These ladies had just left Saturday morning mass, in Naples. The church where they worship, Pio Monte della Misericordia, dates to about 1678. We were asked to leave the church while Mass was said–for about ten people.
Why were we in this little church on a rainy Saturday morning? Because it houses this painting:
Seven Works of Mercy, Caravaggio
Yep. Just saying prayers in front of a masterpiece and then going on with their day, these ladies in their sensible shoes and their cardigans. I loved them and wanted to follow them home.
This is fantastic! I love those women too. I was in Italy recently and spent a lot of time in Rome and Florence churches. Old Italian women worshipping everywhere. It was a beautiful thing.
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It’s funny – I live in a Muslim country, so faith and prayer are part of the regular fabric of life here. I’d forgotten, in a way, what that same sense of belief and prayer looks like in a different context. The old ladies in the Italian churches got to me every time, I have to say – and I have to say too, that if I could pray in a church in front of a huge Caravaggio…well, a person could be convinced : )
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How I love this. RIch in its simplicity, a prayer and so much more.
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I felt quite sort of blessed, in a way, to see this tiny moment in their lives. Thank you for the comment, Empress–
This is the kind of glimpse I most love. A moment, a connection, a commentary. Thank you for sharing it!
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It felt quite wonderful to see them, fussing over each other and helping with umbrellas and so forth. I imagined that they’d known each other their entire lives & probably grew up within ten blocks of the church. Made me a little wistful, actually.