hellovenezia

A city proud of its independence from the papal dogmas, and which suffered the extreme limit of excommunication and interdiction by Pope Paul V in 1606.
A city that was “open” to all the nations it traded with and, perhaps, was at war with at the same time. There are some very unusual, even strange features – in our way of thinking perhaps unexplainable – like the space granted to the Muslims in the Fontego dei Turchi (from 1621 and open for about two centuries), market-home-diplomatic seat for the often fierce enemies.
Even earlier that, in the midst of numerous disputes, we should remember that in 1479 Giovanni Bellini conducted a sort of diplomatic-cultural mission to Constantinople to paint Mohamed II’s portrait (who ended the Oriental Roman Empire and the Serenissima, and was certainly a tricky person to deal with).
A contradictory relationship that has already been covered in the exhibition “Venice and Islam 828-1797: The exhibition illustrates the varied and intense relationship between Venice and the vast Muslim world, with hundreds of sophisticated and beautiful works of art – paintings, glasswork, ceramics, metal, textiles, printed works – which come from important Venetian collections, and other important European and American museums. They testify the reciprocal influence in defining and evolving artistic languages, with intense and continuous exchanges, transmitting knowledge and techniques, the talent of artists and craftsmen, but also traders and businessmen and, of course, their exquisite diplomatic skills”.
This enabled the Jewish component to develop considerably in the city, which was originally confined to the Island of Spinalonga or Zueca or Giudecca, an island which, perhaps, echoed the name of the Jewish people.
In a later era, due to complicated historic events, and further to an initiative by Zaccaria Dolfin, from 1516 the Senate of the Republic decided that all the Jews in Venice would have to live in the Ghetto with only two entrances, which would be closed at midnight to be re-opened at dawn by the Christian guards who were paid by the Jews.
The first steps along our itinerary following the various religions in the city begin from the Ghetto.
The Ghetto can be reached along various streets, but the main entrance is through the marble gate at the entrance to the Ghetto Sottoportico, alongside the typical kosher restaurant Gam Gam, at the foot of the Bridge of Spires in Cannaregio (ACTV Guglie, lines 41-42 and 51-52).
A sculptured marble gate, where the signs can be seen that were left by the heavy doors that isolated the area from the rest of the city.
The Ghetto, name taken from the Venetian “geto” where the ancient foundries used to be, is a city within a city, with vertically rising houses, the highest in the city and seemingly prototypes for modern skyscrapers

 Campo del Ghetto Nuovo

“At the end of the 15th century, the Greeks living in Venice obtained permission to found a School with an annexed church, to assist their conationals who lived here and give them the chance to practice their orthodox religion. They first obtained an altar in their first Church of S. Biagio, near the Arsenal Bridge, and then later (1498) they were allowed to form Confraternities or Schools with their patron saint St Nicola of Mira, the Greek community also had a Greek-orthodox church built”.
 (Lorenzetti, Venice and its Estuary).
This means that the Greek community has a beautiful Risorgimento style church with Sansovino influence, which was started in 1539 with a magnificent leaning bell tower, which was inaugurated in 1592, they also have Palazzo Flangini as their community seat, designed by the architect Baldassare Longhena, and the important Icon Museum.
Theoretically speaking, there is just a short distance from the Greek to the Armenian community, except for the fact they have their seat on the Island of S. Lazarus of the Armenians. This is when the ACTV water bus line 20 is needed from the S. Zaccaria Monument stop.

 Armeni's Island          Sebaste Manung di Pietro, padre Mechitar

A small island which was originally a hospital and leper colony, hence it is dedicated to S. Lazarus, protector of lepers, which welcomed the Armenian colony in 1700, who were already living in the city, and took in the refugees from Modone (or Methoni), stronghold and naval base for the Venetians in the Peloponnesus region, which was conquered by the Turks in 1715.
Sebaste Manug di Pietro (1675-1749), monk, known as Mechitar (the consoler) founded the convent, giving drive to the hospital care, charity and also spreading the Armenian culture, and more besides, with the printing works opened on the island, they were able to print in 36 different languages and with different characters.
The library can be visited with one of the monk guides, and has some very important manuscripts and books, pictorial works, of which we can mention Palma the Younger, Jacopo Bassano, Sebastiano Ricci, Gaspare Diziani, GB Tiepolo, Canaletto, Luca Giordano, and so on through to portraits of the abbots by the Venetian painter Francesco Hayez.
From the quiet island of S. Lazzaro degli Armenia, refuge for the restless soul of Lord Byron as well, a quiet that is now disturbed only by the, sometimes heavy, water traffic on the way to St. Marks or Venice Lido, we move from the south lagoon to the north one, to reach one of the most isolated religious communities, the Franciscan monks on the island of S. Francesco in the Desert.
It is not easy to go to the island, which is situated near to the island of Burano, first you have to telephone the monks at 041.5286863, who live there, to organise a visit with them.
The island is not served by public transport, so the meeting is organised near the church of S. Martino on Burano, behind Piazza Galuppi.
There are many legends linked to this community, the main one being that it was founded by S. Francesco of Assisi personally who, together with an unknown companion, some say Illuminato from Rieti, came to Venice after their meditations and apostolate in the Orient.
They came to the island in 1220 during a terrible storm. Once they finally managed to land, they were welcomed by the song of birds “the festive song of the swallows” as S. Bonaventura wrote in his book Legenda Major, and the storm suddenly calmed. They interpreted this as a divine wish and they decided to remain there.
Legend also holds that Saint Francesco stuck his stick into the ground, and it then budded and that plant, a pine tree, still stands today and is venerated by the few remaining brothers (in March 2009 there were just six monks in the community).
Our long pilgrimage among locations and religions means that we should now enjoy the quiet of the island, appreciate its perfumes and colours, and the unexpected silence that only an island immersed in the north lagoon can offer.

The monks can also offer hospitality in their guest quarters, for a tired and hungry pilgrim, but with his own sheets however, who wants a few days of spiritual meditation.
If a few days are too many, the visiting hours are 9.00-11.00 e 15.00-17.00, (except Monday).