Sant’Ambrogio | 100 Days on the Way

Today it was a hard one, mainly because of two reasons. The first one was the necessity of arriving in Susa by 4 p.m., so that Alessandro could catch the train to Turin. The second was the constant presence since morning of big and nasty dark clouds over the northern mountains. Naturally, we can also add the fact that we don’t like easy things, so, since we didn’t manage to go to visit the Sacra di San Michele yesterday in the afternoon, we decided to do it today! So, we added more or less 4km with an average gradient of 18% to a stage that was already 29km long. But we did it: 33km in 7 hours and something, with the ascent and descent to the Sacra for breakfast… In the worst tradition of speedy walkers, but that’s it!
I’ve been walking for the whole day with my heart torn apart: Alessandro already takes on a hard charge for reaching me around on the Way and, if he had missed the train at 4 p.m. he would have arrived at home after midnight, and tomorrow he will have to leave at the sunrise, also having his luggage to prepare… But, on the other hand, I didn’t want to let him go: now, we will have to wait for a long time before we can see each other again. Getting older I’m also softening, I know, but I’m already missing him so much!
Anyway, a part from these considerations that are merely personal, the stage is very beautiful, the Way winds its way between the left and right side of the valley.The Sacra di San Michele is wonderful (we will have to go back there: when we arrived there it was still closed!) and it’s worth climbing there! Unluckily, today we couldn’t really enjoy the scenery because of the weather…
Now I’m writing from the harmchair in my single room at the Sisters of San Giuseppe, here in Susa: for the room and for her caring affection, I really must thank Suor Bibana, who takes care of the pilgrims!

It is true that we live in Segrate only since 2012 and I do not really feel to be “from Segrate”, but I always say that I’m from Milan. It is true that I was born 500 metres from the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio and that I’ve always been bound to my diocese, which is particular, autonomist, innovative and often frowned upon… In short, the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio, where the Archbishop who did not hesitate to scold the emperors rests, was the natural place from which to start my walk.

But… but… now I live here… and so? So, today I’ve walked from my home to the Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio with Alessandro, my husband. It’s only a short prologue of 12 km and something more, but it was important. We went out of the door and we started walking on our Way. It was good and right to start it together, in the same way we will finish it, together, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean…

The pulpit and the re-used Roman sarcophagus

Sant’Ambrogio between the holy martyrs Gervaso and Protaso

What did we see?

The Basilica of Sant’Ambrogio was built by Bishop Ambrogio from 379 to 386 AD: the Bishop wanted to dedicate it to the martyrs who suffered persecutions under the Romans and took the name of Basilica Martyrum. Only after the Bishop’s death, when his remains were buried under the main altar along with the remains of the Martyrs Gervaso and Protaso, the church was rededicated in his honor. The Basilica was rebuilt at the end of the XI century, according to the canons of the Romanesque, and the works were wanted by Bishop Anselmo, another great bishop of Milan. The new building maintained three naves and three apses, and didn’t have a transept.

The altar of Sant’Ambrogio is particularly ramarkable: it is a Carolingian masterpiece made in gold, silver gilt, enamels and precious stones. It lies just above the relics of the saints, placed under the altar itself and visible through a window on the back side. The altar was made by the Masters of the Stories of Christ (who decorated the front side), and the Master Vuolvinio (who decoradet the back side), between 824 and 859. The Basilica is, today, an isolated case of the Lombard Romanesque style, as other contemporary examples (such as the Cathedrals of Pavia, Novara and Vercelli are now destroyed or have undergone major transformations.

A curiosity: on a granite column, presumably Roman, inside the Basilica, stands Moses’ Snake, who escaped the inconoclastic wrath of King Hezekiah. It is a bronze sculpture (in the past it was believed to be the Moses’ original one) donated by the Emperor Basil II in 1007. Prayers are directed to the snake to ward off certain types of ailments and it is said that the end of the world will be announced by its descent from this column.

100 Days on the Way

Tag Archives: Sant’Ambrogio

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