An Ancient Church and an Archangel

Chiesa Sant’Alessandro Maggiore

Lucca has been called the city of 100 Churches.  That number may be a bit of an exaggeration, but Lucca really does have a lot of churches.  Some of the oldest known churches no longer exist, having made way for the expansion of Lucca’s walls, clearing of spaces in front of palazzi, or for other building projects. Still others have been converted to non-religious uses, often performance spaces or art venues.  Others still stand but are no longer used, having been abandoned for many years.  The abandoned ones are the ones that intrigue me – if only I could get a peek inside!  On the rare occasion when one of the abandoned ones is opened for a special purpose, I make it a point to visit.

One such church is Chiesa di Sant’ Alessandro Maggiore.  This one is particularly special because it is the oldest church in Lucca, over 1000 years old, and a classic example of Romanesque architecture.  Modified over the centuries, it retains its plain structure, with a white limestone exterior and a simple three nave interior and small apse.  Relics of Saint Alessandro (Pope Alexander 1), originally placed in the church’s crypt, were later moved to the high altar. I believe they are still there. There are also relics (small bone fragments) on one of the side altars, but I could not find any information about those. A relic mystery !

The church interior is well maintained. Unlike other abandoned churches, this one simply feels like it is having a brief pause.  The floors are black and white marble, arches line the three naves, beautifully carved interior altar rails and marble decorative panels fill the church. 

The main altar and side altars still have their decorative elements and tabernacles.  Polished wood benches and confessionals line the sides of the church and narrow stained glass windows let in just enough light.

The art over the main altar is a fresco by Michele Ridolfi added in the 1800’s when the church underwent restoration.  It is a vibrant panel, with a gold background, showing Saints Alexander and Louis (Alessandro and Ludovico) beside the Madonna and child.  It seems a shame that it is hidden away in mostly unused church.

The church was recently opened to host a photographic exhibit by Lucchese artist Beatrice Speranza.  The exhibit, L’ombra di Michele (Michael’s Shadow), was a series of black and white photos, a perspective on the statue of the Archangel Michael which sits atop a different Lucchese church – the Basilica of San Michele in Foro.

The Archangel Michael is not just any old angel.  He is the highest-ranking angel, God’s warrior, who bested Satan and the band of fallen angels, and he is a saint.  And while he may be sitting atop a basilica here in Lucca, but he is not just a Catholic figure.  He is important in Judaism, Islam, and other Christian faiths – an ecumenical angel, uniting faiths. 

The hinged metal wings are seen here from the back of the statue

The statue in Lucca is nearly 4 meters (about 13 feet) tall, made of marble with metal wings that have aged to a blue green patina. He carries an orb in one hand and in the other a spear which he used to pin a dragon under his feet. That is a typical representation of the Archangel, conquering evil (satan) in the form of a dragon.   Created during the 13th century, the artist is unknown.   

The Ombra di Michele exhibit captures the statue in black and white photography from various angles and heights and also presents the shadows that the angel casts on the surrounding piazza. Many of the smaller photos also have points of embroidery placed on the photos by the artist.  These beg for personal interpretations.  She enhances the presentation with music and narration.  In her words “the Archangel and the dragon, for those who seek to get a glimpse of them amidst the blinding rays of sunlight or through the clouds, serve as a reminder to confront our fears, fragilities, disappointments, and anger.  It seems that St. Michael urges us to acknowledge and manage them, to weigh them carefully, and to cut away what needs to be released”.

The combination of the art, the music, the meaning of the artist’s words, and the ancient church setting created something truly inspiring. 

Blessing The New Wine

Even Lady and the Tramp had a fiasco on their dinner table

It is easy to recognize the classic bottle of a Chianti wine – a fiasco (flask) with a rounded base wrapped in straw.  After all, is there an Italian restaurant in the US that doesn’t have a fiasco on the table, usually topped with a candle and covered in dripping wax?  A fiasco even made an appearance in Disney’s Lady and the Tramp!

Chianti wine is produced in an area of Tuscany that stretches roughly from Florence south to Siena, a specially designated region since the time when the Medici family ruled Florence.  Historically, the classic straw wrapped bottles were made in the city of Florence, creating a special relationship in which the Florentine bottles were sent to the wineries outside of the city where the new Chianti was bottled, and then the filled bottles were sent back to merchants in Florence.  Of course, this transport began long before there were trucks to move the bottles back and forth, so how did the wine bottles return to Florence after they were filled? 

