Italy

Clare Bolton’s ’26 Adventures in

Italy

Florence

During my trip to Italy, the first place my dad and I visited was Florence. This was one of my favorite places to visit because it is abundant with character and culture. Walking into Florence, the first thing that caught my eye were the intricate and delicate pieces of architecture and sculptures. Whether it was the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral or the meticulous carving of The David, each piece of work I saw was made with so much care and detail. I continued to muse over the fact that these statues, paintings, and architecture before me were such culturally important pieces of history. Truly all a person can do when beholding such beautiful artwork is extol the adroit

I took my first trip out of the country in the beginning of October to visit Italy. The reason I went was in honor of my aunt, who passed away. After her death, my dad decided to make it a tradition to take one of us five children each year to commemorate where she lived and died. Instead of bereft trip, my dad and I wanted to make it a celebration of life. At this point in the year, it also happened to be the Feast of Saint Francis, who is a special saint in our family. In the ten days I spent there I got to celebrate the feast of Saint Francis in Assisi, visit my aunt’s grave, and travel around to different places in Italy.

Clare Bolton’s ’26 Adventures in Italy

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A place I hold special in my heart is Assisi. This is because I got to visit the tomb of the two saints whom I was after. In Saint Clare’s Cathedral, there did not seem to be any stolid people. Everyone in there looked to be so depp in prayer that everything around them became dormant. Visiting the sites where Saint Francis talked to the birds or the altar where he prayed was spectacular. There is no way that I could describe the feeling of joy that enveloped me when I got to experience such close interactions with St. Clare and Saint Francis.

photos courtesy of Clare Bolton

Italy

Vatican City

When I visited Vatican City it felt surreal. Everyone in St. Peter’s Church was in awe while scrutinizing all the detailed paintings. It was an extraordinary feeling to be able to go inside the Vatican and be able to visit every Pope’s grave. It was clearly extra special when I got to St. Paul VI’s tomb. Being able to pray for Fr. Schultz at St. Paul VI’s tomb was a very spiritually moving experience for me. I never thought that I would be able to pray at the tomb of the Pope for the Chaplain at my school -- a high named after St. Paul VI. It made me just want to stand there in silence and serenity in such a holy place.

Clare Bolton’s ’26 Adventures in

photos courtesy of Clare Bolton

Italy

Rome

In addition to Vatican City, the rest of Rome was breathtaking as well. I could not believe that century-old buildings were right in front of my eyes. I loved seeing places like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain that were built with such character, making them look so opulent. Rome was a lot more city-like than I thought, yet it is so different from a city like New York, which has less history. Walking on the same uneven cobblestone streets soldiers walked centuries ago was a memorable experience I won’t forget.

Clare Bolton’s ’26 Adventures in

photos courtesy of Clare Bolton