble monument. As some works were being carried out where the box with the remains of Saint Augustine is kept, the glass was detached and some were lucky enough to touch the box directly, although it was quickly closed again with the glass!
We couldn’t fail to pay homage to our father Saint Augustine and Fr Franco, celebrated the mass there. These were definitely emotional moments for all those who were there that day and as was appropriate, we took a photo of the whole group together in front of the tomb of Saint Augustine!
Afterwards we also had free time where we could tour more in Pavia. We passed in the parish church of Our Lady of Carmel – a large and very beautiful church of the Carmelites. After that, we went to Ponte Coperto which is on the river Ticino.
We ended the day with a visit to the Cistercian monastery in Certosa di Pavia – a large and beautiful place where apart from the fantastic sanctuary, we also find the monastery, which apart from the community part around the small cloister there is also 24 individual dwellings around a large cloister where the Cistercians lived in solitude.
When we got back to Milan, some wanted to see the church dedicated to Saint Augustine which is located a short distance from the hotel and we took the opportunity to go there even though it was late.
Wednesday, July 31, was the last day in Milan, but not the least, because Milan is very associated with Saint Augustine, where he discovered God’s will for him and walked the path for his conversion. In the morning we went to the Duomo of Milan – a large cathedral known all over the world. We did not miss an interesting visit to the Area Archeologica, where we could see the remains of an old baptistery which was probably the place where Saint Augustine was baptized by Saint Ambrose. Therefore this place is important for us Lay Augustinian.
Afterwards we had some time to go around the square before we left for the airport to return to Malta.
Thus our pilgrimage came to an end because as they say, all good things come to an end! But surely this experience will stay with us throughout our lives. All the participants shared together moments of prayer, joy and friendship that we will certainly not forget. We thank God and everyone who contributed to make this pilgrimage a success.
Isabelle and Godfrey Scicluna
Members of the Secular Augustinian Fraternity
(Whoever wants more information about the Fraternity can contact Fr. Franco Grech on Mob. 99244640 or [email protected] )