It was in Contigliano that I met Dominic, a very old, very small, very kind gentleman in whose garden I happened to be sitting.  After introductions, he asked if I would like to come up and see his “panorama.” I had just enough time before I had to meet the others so I responded that yes I would like that very much. He led me through his house, past two women preparing a meal, up a flight of stairs and out to his terrace.

From there we could see the whole Rieti Valley. Dominic pointed out all the sanctuaries in the distance that we would be walking to. They all seemed so far away! Especially Poggio Bustone, just a tiny speck on the other side of the valley!

We went back down to the Piazza where I met the others. I introduced them to Dominic and he took everyone up to see the “panorama” from his terrace.

On the way back downstairs we met one of the women who was preparing the meal. She wanted to show us some of her art. She paints beautiful designs on ordinary bottles. (Though it does seem like bottles in Italy are anything but ordinary.)

We were so taken by her bottles that we asked if we could buy some of them. She said, “Oh no, you can each have one.” We in turn responded, “Oh no!” and left her a donation for each bottle that we took.

The next time you eat at the Monastery look for one of the beautiful bottles painted by our friend in Contigliano.

With good feelings and much gratitude we walked out of town beginning our walk to Greccio.

Another experience of sangha-on-the-road: Meeting an older Italian man at the well outside Contigliano. Even though we did not speak a common language he was able to convey to me his sadness over 9/11 and the devastation of New Orleans. He invited me to enjoy the fresh, pure water of his town and we parted making gassho and wishing each other peace.

To Greccio: 6 miles
When four of us completed the walk from Contigliano to Greccio, following a beautiful path that rose—sometimes gently, sometimes not so gently—through the countryside passing homes, pastures and vineyards, and even a restored Abbey, we stopped to rest at the top of a steep trail that emptied out onto the road just before town.  There was what appeared to be a monument to the Virgin Mary on the rising side of the mountain. As we took in the view, an older Italian woman drove out from Greccio and stopped at the monument. She also took in the view and, curious at our presence, asked where we were going. As best we could (not being speakers of Italian), we told her we had started in Rieti, walked to Fonte Columbo and Contigliano, walked there to Greccio that day and were headed to the Sanctuary on the other side of town and then would eventually complete the path of St. Francis, walking down through the valley, and then up to Poggio Bustone in the mountains on the other side, and then to Terminillo, still higher up the mountain, and finally to La Foresta.

She understood, was quite taken at our journey and offered to drive us to the Sanctuary.  We thanked her as graciously as we could and said we preferred to walk the entire route.  She seemed to understand and headed back into town as we resumed our walk. Not too far down the road, we caught up with her—a vehicle had blocked the road.  As we passed, she opened her car door and invited us once more to ride with her. Once again we declined (cramming the four of us into her small car would have been a sight to see) and were touched by the generosity and hospitality she and so many other Italians displayed.

Greccio seems to grow right out of the rocks. In December of 1223, Francis brought people and animals together here to re-enact the events of Jesus’s birth. Ever since, Christians have adopted the tradition of setting up “Nativity scenes” at Christmas.