From Robert Moynihan’s blog at Inside the Vatican:
This earthquake occurred 1,937 years to the day since Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. and destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum — one of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in European history. In order to be prudent, the monks of Norcia have decided to move from the time being from Norcia to Rome, where they will be hosted in the Monastery of Sant’Anselmo on the Aventine Hill. They are leaving because the aftershocks continue to shake the region, and because there has been considerable damage already to the church where the monks pray the daily office. [Above] is a picture of some of that damage, in the monastery church in Norcia. Most of which seems to be plaster covering the stone walls, and, fortunately, the roof itself seems to be solid and intact, but prudence dictates caution while the possible damage is assessed. “After a careful study of the developing seismic situation in our region of Italy, as a precautionary measure, we have decided to transfer our community to Rome,” the Norcia monks write. “The monks of the international Benedictine headquarters at St. Anselmo in Rome have kindly offered our monks a place to remain during this period of uncertainty… “While the community is in Rome, two monks will remain in Norcia to keep watch over the basilica and monitor the developing situation. They will avoid danger by sleeping in tents outside the city walls…” And so two monks will remain in Norcia — outside the walls, in tents — during the coming days, to continue the life of the monastery, despite this tragic disaster. In such a way, the life of the Church continues.
Read it all. And remember to keep praying for the people affected by this disaster. The monks, meantime, write:
Please continue to pray for our community, and consider giving a gift (https://en.nursia.org/donations/) to help our effort to rebuild.
And today we celebrate...