It is not a surprise that Michael the Archangel is not there. These are New Testament scenes and the archangel Michael does not really show up in the New Testament. It would have been confusing to have included him in a set of New Testament scenes. Since this kind of artwork was frequently used for catechesis, it would be strange to have inserted Michael here, where he does not belong, even if the church was named for him. In those days, the art’s first job is to tell the biblical story, because parishioners are not able to read it themselves (that happened later, and largely grew out of the Reformation and, in Italy, Counter-Reformation.

It is sad to see that some of these are not in very good shape.

I forgot to say, “Go!” Yes, go to Caramanico Terme. Any season. It’s a beautiful little town in a unique, almost unknown, area of Italy that is quite lovely and very special.

Michael, lovely to hear from you, thanks for commenting. Have you found a manifest for your GGF’s entry into the U.S.? Years ago, when I researched my family’s entry, I found that they were part of a “chain” of people from Caramanico who came over many years. The family first sent its oldest son. Two years later, the second-oldest son. A few years after that, the rest of them came. When I looked up the manifests of the two oldest sons, I found many other people from Caramanico with them on their boats. So they didn’t come alone, and neighbors, or maybe they were relatives with different names, helped each other. It’s very possible that your GGF knew my Schenectady/Albany ancestors. Some lived in Colonie and the “Pine Bush.” Is that what you mean by Albany “area?” We’ve gotta talk! In the meantime, let me introduce you to current Caramanico Terme resident Antonio De Acetis, probably a distant relative of yours, who leads explorations/tours of the mountains in the area and posts stunning, STUNNING photos of those mountains on FB: https://www.facebook.com/antonio.deacetis?fref=search&__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARCoNYKjo6mddme4mkX4cJN4KhDonzSGaFuxEalKn0Se0-DeVgbAqhLIkfUFPKlRrFJL4G7zJ4wwzLi0

Michael Smith

A tree all white flowers
of extreme tender tenderness,
and unstable, sloping. . . (Never are tired
eyes gazing at the vision blessed.)

It stands on area springs the color of sapphires,
a heavens that looks like a great sweetness:
there is sometimes a song, winged
creature alone, or in flocks.

Others do not see and do not desire to see
more, this is enough to occupy the mind
of what is dear to the man on earth to have;

a living virgin freshness,
an open passage for the ethereal spheres,
and flights and voices that are all and nothing.

Thanks, Debbie!

And so we pull in another language. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Thank you for highlighting the most perfect palindrome. Btw, in Spanish, “Oye” is the command tense for “listen”. Visually stunning and a call to action – from either side of the river.

Oklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plain….

Italian Americans may try to claim “yo,” but I don’t know if others will give it up, to wit this use at 0:53: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc6_XgtOQgI