Today, it’s back to Lucca, the walled city not far from Florence.
There’s a lot to see as you explore the perimeter, looking down into the historic centre.
This is what we might call a nursing home. And, it’s the proud owner of a della Robbia ceramic.
By the way, Saint Zita is the one you should pray to if you can’t find your keys.
You’ll also find this chapel, probably used in the past ( and maybe even now) for musical performances.
The plaque on the chapel mentions Saint Cecilia who is the patron of music. Her feast day is 22 November, in case you want to raise your voice in song in her honour.
The front is decorated with bas-reliefs. I believe I recognise Saint Martin and Saint Peter. Can someone identify the Bishop in the final photo?
Hello World 
I’m still routing for my bishop delle Rovere. He suggested moving the madonna….but was dead by the time the building was built and would have become part of the story…..therefore floating in the heavens over Lucca
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He sounds like an interesting fellow, he sure didn’t like those Borgias, did he! My studies about Saints continues apace.
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Irenaeus? Wild guess. I do love the ceramic.
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Right, I’ll delay my morning coffee while I go and read about this Saint, woman. 🙂
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Just a wild guess.
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I couldn’t seem to find a connection between your wild fellow and Lucca! 🙂
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Ah, well. Now you know who he was! Your bishop was likely a local, standing as he is on the walls.
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I always thought St Anthony was the one to pray to if you lost something.
I’d be very happy here in my later years I have to say.
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According to Saint Google, that’s corrrect about Saint Anthony, Sue. He’s also the one to go to for help finding a lost person.
Lucca would be a great place to spend your twilight years. Put your name down at St Zita’s. 🙂
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The reason I know about St Anthony is that my Mom and my Grandma before her, are great believers. My Mom has called on St Anthony a great deal over the years. When our daughter’s cat went missing my Mom buckled down with many prayers. She found lost mittens, keys, letters…practically the kitchen sink. It took 30 days for that silly cat to be found and on Easter morning no less. Of course this only reinforced my Mom’s faith in St Anthony. 🙂
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That’s just lovely, Sue. Please tell your mom there’s only 11 days to go until I catch up with her. Well, not quite, but you know what I mean. 🙂
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Well a very Happy Birthday to you, 11 days early. I will let Mom know for sure. Xoxo
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With you Yvonne we will know the bad reliefs of the musical chapel in Lucca ! 🙂
Maybe the third is the bishop who erected the chapel ?
Love ❤
michel
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I like your “bad” reliefs. 🙂 I guess I’ll just have to go back and ask someone who lives in Lucca, Michel.
I hope you and your family are well. Love ❤
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Bad relief !!! 🙂 Please , Yvonne excuse this funny typing mistake !! 🙂
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It was perfect, Michele! ❤
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It’s certainly a nursing home I could be happy to end my days in.
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We can sit and reminisce aout the good old days back in Australia, John.
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That’d be OK.
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I’ll bring the Italian vino rosso …
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Can’t do the bishop, Yvonne. Had I been Italian I mitre been able to
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You won’t mind if I groan, Derrick.
The compost heap is waitng for your personal attention. 🙂
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I would be most disappointed if you hadn’t groaned, Yvonne
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Yvonne,
I think he looks like St Nicolas
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Hi, Frank. Now I have to go and see what Saint Nicolas can do for us.
Well, there are a few St Nicolases! There is a connection with Lucca, he is shown in a painting that once was in the Cathedral in Lucca:
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/picture-of-month/displaypicture.aspx?id=169
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According to my Irish grandmother (RIP) St. Anthony was the patron saint of lost causes. That’s a tad different than lost ‘things.’ 🙂
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So, after my dismal showing at carpet bowls today, he might consider me as one of his lost causes, I do believe.
Oh, crikey, Saint Google says St Anthony is for lost things, St Jude takes care of lost causes and desperate cases. Our knees shall be forever calloused.
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St Zita sounds like one well worth keeping on the right side of. She could come in handy at any time.
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I’m going to make a long list of the Saints and their causes, and work out which ones will be of most benefit, et.
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My favourite is Saint Sebastian who is patron saint of athletes and archers and stands for stamina, strength and bravery. It’s no wonder because he was tied to a tree and shot with arrows and managed to survive.
