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August 23, 2018
Father Mario DiCicco, OFM
Chicago
There was one serious omission and one mistake in Christina Gray’s article on the Shrine of St. Francis (July 26). The omission was the name of Angela Alioto, the genius mind behind the entire project, whose fervor and vision brought the replica of the Portiuncola to completion. And the mistake was in saying the encased rock was “reportedly brought from the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.” “Reportedly” sounds like alleged or legendary. I know the encased rock is authentic since I was at the airport with Angela when two friars from Assisi brought in the rock which was not from the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi but from the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels in the valley which enshrines the original Portiuncola.
Editor’s note: According to porziuncola.org, the official name of the church housing St. Francis’ original “little chapel” is the Papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels in Assisi, Italy.Letters policy
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