P2 Stage 14 Pontremoli to Aulla – 32 km

Don Lorenzo was sitting, pensively, on a cement bench outside the doors to the unassuming Chiesa della Santissima Annnunziata on the outskirts of Pontremoli. “Can we get our pilgrim passports stamped here?” “Yes, but we have a problem”, he answered, “we have a pigeon in the church.” And so began an hour dissertation on the history of the church and the iconography of medieval art, especially the Annunciation. Don Lorenzo first led us to the sacristy for our stamp remarking that the Rafaello hanging over the 17th century engraved, wooden choir stalls was a fake. The original was stolen in the 1970s. In the hallway a false wall hides the well were partisans hid when Nazi’s came looking for them. He then showed us a 13th century fresco, which he said was along the original VF, that depicted the madonna in receiving mode, a Penelope’s thread and needle on the table representing the stitching of a new world. The fresco was the cause of several miracles, an octagonal domed structure, 8 signifying eternity, now enshrines the fresco which, I kid you not, one must kneel to view. But we weren’t done. He then led us up to the altar, 14 steps to signify the “Via Crucis”, through a series of hidden, narrow hallways to a door which opened into the columnated loggia and courtyard of the Benedictine monastery which was in use until Napoleon emptied it. And then, Don Lorenzo opened a door and we said goodby. We walked a while along a narrow, dark path between high stone walls until we spilled onto the Via Francigena. When we looked back we could not see traces of the door or narrow path. We went on for our pleasant walk to Aulla.