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Oh great… yet another saint I have to add to my prayer list. 🙂
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You’ll never get off your knees at this rate, Eric. I’m in mourning today, with Bruce Almighty folding his tent, so to speak.
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Despite his adamant ‘no’ I’ll wager on his return. He enjoy our banter too much and he has developed an appreciative following.
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He surely has got himself a following, scraggly lot though we be.
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I can think of many worse places to end up when I’m old and feeble……… Ooops, old and feebler 🙂
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I’ll join you there, We’ll cackle over the olden days and the things Bruce Almighty wrote, contented one.
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I think the Bishop is St. Gerard. He was the one who held the key to the city of Florence during a period when tourists were starting to come in droves to both Florence and Venetia, Italy. If you look carefully he seems to be holding the key up in his right hand.
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That would San Gerardus da Hollandus, no doubt? It’s a pity he didn’t lock the gates to the tourist hordes when he had the chance.
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yes, Yvonne. His full name is Gerardus Antonius Willibordus. The Italians always though he was a bit of fly-in from Holland.
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Not much time to research this now….but it looks to me like the ramparts of Lucca underneath the floating Bishop….so someone connected to the city!
We were there briefly on this last trip and I do so hope to go back and spend a few days. What a marvelous place! Only jogged in to see the amphitheater, now Piazza.
Thanks for these photos!
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I wonder if it’s the famous San Frediano, from Ireland? Lucca was a mosat pleasant surprise.
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How about “Sisto Gara Della Rovere “….possibly he who encouraged the preservation of the Madona and Child moved into the Chapel of St Cecilia when Lucca was threatened by the French? Could those be oak trees on each side?
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I like your answer, and the judge’s decision may well award the prize (there is none, of course) to you.
The connection with Saint Cecilia makes yours an attractive option.
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that’s funny…I’ve always pleaded with St. Anthony when I’ve lost things. St. Zita? Now maybe I’ll find things twice as fast if I pray to both!
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Apparently she was highly specific, only helped to find keys. Keep St. Anthony on standby.
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Saint Zita knows where the keys are because they are with the Bishop in the last photo as he is holding the pole which he uses to poke through front door letter boxes to hook the keys from the hallway. Saint Zita knows, but won’t tell the police 😉 ❤
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You’re like that fellow Colombo! And, the keys are being held by the bloke in the second phot, by the way. ❤ 🙂
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Heck ! They are all at it ! 😀 ❤
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BTW the Bishop is the patron saint of hovercraft. You learn a lot from me don’t you Yvonne ? 😉
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I’m ready to go up against those Eggheads on British TV, I reckon. 🙂
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You’ll win Yvonne if you answer the questions in Italian with an Australian dialect 😀 ❤
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Perhaps a local bishop once there in Lucca…a former prelate over that chapel..
I wish I was there, losing myself in such a wonderful places—the art teacher in me is loving the della Robbia!!!
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Oh, that della Robbia, the family was very talented. You’d just love Italy!
I think you’d be right about a Bishop of Lucca. Maybe it’s Saint Frediano. I’d better go and do some reading.
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I’ve been 4 times to Italy but never to lucca, nor south of Naples nor to the eastern coast– I really want to see Ravenna
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You’ve got lots to see, Julie. save your money and get going!
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Wooowhooo!!
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Thanks Yvonne- you’re back again, lucky duck. Thanks for these memories of Lucca. We have stayed there a few times at length and walked in those very spots.
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Ciao, Francesca. I’m not really back in Italy, that’ll be next year! Lucca was a lovely city to stay in, and so convenient for getting to other interesting places.
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oh ok… I hope to be back there next year too. Still working out a plan for a long term rental. the main question ( other than cheap price) is WHERE.
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I’ll be there mid-March to mid-May, mostly in Naples, but also a bit further north. Maybe we’ll meet over there! 🙂
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I need to find a house rental and still am not sure of the months. If you hear of any small apartments or houses that need some loving care taking and gardeners, let me know! Yes, we might meet up over there.
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Try a site like this, Even if you don’t find something, you’ll have fun plannning:
http://www.lovehomeswap.com/location/italy
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Thanks Yvonne
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