Saturday, December 13, 2008

Onano: in the footsteps of Pius XII...

Today it was off to Canino (birthplace of Paul III Farnese) and to Onanao, both near Viterbo just north of Rome. Canino is famous as a Bonaparte lived there and earlier this year we went to a Bonaparte/French conference there while Onano is famous as that's where the Pacelli family came from.

Eugenio Pacelli, future Pope Pius XII, spent ever summer of his life in Onano until 1909. Today we got a private tour, with the mayor as our guide, of the rooms where the Pacelli family stayed all those many years. The building is now the palace of the comune (town hall) and the Pacelli rooms are now occupied by the mayor's office.

Lots to share and photos will soon be posted. It was a splendid visit. From the Pacelli balcony they had a view of Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. A magnificent view! Such a wonderful place to spend summers and the bedroom of the future Pius XII was in a tiny room which had been a former chapel even before his time.

So wonderful to go back in time, today. Pray for us, holy saints of old!

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