The Carro Matto arrives to Florence’s Duomo

In centuries past, the new wine was brought from the countryside on an ox cart.  Once in Florence, the wine was blessed by the church and the first bottles presented to city leaders.  Then It was time to celebrate.

Today, the tradition of blessing the new Chianti is celebrated on the last Saturday in September when the Carro Matto (crazy cart) procession takes place.  Once pulled by oxen, this year it was a tractor that pulled the cart which was piled high with over 1000 bottles of wine in the classic fiaschi. 

The procession began in front of the Duomo and moved down Via Calzaiuoli.  Along the way it made a brief stop at the small Church of San Carlo dei Lombardi, very near the part of the city where a traditional maker of the flasks (a fiascaio) would have had his workshop.  The procession ended in Piazza Signoria where a fiasco was presented to city leaders.  In the 1400 and 1500’s the first bottle might have gone to a Medici – today it was given to the elected mayor. 

Accompanying the Carro Matto were people dressed in historic costumes, helmeted guards, musicians, and the Bandierai degli Uffizi (traditional flag bearers) who delighted the crowd with their flag-throwing.  Women carried individual fiaschi to be presented to the dignitaries. 

Crowds watched as the cart made its way along the route, looking as if the bottles could topple at any minute.  A crazy cart indeed.   Fortunately, the bottles remained in place, the wine was blessed, and the celebrations continued.  Time to toast the new wine with a glass of Chianti!    

Hard to believe this doesn’t topple over!

Ragu Bolognese

One of the best known recipes for Bolognese comes from Marcella Hazan’s book. Her recipe includes the essential ingredients, but is a little different than the one I just learned.

There must be a million recipes for ragu.  They can be found in cookbooks, on-line, or as handwritten recipe books passed down through generations. Ragu is in fact a very generic term, simply meaning a meat sauce.  No wonder there are so many variations!  In addition to classic Italian versions, changes were made over time and also as Italians emigrated, bringing traditional recipes but adapting them to new lands. 

In my family we called ragu “spaghetti sauce” and it had some definite American modifications.  First, it was a tomato sauce, with an acidic taste, and, other than onion, no vegetables at all.  It was also heavy on the spices – garlic, rosemary, oregano. Then there were the meatballs, cooked and served in the sauce with both then spooned over bowls of spaghetti. This was our typical Sunday dinner of “Italian” food. Imagine my surprise when I learned that, in Italy, meatballs (polpette) were not typically served in a sauce, much less on top of pasta.  And that spaghetti was not the traditional type of pasta for a ragu.  As for finding that there were carrots and celery in a ragu sauce – shocking!

A Bolognese ragu begins at the market with carrots, celery, onion

In Italy I’ve tasted many types of ragu. They vary by the region of Italy where they originated.  And if you want to get someone from Bologna upset, call a Tuscan ragu, which is typically made with sausage, garlic, and rosemary, a Bolognese.   Not a mistake you want to make!

This past week I had the opportunity to learn to make an authentic Bolognese in a cooking class.  The chef, Giuseppe, used a recipe from his Bolognese father’s family and his version has all the elements of an authentic Bolognese ragu. 

Bolognese is a sauce with rules.  So much so that the Bologna Chamber of Commerce publishes an official recipe. They updated their recipe in 2023 (which seems a bit unusual to me, updating a classic).  The current official version has a bit more meat and a little more tomato than the older version which was published in 1982. 

Our chef, Giuseppe, is sticking with his grandmothers version which predates both and so that is what we made in the class.

So, just what are those rules? 

The finely chopped soffritto is sautéed in EVOO and allowed to caramelize

First, a true Bolognese is a sauce that is more meat than tomato.  A combination of good beef (we used ground Chianina beef) and ground pancetta.  The pancetta for Bolognese can be fresh or cured but never, ever smoked. The pancetta adds both flavor and fat to the ragu, especially since the beef is fairly lean.

Next, a soffritto of finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery, sauteed in extra virgin olive oil until caramelized. Adding the pancetta to the soffritto keeps it moist. A little vegetable broth can be added too if the mixture begins to look dry. 

The ground beef is cooked in a separate pan over a fairly high heat to reduce its moisture content and become well browned – another important step in adding flavor.  The browned beef is then added to the soffritto / pancetta base.  The pan is deglazed with white wine which is added to the developing ragu, building layers of flavor with each added ingredient.

These tubes of Mutti brand double concentrated tomato paste are a kitchen staple in Italy. Here they add just the right touch of tomato in a Bolognese ragu

Next up is the touch of tomato.  In our class we used only double concentrated tomato paste, probably a couple of ounces (we didn’t measure).  This is the older classic method which keeps the tomato flavor as an accent, not a feature. The revised official recipe uses less tomato paste and some crushed tomato, but not too much!   Some more broth can be added to thin the sauce which is then allowed to simmer for about 2 hours. 

