In Norcia, a city that considers itself the birthplace of pork sausages, three of the most important churches were heavily damaged.
[…]
In Norcia, closest to the epicenter, friars and devotees gathered in the piazza to kneel and pray after the earthquake, photos by the Italian daily La Repubblica show.
“There is something here almost more important than the value of the single paintings that was lost today,” said Philippe Daverio, an Italian art critic and author. “What’s equally important here is that Benedict, the patron saint of Europe, and his sister Scholastica, were born in Norcia. These two twins changed the framework of the West by inventing monastic group life and the ‘rule.’ ” Daverio was referring to the Latin phrase “ora et labora,” which means “pray and work.”
- WAPO: Latest Italian earthquake devastates medieval churches and other sites
- La Repubblica: Repubblica.it: Terremoto, scossa 6.5 nel Centro Italia: le immagini [click on slideshow]
- Telegraph, UK: Local priests told to hold mass outdoors after 6.6 quake destroys historic cathedral in Norcia
The Basilica of St. Benedict is destroyed, flattened by most recent earthquake. #Terremoto pic.twitter.com/GQDl64LhFn
— The Monks of Norcia (@monksofnorcia) October 30, 2016