Today we say goodbye to Rome and hello to Assisi.

We began the day with a visit to San Maria del Populo, where two further famous Caravaggios decorate a small chapel, the Conversion of St Paul and Crucifixion of St Peter.  Both paintings demonstrate how Caravaggio uses light and dark to great effect, perspective and positioning of people and animals as well as drawing the viewer inescapably to the faces of the key figures.  In addition to these paintings the church is the location of the famous Chigi Chapel.
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Next we moved to the oldest part of the city, with a choice of The Basilica di Santa Maria in Cosmedin or the Basilica di San Georgio al Velabro.  The former is a pretty church with a tall bell tower, but is probably more famous for the “Mouth of Truth”, a face carved in marble said to eat the hands of liars featured in the film Roman Holiday, where Cary Grant put his hand into the mouth and pulled his arm out with his hand concealed in his sleeve.  Since his co-star did not know he was going to do that, the reaction from Audrey Hepburn was of genuine surprise and shock! The other church used to be dedicated to both St George and St Sebastian.  It contains relics of our patron saint, St George, in a reliquary set in the altar.  It is a simple church, also containing a memorial to Cardinal John Henry Newman.
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From here we walked to The Anglican Centre, an Anglican Presence in Rome, where we celebrated Mass following which they provided lunch (including Prosecco!).
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Returning to the coach, we set off, finally saying arrivederci Roma, salve Assisi.