Lastly – the secret ingredient in Bolognese is milk. About ½ cup of whole milk is added to the ragu near the end of the 2 hours.  It should melt into the sauce and disappear. This is an important ingredient as it cuts any acidity from the tomato paste, helps keep the meat tender, and adds a smooth, rich texture to the sauce.

Last rule - A Bolognese sauce is never served over spaghetti! Those thin strands just don’t hold onto to sauce.  An egg-based, flat, wide pasta is typically used.  Tagliatelle is classic; pappardelle is also appropriate.  Just don’t ask for Spaghetti Bolognese!

In a twist, we used our classic Bolognese ragu (which was delicious) as a sauce for gnudi, a type of “naked” ravioli – in other words the ricotta & chard (or spinach) filling without a pasta shell.  I am not entirely sure that the Chamber of Commerce would approve of that change, but our group gave it a big thumbs up.

Gnudi with a classic Bolognese ragu

You may wonder what we did in the two hours while our Bolognese was simmering.  We used that time to make a wonderful risotto, some incredible stuffed and fried zucchini blossoms, build an appetizer plate, and make a citrus flavored custard dessert topped with fruit.  Not a bad way to spend the day.  Better still, it made for a fabulous lunch.

Giuseppe Mazzocchi is the Chef / Owner at the Olive Press Kitchen, near Montecatini between Florence and Lucca.  For more information contact Giuseppe at:   info@ theolivepresskitchen.com. or by phone / Whatsapp at +39 329 743 3364

Lucca by Candlelight, The Luminaria of Santa Croce

The start of theSanta Croce procession always includes a huge floral cross and the traditional banner with the image of the Volto Santo

It’s exciting to see a place or an event for the first time, and often just once is enough to satisfy a curiosity or longing for an experience. When I first moved to Lucca I believed that going “once around the sun” here would allow me to experience all the seasons, the traditional festivals, the holidays, and the special events that would take place throughout a year. And that a year would be enough to satisfy my living in Lucca experience.  Silly me.  I quickly realized that it would take much longer (and perhaps forever) for me get my fill of Lucca.

 Over time, I’ve learned that some of the best things are the events that are experienced on repeat - events and celebrations that I look forward to from year to year.  Whether it is the wisteria that bloom in spring, April’s Santa Zita Festival, a late summer Medieval event, the fall garden show, or the annual lighting of the Christmas tree, the anticipation of these familiar events never fails to excite me. They mark the rhythm of life in Lucca. 

The month of September brings one of Lucca’s most important events, the Luminaria of Santa Croce.  There is something magical about seeing the Medieval streets of Lucca awash in candlelight, hearing the chanting of prayers, watching the large floral cross that is at the head of each year’s procession, and seeing the devotion of so many people holding candles are they walk the streets of Lucca. It is a moving and unique event. 

The people lining the procession taking photos on cell phones reminds me that this is a present-day celebration and yet the feel is ancient, historic.  For many people it is the most important religious ceremony of the year.  For others it is a tradition and a cultural event.

Dignitaries and priests carrying the processional lanterns first gather on the steps in front of the Cathedral of San Frediano, where prayers begin the solemn procession. A large cross, made entirely of flowers, and a banner with the image of the Volto Santo are at the head of the procession. A variety of civic groups participate in the procession, each carrying a banner to show where they are from.

The restored Volto Santo (Holy Face) crucifix, with gold vestments only seen during the September event (photo from the internet)

This year was particularly important because after two years of restoration the Volto Santo crucifix, which is the reason for the festival, is finally back in place in the Cathedral of San Martino and dressed in his gold vestments.

Regardless of one’s beliefs, the luminaria procession is a hallmark of a Lucchese September.  And for me, it is one of my can’t-miss, go every year, take hundreds of photos, events.   Once was definitely not enough for me!  As September draws to a close, it is my hope that I will still be here in Lucca to see next year’s procession.  

For anyone who would like to come to Lucca for the 2027 version of the Santa Croce Festival, now is the time to begin planning.  It is not too early to reserve housing for this popular event.  And mid-September is a great time to visit Italy.

 For more on the history of this event see  https://www.twopartsitaly.com/blog/2017/9/16/the-legend-of-the-volto-santo-holy-face

The procession always includes people in Medieval costumes.

