Final Promotion & Madonna della Corona Sanctuary

Cities listed in this post: 

Vicenza, Italy

Monteforte d'Alpone, Italy

Spiazzi, Italy

Madonna della Corona Sanctuary, Italy

We had a huge reason to celebrate this week: Scott was promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 4!! It was a really special day, and I'll share all about it below . . .

 

We started the week with April Fool's Day, also known as Abby's birthday. :) She turned 9 years old and we called to sing happy birthday in Italian to her. I also read her two exciting stories out of the new book I bought from the gift shop in the Bern Minster Cathedral. She loved it all! We also gave her some cooking supplies, including a new apron, a really cool pasta cooker (for the microwave), and a highly rated cookbook for kids. She got started right away, choosing to make some French toast as an afternoon snack for her and Gwen.

We also got our boiler (water heater) fixed. It had been leaking for many months, and even though Scott kept asking our property manager Silvia to send someone over to fix it, it often takes a long time to get something fixed in Italy. But hallelujah, it doesn't leak anymore, and it's holding its pressure consistently now. We were having to tweak it every single week because it was always losing pressure.

Monteforte d'Alpone:

On Wednesday, I finally felt better from being under the weather for several days. I was grateful and excited to be able to join in for the latest "Wednesdays in Italy" activity. We drove about 35 minutes west, toward Soave and Verona, to visit a cute little town called Monteforte d'Alpone. 

Every time any one of us has driven west toward Verona, we have noticed this little town near the freeway, with its charming church tower that begged for us to come and see. So, finally we came to see. We parked close to the church and went on a lengthy explore.

We circled the whole way around the church on foot before finding the "front", ha ha. The huge columns are part of the front . . .

When I say "huge", I literally mean HUGE. Andrea and Addie Mae are peeking out from the Corinthian columns in the photo below.

The name of the church is Chiesa Santa Maria Maggiore. It was built in 1805. The town itself dates back to the 9th century, with some documentation from the 12th century as well.

The inside was quite lovely . . .

Video of the chapel: (13 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/a1JSo3TaSsWXoDAB7

The chapel ceiling . . .

I especially loved all the paintings. In the one below, I enjoyed how one of the shepherds (in the lower left corner) seems to be inviting us (the viewers) to come and see the Christ Child, who has just been born. The painting is titled, "Nativita", but I am not sure who the artist was.

After we were done soaking in the art and beauty of the church, we stepped outside into the light rain to go explore the town.

Addie Mae shared with us how she recently learned about frescoes. The artist applies paint when the plaster is still wet. Thus, as the plaster dries, the artwork becomes a part of the wall and is preserved much longer because of it.

  

Addie Mae helped to give some context to this next photo . . .

We set out to find a trail that Andrea had read about beforehand. It connects to the next town of Soave, but we just wanted to check it out for a little bit. The trail is called "10 Capitelli", which means 10 Capitals. It is 8 km in a circular route, beginning at the church we had just visited in Monteforte d'Alpone, but we only walked about 2 km before we turned around and headed back into town.

The trail takes you past multiple vineyards . . .

Spring blooms  . . . (is this a cherry tree?)

Cute villas were also abundant as we started gaining some elevation above the town . . .

The views were far and wide, with lush vineyards and pastures of green grass and spring plantings . . .

Some dried up grapes from last fall . . . also known as raisins, ha ha

Wisteria is starting to flower everywhere right now. It's so pretty! I'm also starting to see some red poppies cropping up here and there.

We talked and talked as we walked and walked. I learned some wonderful life stories from Lauren Lloyd and Mary Carraway, and I shared some of my life story with them, too. Lauren has only been able to have one child, even though she and her husband have tried IVF and other infertility methods. They have explored the possibility of adopting, but ultimately they are moving more toward fostering some children instead. Their son is going to graduate high school soon, so this was a difficult decision for them. I decided to open up and tell her how I was a birth mother and a little bit of my experience. She was really glad I shared my story with her, and we walked side by side behind the other ladies for quite a while so we could talk more privately. The whole time it just felt so meaningful to be a part of this group of 5 women, when each of them has so much wisdom, depth, and many life lessons to share.

