The St. Francis Camino.: A Spiritual Walking Pilgrimage from Laverna to Assisi

The St. Francis Camino (also known as the Way of St. Francis) is a spiritual walking pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Francis through central Italy between Laverna and Rome. It can be walked either north or south. This edition begins in Laverna in Tuscany (where St. Francis received the stigmata), and concludes in Assisi. Other books in this series by the same author trace the Camino from Assisi to Rome, or from Greccio to Assisi.

Divided into stages, the trek is an intimate way to connect spiritually with the humble saint from Assisi by walking on the same land he walked.

This second edition offers practical tips regarding packing, traveling in Italy, setting up GPX tracks, as well as obtaining the Pilgrim’s Passport and Testimonium. Each stage includes daily distances, altitude gains and losses, surface type, duration, and level of difficulty. Next is a brief description of the stage with useful notes as well as a succinct textual description of the route. Then there is a list of Franciscan and spiritual sites along each day’s route. Lastly, there is a significant overview of Laverna, including two warmup walks around the sanctuary and mountain; then, in Assisi, there are three day excursions in the footsteps of St. Francis and St. Clare.

Yet, this book is intended to serve more as a spiritual, or Franciscan, companion book. As such, it focuses less on step-by-step instructions and more on the spiritual aspect of pilgrimage.

With a foreword by the Archbishop of Lucca, Mons. Paolo Giulietti, this book includes essays on spirituality, daily Franciscan reflections, writings and prayers by St. Francis as well as the early Franciscan biographers. Additionally, there are traditional Catholic and Franciscan prayers for guidance before, during and after the journey.

Walking in the footsteps of St. Francis – through Laverna to Assisi – is an unparalleled journey into the heart and spirit of Christendom. And this book will bring it to life.