The legend of San Miniato begins with an Armenian Prince serving in the Roman army under Emperor Decius around 250 AD. He took the lush Tuscan countryside on his way to
Rome, but decided to stay as a hermit in a cave on Monte alle Croci and practice Christianity inside then pagan Italy. When the Emperor had him brought down from the mountain to denounce his faith and make sacrifices to the pagan God, he refused. One failed panther feeding and live burning later, the Emperor had the hermit’s head cut off. After his decapitation, the
Prince turned hermit picked his head up, climbe back up the hill, and laid down to die. The church, ideally placed at one of the highest points in Florence, served as a perfect defense point to protect the city during …show more content…
We took time to enjoy the statutes: an athlete that is found collapsed, face-down, still poetically gripping the ever-burning torch; a widow and her two young children, the youngest a baby still gripped at her chest, surrounding the bust of the late husband and father; an eagle with its wings out spread; and so, so many children. There were tombs so brightly colored in the same white, pink and green marbles of the church’s façade, they looked like gingerbread houses. It did take some effort, but we eventually did find the tomb of
Carlo Lorenzo, pen name Carlo Collodi. The author, who borrowed his last name from the
Tuscan city his mother was from, most notably wrote the children's fanciful cautionary tale,
Pinocchio. It was time to take another group selfie.
Initially, we were thrilled to have a day of respite, and a chance to see a little of the city, but the day brought us so much more: legends and art, wars and family secrets, a little bit of cardio rewarded with breathtaking views, hidden gems, and a few accidental adventures. We lived all the makings of a great adventure novel, all in one beautiful