To get to the St. Damian Monastery you can take a walk leisurely along the path of olive groves. There are a small church and a simple monastery, and you can see also its beautiful courtyard.
The main entrance of the church and monastery. Plain and beautiful.
On September 26 of 1997, Assisi survived a large earthquake, which killed 12 people and lasted 120 injured. After the reconstruction, Assisi and the church ruins was registered on the UNESCO's World Heritage place list in 2000.
Around the St. Damian Monastery there are some statues of St. Francis here and there.
Francis "poverty" started here in St. Damian Monastery.
From the town of Assisi, through beautiful pastoral landscapes, it takes about 15 minutes by walk to get here. It's St. Damian Monastery (Convento di St. Damian), where the patron saint of Italy "Saint Francis of Poverty" started his religious life.
Saint Francis was born as a son of a wealthy merchant and living debauchedly in his early years. However he heard the voice of God at the cross of St. Damian Church in 1206: "Go to revamp the dilapidated my house". Then San Francis started to restore this chapel with stones alone. He threw away all his property to share with the poor people and advocated his the spirit of poverty, which was born here in this church.
Assisi is famous for its high quality olive oil. When you go down the trail between olive groves and sheep pastures along the signs, a plain old monastery appears. The church is very simple, it has only one nave and at the apse there are frescoes of St. Damian, St. Rufino (San Rufino), the Virgin Mary and Christ. Upper the seats of clergy built in the 15th century; there is a small arched ceiling. There is a replication of "Crocifisso di St. Damian (Crucifixion of St. Damian) ".
This crucified Christ is very famous and distinctive. The face of Christ has no suffering expression and looks as if he is standing on his feet spreading the arms toward us. It's like a message of hope. I recommend you to visit this church.
In 1210, the 16-year-old Clare heard Francis preaching in the street. Like St. Francis, she was a daughter of a wealthy family. Since she couldn't accept the marriage organized by parents, she ran away from home and started living in St. Damian church as a nun. She was one of the first devotees of Franciscan order and admired St. Francis all through her life. Later, she established a convent of Franciscan following the spirit of "obedience, poverty and chastity".
She passed every day praying and working. At the church of Santa Chiara there are some her simple hand made clothes and her hairs.
You can also visit the Convent of St. Clare next to the church. Abbey will leave you the image of those days and it's very simple and solemn. At the dining room there is painted a fresco of the Last Supper on the wall. The long bench is wooden and very frugal.
I think the Monastery of St. Damian expresses the spirit of poverty very well among the many other churches in Assisi.
If you have more time, please visit Hermitage of Carceri (Eremo delle Carceri), Church of Rivotorto (Santuario di Rivotorto) and Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli (Santa Maria degli Angeli) as well.
| Name | St. Damian Monastery (Convento di San Damiano) |
| Location | Go south from the gate Nuovo at the east side of Santa Chiara Church. There is 1.5Km distance, 15 minute by walk. |
| Opening Hours | Summer: 10:00-12:00, 14:00-18:00 Winter: 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:30 |
| Phone number | +39 0758-12273 |
| Map |
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Monastery of St. Damiano is one of the most sacred places among the many religious institutions of Assisi. Please consider well if you'd like to take a photo or dress code. It's also interesting to look around the statues scattered around the church.