A New, Very Old Neighborhood

The historic center of Lucca is small, lying within a 4.2 km (2.5 mile) surround of Renaissance era walls.  It is easy to walk from one side of town to the other in just 20 minutes. It might seem that such a small area would feel like one cohesive neighborhood, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Historically, in the Medieval and in the Renaissance period, Lucca was divided into 3 terzieri (thirds of the town) each with its own administration.  The terzieri were further divided into 4 smaller sections called gonfaloni.  Each gonfalone (singular form of gonfaloni) had a unique name and symbol, which was carried on a banner.   

The 3 terzieri are represented in the many Medieval events held in Lucca

San Martino Cathedral lends its name to the terziere on Lucca’s eastern side

The terzieri in Lucca were the Terziere of San Martino, Terziere of San Salvatore, and Terziere of San Paolino.  San Martino was the largest of the three, though least populated, taking up much of the eastern and central part of the city, from north to south. 

Next, San Paolino, in the western section of Lucca, was the oldest terziere of the city. It had the largest population and held a position of importance within the historic city.

The Church of San Tommaso in the terziere of San Paolino, is one of Lucca’s oldest churches.

The smallest of the terziere was San Salvatore, in the north central part of Lucca. 

One of the most famous fountains in Lucca stands in Piazza San Salvatore in the terziere of the same name, the building behind is the Church of San Salvatore, another of Lucca’s oldest churches. It gave the terziere its name.

Today, there are many echoes of those long-ago neighborhoods in Lucca.   While the modern city has one unified city government, the names of the old terzieri persist, and the churches and piazzas that anchored them are still standing as the cornerstones of unique neighborhoods. 

Two of the Medieval city gates are still used. Both sit within the San Martino terziere and mark the limits of what was the Medieval city. Today, locals and visitors alike walk under the arches each day as they head toward the center of town. A third gate, the Porta San Donato, has been replaced by a newer, larger entrance to the city in the Renaissance era wall.  However, part of the old gate (middle photo below) can still be seen nearby as part of the tourist information center.

The historic divisions are perhaps best represented in Lucca’s frequent Medieval themed events which often involve competitions with costumed teams from each of the terzieri carrying their unique banners.  The Terzieri of San Paolino is still important - it often takes the prize in archery competitions.

This history has been on my mind since I recently moved from an apartment in the San Martino neighborhood to one in the San Paolino area.  Historically speaking, my new apartment is in the Terzieri San Paolino, the Gonfalone della Serena (the subdivision of the Siren).  And even though I am just about a 10-minute walk to the west of my old apartment, this part of town has a very different vibe.  I would describe it as being off the beaten path, a slice of Lucca before the “spiffing up” for tourists.  It is definitely a residential area, not a souvenir shop to be found.  

Bar Probi

I have been exploring the area for the last couple of weeks.  I’ve found one nearby bar for morning coffee, run by a pair of friendly sisters.  It sits just across from a court building and is very popular with the people working there. A cornetto and a cappuccino here costs €2.80. Definitely a taste of old Lucca and certainly not tourist prices.

When I introduced myself to one of the owners, saying that I had just moved to this part of town, her response was “well, then this is your bar, see you tomorrow”.  A nice welcome!   A second bar, Bar Tiani, has welcomed Lucchese since the 1950’s. It is located right next to the neighborhood grocery store. Full of locals, it is a lively place full of the music of spoken Italian. And who doesn’t need a caffè before grocery shopping? A bonus is the small Thursday morning market, just a block or two from my new place. It has wonderful fruits and vegetables straight from area farms.

 I’ve mostly organized my new apartment, a small studio inside a former convent, the style of which is what I call “Ikea chic”.  I now know where the breakers are – an important detail after the power went out in a storm, not an unusual occurrence here in Italy.  I’ve explored the nearest way out of the walls through the very interesting Porta San Donato.  And I am finding new details in doors, windows, bricks, and streets each time I set out. 

I am enjoying things that seem small but have a big impact of quality of life – a complete kitchen (no more Easy Bake oven for me!), good AC (critical in hot, hot August), and – best of all – a terrace which looks out at roof tops and gardens. Opening the doors to the terrace first thing each morning, with beautiful southern light, makes me smile.  That I found this small, affordable place feels like a miracle.

Living in Italy has taught me many things – the joys of a simple apartment, a good local bar for morning coffee, the sound of the Italian language drifting through my doors, church bells ringing, looking out over a hidden garden, and a community of nice people - these are the things of value.

And cool, rainy weather!  I vote for more of that.

The entry way to my building, once a convent.