Churches

by Abigail Padfield 

Spending the last two weeks in Cagli, I have had the opportunity to see a few of the 14 churches. They are beautiful but appear to be dull from the outside. Their doors are open, welcoming you in to visit. This observation was small culture shock for me because in the towns that I have lived in in America church doors are closed and possibly locked.

Churches are open for everyone. Locals know they are open and that is just the way life is. I had to learn that it was okay to enter the local churches. If you need to pray, you can walk in and put your euro in the offerta and light a candle. If you are a tourist and need a break from the heat, churches are there, doors open and unlocked. Keeping church doors open and unlocked during the day brings a sense of trust into the community that maybe I am missing in my own culture.