This is the interior of the early 12th century church of Santo Stefano in Assisi, Italy. When I made my three month sabbatical some years ago, I offered Mass here, alone most mornings, as the church is above and at the edge of Assisi away from the noisy, tourist crowds below. It is charmingly said, that when Saint Francis died on the evening of October 3, 1226, the three small bells of the church rang spontaneously.
I'm thinking that now, during the Coronavirus lockdown, no one is offering Mass here, as is also true of many churches and chapels in the United States and in other parts of the world. So maybe you'd like to imagine entering this dear church with its soft light, come to pray deeply the words of this lovely Eucharistic hymn.
O Food to pilgrims given,
O Bread of life from heaven,
O Manna from on high!
We hunger; Lord, supply us,
nor thy delights deny us,
whose hearts to thee draw nigh.
O stream of love past telling,
O purest fountain, welling
from out the Savior's side!
We faint with thirst; revive us,
of thine abundance give us,
and all we need provide.
O Jesus, by thee bidden,
we here adore thee, hidden
in forms of bread and wine.
Grant when the veil is riven,
we may behold, in heaven,
thy countenance divine.