By now, we had walked back into town again . . .

Back to where we began and to where we had parked nearby . . .

This beautiful bronze plaque was created in 2020: "In memory of the 10th anniversary of the unfortunate flood that affected the municipality of Monteforte D'Alpone (2010)." The artist was Artur Sulce. 

One of the ladies took this cute photo of Lauren Lloyd and me, with Addie Mae behind us.

L to R: Mary Carraway, Andrea Miguel, Addie Mae Pyne, Lauren Lloyd, and me

Next up: Scott's Promotion . . .

With only two days to plan, it felt a little frantic as we scrambled to get some food options figured out. Here in Italy, it is customary for the one being honored to provide some refreshments after the ceremony. We knew that the ceremony would be at noon, so it seemed like a light lunch would be appropriate. 

The Commissary was able to provide a meat/cheese platter and a tray of buffalo wings with only 2 days' notice. But they needed 3 days' notice for a fruit or veggie platter. I told Scott that I could put together a veggie platter and that I could provide an assortment of desserts, too. So, after we returned from our excursion in Monteforte d'Alpone on Wednesday, I went shopping for everything we needed. Three stores later, I had all the supplies.

On Thursday morning, I was hustling to put everything together. I didn't think it would take as long as it did to prepare and chop all the veggies . . . and I was running out of minutes.

 

I hurried to also put together two dessert trays, with an assortment of goodies from two separate Italian grocery stores (including some macarons). The outer ring consisted of little boat-shaped chocolate cookies with a creamy pistachio filling. Those were my favorite!

This is what was leftover afterwards, from what the Commissary arranged for us. The buffalo wings were demolished, ha ha. All those hungry guys snarfed every last one!

I only had about 15 minutes to change my clothes and get all prettied up (hair, makeup, etc). I was definitely freaking out a little, but I also didn't have any time to dwell on that. Right around the same time, Scott was picking up the food from the Commissary and he texted me to ask if I needed help loading up the car. I barely had time to send a super short response, and then next thing I knew, he walked in and was there to help. What an amazing guy. XOXO

We loaded up the trunk of my car and then off we went, him in front and me following close behind. My adrenaline was already pretty high with all the rushing around that morning, and then navigating through the streets of Italy in my little stick-shift car just added to that, ha ha. As I followed him through several roundabouts and stoplights, I got a little teary as the thought struck me: I would literally follow him anywhere! I likened myself to Ruth, from the Old Testament. "Whither thou goest, I will go. And whither thou lodgest, I will lodge." I had to fight back the tears so I could concentrate on my driving . . .

Once we got to the base where Scott works (Del Din), he hustled down from the parking garage to round up some of his buddies to help us carry all the food and water bottles down to ground level, across the street, and up another 4 levels to the rooftop of the Commanding General's Building. I kept up nicely with them, even though I was wearing heels!

Tables were set up, flags were arranged, and personnel and comrades started trickling in. I met Major Danaraj (donn-er-ahj) and we visited for a few minutes, in addition to her giving me some important instructions for the ceremony.

And then we commenced . . . (below) Major Danaraj, Scott, and me

The Major gave some background on Scott and the history of the position of a Chief Warrant Officer.

Then she had Major Onwuanumkpe (Scott's commanding officer) read the orders, by first declaring "Attention to Orders" so that everyone knows to PAY ATTENTION. (Note: everyone just calls him Major "O", for obvious reasons. He's from Nigeria.)

Shortly into the reading of the orders, Major Danaraj motioned for me to tear off Scott's former rank patch on his chest and place his new one on with an energetic punch.  Some of the guys had told me earlier to tear it off with gusto, and then to toss it off to the side afterwards . . . but Scott asked me to please not do that. He has seen it done many times and he always feels like it's disrespectful to the military. So I just tucked it into my pocket after I tore it off (it has velcro), and then I made sure to give him a solid punch once I put the new one on. :) Everyone laughed and seemed to enjoy that. 

