17 – The brother continues the conversation as he points at the southern church wall. “The series of stone corbels on the same level as the architrave – to the left of the portal – served to support the beams that sustained the roof of the cloister gallery, now completely destroyed. Traces of the original foundation suggest that the cloister formed a square, the sides of which were approximately 19 metres long. This very deep cistern at the centre of the courtyard was built in the 16th century on an already existing medieval well. It still receives rainwater just as it did then.”
18 – While he’s speaking, the door facing the cloister opens, and hastily the brothers file out one by one across the open courtyard which separates the church from their living quarters. On passing by, each one glances at me, to greet me briefly, “Ciao, ciao!”
One of them, with a smiling face, and piercing look, asks me, “Do you like the abbey? Are you one of our guests?”
Not without blushing a bit, I reply, “For the moment, I am only a visitor.”
19 – My guide then intervenes: “Today, as yet, all that we do remains connected with this cloister. We cross it about six times a day, in order to go and sing the Liturgy in the church, and for the celebration of the Eucharist. The bell constantly marks and regulates our daily life, as it calls the community to prayer. Now, after the Mass, as you can see, each one of us attends to the work assigned him. One goes off to welcome the Scouts or the tourist pilgrims, another to study, another for pastoral service in a nearby parish, another to do manual labour (i.e. work necessary to maintain the house), and another to answer the numerous telephone calls. Towards 12.45 p.m. all of them will leave their occupations in order to come together for the singing of Sext in the presence of the Lord.”
Life is quiet in the cloister…? But these brothers don’t stop even for a second!
The brother continues, “Now that the Mass is over, we can visit the church. Come, let us now enter by the main doorway.”