ANGELICO, Fra - Transfiguration - 1440-41 - Fresco,
Convento di San Marco, Florence
Readings:
Psalm 99 or 99:5-9;
Exodus 34:29-35
2 Peter 1:13-21
Luke 9:28-36
For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor. 4:5-6
PRAYER
O God, who on the holy mount revealed to chosen witnesses your well-beloved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the disquietude of this world, may by faith behold the King in his beauty; who with you, O Father, and you, O Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever.
Twice I have visited the Convento di San Marco in Florence, and it's like stepping into heaven. It's the old Dominican monastery, which was once the home of Fra Angelico (and Savonarola!), and which is now an art museum. It's a gorgeous place with frescos painted on the walls and a glorious art collection hanging on the walls which are not covered with frescos. Each monk's cell has a small fresco painted by the good brother for the purpose of meditation.
The museum library houses beautiful illuminated manuscripts.
Illuminated Manuscript - Gregorian songs
Florence is perhaps my favorite city in the world. My middle name is Florence. Coincidence?
Wiki has a nice display of pictures of the building and the art work in the museum.
Top image from The Web Gallery of Art.
Manuscript from The Museums of Florence
It's my favorite too, Mimi, at least of all the places I've been to visit.
ReplyDeleteAt least of the places I've been to visit, too, Mike. I haven't been everywhere. I like that Florence is a compact city, that you can walk across it. I much prefer walking cities to those where you need a car to go everywhere. No cars in the center of Florence, but the Vespas are pretty damn scary for pedestrians.
ReplyDeleteLOL ... Actually, I think the motorcycles in Athens are a lot scarier than the ones in Florence. I remember a feeling a wonderment that the Athens streets weren't strewn with bodies of dead motorcyclists.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I found Istanbul to be a very exciting place. It's right up there with Florence in my experience. But Florence is a lot easier to get around.
"Florence is perhaps my favorite city in the world. My middle name is Florence. Coincidence?"
ReplyDeleteHaving been there twice now, it's definitely up there toward the top of my list of Places I'd Rather Be. I'd put Rome and Venice up there too.
I've studied and read about the place most of my life and it continues to astonish me. A little city that started out as a backwater expanded in less than a century to become one of the largest cities in Europe, and had such an enormous impact with so huge a legacy. I can't think of any place else anywhere like it. It was the first great modern city and the last great medieval city all at the same time.
Mimi, as far as I'm concerned, you will always be Fiorentina nell' umbra della cupola (Florentine in the shadow of the dome). You can't get any more Florentine than that.
Counterlight, how lovely! I'm blushing crimson.
ReplyDeleteSo many treasures crammed into a few square miles. It's mind-boggling.
And those Medici were something else, weren't they?
Did I ever tell you that I climbed the steps to the top of the Duomo when I was in my 60s? I'm sure I have, for I never miss an opportunity. What a view!
Dear Friend somehow got me to climb to the top of the Duomo last year. (I suspect I just didn't want to admit that he was in so much better shape than I was! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI loved San Marco too...
Doxy, the teenagers were running up the stairs, and I was panting and resting much of the time, but I made it. Did Dear Friend run up the steps?
ReplyDeleteNo, but only out of respect for me, I surmise... ;-)
ReplyDeleteThat was kind of him. He must really love you.
ReplyDeleteAll indications point in that direction!
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh.
ReplyDeleteLove to you all - and Firenze!
ReplyDeleteLove back to you, Göran. Bella, bella Firenze!
ReplyDelete