Next, Major Danaraj led Scott in repeating the Oath of Allegiance.

 

And then, it is customary for the newly promoted officer to give a little speech. Scott did a great job summarizing his military career and what has brought him joy over the years. 

And that was about it! Short and definitely sweet!! I only got teary once, and only very briefly. Most of the time, I was just beaming with pride and soaking it all in. 

For the complete video of the ceremony, click here: (7 min 52 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oRsH5Hu4JMhpRUEh7

The last thing was for everyone to form a line and congratulate both of us. I was impressed first by how quickly they organized themselves, and then by how perfectly it was all executed! It's like they've all done this before, ha ha.

The soldier taking photos for me probably took this next one by mistake, but it ended up being kinda cool to see all their feet in that arc'd line as they came over to congratulate us.

After we ate as much food as we could and then cleaned it all up, I told Scott we needed to take a selfie. He protested at first, saying, "Didn't we already get enough pictures?" But I insisted, and thankfully we ended up with a winner!

That whole day just felt so special! I will never forget the wonderful blessing of being there to see it all. While it was Scott's LAST promotion before he retires next spring, it was my FIRST time actually being in attendance!! In the past, the Idaho National Guard would just have a simple ceremony during a drill weekend. Nothing fancy by any means. He'd come home and inform me that he had been promoted that day. I never knew that I could attend, and how cool it would have been to be there, too. So yeah, I was pretty grateful to be there for his last one. 

The following day, I taught a family history class to about 10 ladies at the USO on base. They have a weekly gathering called "Coffee Connections". It's a regular 2-hour slot on Fridays and they do things like have a guest speaker or work on a craft together. My friend Christine Swanson, who works at the USO, had asked me some time ago if I would do this. I was glad it all worked out timing-wise and didn't interfere with Scott's promotion ceremony.

This is the classroom where we met for the class . . .

 

I had planned on just giving a 10-15 minute intro at the start, and then opening it up for some one-on-one help or Q&A's. But everyone clearly wanted more instruction, so I just kept going! We went through most of the dashboard on the FamilySearch website and I showed them how to add someone into the tree. Everyone was taking notes, and I had prepared a handout for them to take home, too. I typed it up mainly for those who couldn't attend, but it also helps the attendees to retain what we talked about IN class.

Here is the link to the handout:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DthA8T-cxnBYKAmw30muHt85wRyB8xJ6z7ghWHA2lMA/edit?usp=sharing

Christine posted about our class on the USO webpage afterwards, along with some photos. (click to enlarge and read what she wrote)

L to R: Lauren Lloyd, Me, Terri (works at the USO), Freida (I've helped her before), Michelle (has ancestry from Japan), ____ (has Italian ancestry), Lilia (is from Ukraine and I watched her add her family names into FamilySearch in RUSSIAN), ____ (has ancestry from Denmark & Sweden), Joanna (?) (has ancestry from Southern Italy), and ____ (has ancestry from Mexico).  

Many of these ladies had a thick accent and were genuinely trying to learn how to put together their family trees and find THEIR people. It was so amazing to be able to help get them started!!

Sometimes I make myself a little "egg-stra" special breakfast. I think I finally figured out how to make successful banana pancakes with just the TWO ingredients: 1 banana + 2 eggs. The key is to use a small banana instead of a big one, and then cook it low and slow. I've also started using Pam spray instead of butter or margarine in the pan, because the fats were burning and making the pancake darker. I sprinkled a little bit of powedered sugar on top this time and it was delicious. Below, it is folded crepe-style, so don't let the size fool you. It fills the entire large frying pan when it's cooking. 

Madonna della Corona Sanctuary:

After a lazy Saturday morning and a nice, slow start to the day, we drove one hour west to visit Madonna della Corona. It's been on my bucket list for over a year, so I was happy we were finally on our way to see it!

