Cammino della Luce along the via Amerina: a pilgrimage through beauty and emotions
Italy and Umbria also have spiritual walks to offer. In particular, crossing Umbria and other regions, is the very interesting and popular Cammino della Luce (‘Walk of Light’), a pilgrimage that takes you along ancient paths from Aquileia (Friuli Venezia Giulia) all the way to Rome, passing through Assisi and taking you along the last stretch of the ancient via Amerina. The ancient Amerina is a road dating back to the 3rd century B.C. and was built by joining previous local roads that connected Veio with Ameria, now known as Amelia, its namesake. The road crosses the land of the Falisci and touches the centres of Nepi, Falerii, Fescennium (Corchiano), Gallese, Vasanello and Orte. North of Amelia it covers roads that travel towards the middle and high valley of the Tiber and towards the Adriatic, across the territory of Gubbio and Ancona. In the middle ages, the Via Amerina was the only road from Ravenna to Rome, along the so-called Byzantine Corridor.
The Cammino della Luce
The Cammino della Luce is managed by a Foundation based in Amelia, in the province of Terni, and is a known pilgrimage: it is therefore possible to ask for the credentials from the Confraternity of Saint James of Compostella or the Ecclesial association Ad Limina Petri. The pilgrim certificate, the Testimonium, is issued by the Opera Romana Pellegrinaggi. Currently there is the stretch that goes from Assisi to Rome: along this path numerous rest areas for pilgrims have been created, spaces that offer kitchen, canteen and dormitory. There are rest areas in Deruta, Todi, Amelia, Penna in Teverina, Orte, Gallese, Castel Sant’Elia, Nepi, Campagnano di Roma and La Storta. Pilgrims are aided by volunteers of the “Cammino della Luce Foundation – Itinerary of Via Romea of the Byzantine Corridor and Via Amerina” along the entire route and can count on guides and logistical support to get the most out of this experience, including spiritually.
Beauty and spirituality
The route takes you through some splendid hamlets and to important churches, archaeological sites, historical monuments, parks and places of beautiful landscape. You will walk along ancient paths carved in the tuff, known as “tagliate falische (the Falisci gorges)”. The value and importance of the Cammino della Luce are nevertheless especially found in the very experience of the pilgrimage: a long route that is sometimes tiring and leads one to do some soul searching. A walk that is therefore also and mostly personal and spiritual and that aims to steer one back towards faith or in any case a new awareness of oneself and the world, rather than any other destination.
More information and updates on the Cammino della Luce are available at www.camminodellaluce.it.
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