We drove up into the hills north of Verona and up some switchback "tornantes" to get to the little town of Spiazzi. The closest mountain is Monte Baldo, where Scott and I hiked up to the tippy top about a year (or so) ago. Its height is roughly 7,277 feet in elevation. Lake Garda is on the opposite side from where we were in Spiazzi, and therefore we could not see it.

We were lucky to get a parking spot in town because there were crowds upon crowds that day! Many people were there to hike to the Sanctuary, but many more were also there because of a Rally Car and motorcycle event, too. (More on that later)

We found a free bathroom inside a little restaurant (hooray!) and then we were ready for our expedition. We followed the same road down that the little transport bus uses. This is considered to be the "shortcut". It's maybe a 15-20 minute walk from town down to the sanctuary, with occasional stairs. On a popular blog for the Vicenza area, called "Rossi Writes", she mentioned that she hiked down on the little bus road and then used the 600+ stairs to hike back up to Spiazzi. 

The longer option, especially for those wanting an authentic pilgrimage experience, is to begin down below the sanctuary in a town called Brentino Belluno. You will need some grit and some strong legs because there are 1740 steps before you arrive at the sanctuary. Someone also told me that long ago the pilgrims would make that trek up the stairs on their knees, symbolizing their humility and purification process. Good gravy! How did their poor knees survive??

We are weaker humans, so we chose to do the shortcut and we do NOT regret it.

There are Stations of the Cross along the way down to the Sanctuary, depicting the stages leading up to and after Jesus Christ's Crucifixion. The artist, Raffaele Bonente, is from Verona and he spent 34 years creating all of the exquisite 14 bronze scenes. They are all life-size.

Views of the valley from where we were on the trail . . .

There was even an empty tomb created on the trail. I was so impressed with the love that went into this whole experience, and I wished that I had some curious grandchildren with me to share it all with.

Almost there . . .

There were so many nooks and crannies to see, apart from the church itself. These included quiet little side chapels to pray in or quietly contemplate, as well as shrines of various purposes, and gardens, too.

Below: A "map" of the Sanctuary, which is set into the cliffs BELOW Spiazzi. In the English brochure it states:

 

"The Shrine of the Corona, suspended between heaven and earth in the heart of the Baldo rocks, is a destination for pilgrims from all over the world, and a place of silence as well as meditation. Medieval documents attest that as early as around the year 1000, the area was inhabited by hermits [monks] linked to the Abbey of St. Zeno in Verona. Furthermore, at least by the second half of the 1200s there was a monastery and a chapel dedicated to St. Mary of Montebaldo, of which we preserve a 14th-century fresco depicting an enthroned Madonna and Child, displayed at the conclusion of the Holy Staircase."

Video of the valley views: (12 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UvsKMcA3iyWmqLwa6

We found another chapel to visit. This one was intended for confessions, with several confession booths along the righthand side offering varying languages, based on the signs above each one.

Adjacent to the confessions area, we found the Holy Staircase . . .

We did not go up. We are not Catholic and we did not wish to offend anyone by going up without permission. I tried to think of something similar that we might believe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The only thing I came up with was our temple experience. We visit with our local leaders every 2 years in the form of an interview to discuss our worthiness and our commitment to Jesus Christ. We are issued a temple recommend, which is essentially us recommending ourself to God. We are stating that we are ready and worthy and committed to learn more about God's Plan for us and we are ready to make sacred promises to Him each time we attend. 

In addition, throughout our temple experience, we go up various sets of stairs until we arrive at the room representing the Celestial realm, where God and Jesus Christ reside. In the Bible, it often mentions the phrase, "go up to the mountain of the Lord", or a similar reference. There is something special about getting yourself up and out of "the world", to rise above it and then go meeet with the Lord in a quiet and reverent place. 

Upon entering the main chapel, I immediately noted all of the OLD stuff on my right and on my left. Even in front of me hung a very old stained glass window panel.

On my left, ancient and tiny frescoes are being preserved in tall display cases with glass windows . . .

Vibrant colors adorn the current stained-glass windows . . .

And then there were the ex-votos, a whole wall on the right with 167 tablets to be exact. It was hard to get a good angle for a photo, factoring in the glare of the lights above, but I managed to capture this one. They are all dark and somewhat faded due to age, so please keep that in mind, too.

An ex-voto is a votive offering to a saint or divinity, in gratitude of a miracle received or a blessing realized by the "offerer". It may be in the form of a painting, a modeled reproduction (such as a model ship to represent how it was saved during a terrible storm), or even an item donated that represents the miracle or blessing (such as a crutch to represent a grateful healing). In the Madonna della Corona Sanctuary, the ex-votos are in tablet form (paintings on wooden tablets). The one above was dated 1783 and appears to be depicting a heavenly visitation connected with a physical healing of some sort. 

In multiple places, there are SEVERAL clusters of delicate hearts throughout the sanctuary. I could not find an explanation for them or what they represent, therefore you may draw your own conclusions. They are all tucked into glass cases for preservation, so they must be old and very special.

The main chapel is all tucked into the cliff wall, which added to its wonder and deeply impressed me. 

Everywhere you go, you see Jesus. You look to Jesus. You are reminded of Jesus. You are drawn to Jesus.

Translation below: Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!

Short video of the span of the chapel: (9 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aorbGtQDgKnuRhGFA

In the next photo, there are several bronze angels circling around the baby Jesus. They are located at the head of the chapel.

Perhaps this was an old font with Holy Water in it . . .

The white marble everywhere was absolutely gorgeous. These were just a couple of small columns as part of a half-wall or railing in the chapel.

In one area of the "cave" that forms the chapel, there was a very flowery smell emanating from a tiny dribbling of water that trickled down the rock wall. A small plaque offered an explanation: "Pietra Profumata con Olio di Nardo di Gerusalemme." (Translation: Stone scented with Jerusalem nard oil)  

Video of the perfumed "spring" coming out of the cave wall: (9 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vcQaVckXHF4ESnfe6

Nard oil is also known as Spikenard and comes from the Himalayan region in altitudes of 3000-5000 meters. The plant grows to be a height of one meter and has bell-shaped pink flowers. It is part of the honeysuckle family and has a woody, spicy, herbaceous, aromatic, warm and earthy smell. Some say it smells similar to lavender or valerian oil. It is mentioned in the Bible several times, particularly the occasion where Mary used it to wash Jesus' feet. 

In John 12:3 it states: "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment."

In John 12:4-5, it goes on to say: "Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, 'Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?' " Jesus responded by saying they should leave Mary alone, and that this was a special occasion since He would not always be with them. 300 pence would have been equivalent to a year's worth of wages.  

After learning more about nard oil, I am once again in awe of all of the many ways this particular sanctuary provides so many significant and sacred connections to the Savior. 

The pansies were a colorful and striking contrast against the white rock and exterior of the church. 

Back in the sunshine again . . .

Just outside the main chapel entrance is a stone tablet embedded into the pavers stones beneath the feet of passersby. It is dated 1738.

We continued our wanderings, finding another level below the main chapel to explore, passing by a small-scale model of the sanctuary and its adjacent buildings.

Down the stone steps we walked, noting not only the continuation of additional beautiful, reverent, and artistic depictions of Jesus, but also the beginning of thousands of tiny photos of loved ones lost, somehow memorializing them by placing their picture in this very special place.

At the end of the path, there was a small room with skeletons and skulls up on a high shelf. I assumed these were either the remains of the old monks, or possibly some religious leaders. But they were not labeled with any names, so I was more inclined to think they were the bones of the monks.

Video of the ancient monk's skeletal remains: (10 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4RTvyLiktzae3BH89

I tried looking for a translation for what this stone marker said beneath my feet, but I could not find anything. Oh well. It's old and therefore it's cool. 

There is a small garden area below the main chapel, with several smooth stumps to sit on and eat whatever snacks you've brought along with you. In our case, it was green grapes. Perfectly refreshing in the warmth of the afternoon. 

  

One last area to visit - a long hallway with massive collections of photos of lost loved ones, and hundreds of celebratory contributions over the years as the sanctuary has periodically commemorated its long existence.

Mary and the Christ-Child, a mosaic made from tiny beads . . .

A large Nativity set was in this long hallway, as well, along with an explanation as to why . . .

(click photo to enlarge and read)

I wish I knew what all these ornate hearts were for. Maybe they were simply created for a commemoration event long ago. Who knows?

This next one caught my eye because it was a delicate needlework placed into an 11x14 frame, but the date on it is from 1889. That's the year my Grandpa John A. Snider was born!! He was 59 years old and a first-time dad when my father was born. 

An old stone carving, dated 1578 . . .

A beautiful painting depicting the Madonna della Corona Sanctuary, with date and artist unknown . . .

The detail and time it must have taken to make even this small bronze sculpture . . .

As part of the walls and walls of photos, Scott drew my attention to some older "black and whites" with various pilgrimage groups and families who have visited the sanctuary through the years.

Next, we took a detour on a side trail so we could launch the drone from a more private location. Scott was concerned about the sound of the drone being too close to the church, it being such a sacred place of worship. We had seen more than a few signs indicating "Silenzio".

 

While Scott scouted for a decent spot, I found some dainty little wildflowers to enjoy.

Launching spot was now secured . . .

Video of the drone footage: (57 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xyQVWDUx2rzjiPRF8

For some reason, the video footage is more herky-jerky than what Scott is usually capable of. Part of the problem was that the recording function kept stopping and he had to get it going again. Also, at the end of the video when the drone turns to face the huge rock wall over the forest below . . . we were in that thick jungle of trees!!

Video of Scott trying to bring the drone down safely through the trees: (13 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/bon69jH4XoNPHA188

Just like this snail, we made it up the 600+ steps back up to where we began. We met a lady from New Hampshire as we slowly climbed. She works as a tour guide and hosts groups of tourists twice a year in various places throughout Italy. We shared a couple of our favorite places with her (Chioggia and Cittadella), and she shared a really cool bird-identifying app with us. It's called "Merlin" and was developed at Cornell University. It's similar to the Shazam app that helps you identify a song you're listening to, but instead it listens to the bird call or song and then tells you the type of bird that you're hearing. Scott is now 100% hooked to the Merlin app, ha ha.

Views across the street from where our car was parked in Spiazzi . . .

This was when we saw - or mostly HEARD - rally car after rally car zooming by . . .

Personally, I would be super happy with a periwinkle car such as this one . . .

We were only 25 minutes east of Lake Garda and the town of Garda. When you're that close, ya gotta go!

Apparently, there was an International Spring Festival going on, with dance groups wandering around from several European countries. I wish we had known ahead of time, so we could have planned accordingly. Instead, as we waited for our food to arrive, I looked on the internet to figure out what all these dancers were here for. 

Video of another group of girls from ?? country as they walked past our table: (5 seconds)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/z2NYUCfxVzM1MVd4A

Our tasty (and shared) VERY late lunch consisted of: a giant bowl of mussels, grilled vegetables, and fries. It was all very delicious and fun to sample it together.

We didn't spend much time here in Garda because we still had an hour's drive home and we wanted to get home in time to watch General Conference.

Next time we come, I'll try some gelato at this cute shop named "Mu". LOL

We made it with one minute to spare before conference began. During the opening song, we hurried upstairs to the roof and set up our speaker and some reclining patio chairs. General Conference only comes around twice a year, every April and October, so we eagerly anticipate the talks and messages that have been carefully prepared for us. I always take notes and I often feel promptings to do something, or call someone, or change something in myself for the better. 

Jack also turned THREE on April 6th!! To celebrate, his parents took him to see the dinosaurs at a local museum. He is so incredibly smart and can recite all kinds of interesting facts about multiple dinosaurs. I asked him what his favorite dinosaur was. His delighted answer: "The Triceratops!!"

A cute little bunny on Easter . . .