Procession for Saint Catherine of Siena
We ate lunch on Saturday in Siena, just outside the walls near the train station. We asked ourselves, do you want to go into Siena? No, we couldn’t think of anything specific to see and the last time, on a Saturday, it was very crowded with tourists. The next morning, we were going to drive right past Siena on our way to the Maremma coast and decided to go to Mass in the Basilica of Santa Cateriniana di San Domenico. The feast of Santa Caterina was a few days prior, and we thought maybe there might be some lingering events.
We were in luck!
Laura first noticed a couple of Dominican brothers walking away from the Basilica, and shouted, “Viva Dominica!”, to their amazement. Next, she saw two other gentlemen in full military garb carrying a banner, headed in the same direction. We ask a nearby Carabinieri, who spoke English, what was happening. She told us about the procession, from the Casa di Santa Caterina to the Basilica, followed by a Mass.
The Procession
The hour-long fête for the saint started with Cardinal Lojudice, Archbishop of Siena-Colle di Val D’Elsa-Montalcino, giving a speech. Following the Cardinal, many local dignitaries spoke, then various groups were introduced to bring a candle to the statue of Santa Caterina. In between each speaker, trumpet fanfare burst regally through the sunny courtyard. Tourists and locals crowded the area to see and hear. Whole families leaned out of their windows up above. Police were appropriately armed with Beretta submachine guns. When all of the speakers were finished, it was time for the procession to begin.
One by one, each of the 17 contrade of Siena paraded by, represented by two standard bearers and a drummer. The military, police, and first responders followed, with the two Cardinals taking up the rear. We joined in.
Once we arrived to the Basilica, the Cardinals stopped in front of the reliquary chapel of St. Catherine to venerate her relics in prayer. Following the Cardinals, each contrade filed by the saint’s relics and paused for a flourish of flags and a drum solo in her honor before making their way up the aisle. Each drummer somehow kept in rhythm with his fellow drummers as they all continued the cadence once their turn commenced. (It was so loud even in that vast space that halfway through John got a message on his phone that the decibel level was harmful to human ears!)
The contrade delegations left the church and two dozen clergy, acolytes and servers surrounded the massive altar. Mass began with a breathtaking choir. Trumpets rang out and flags were raised during various parts of the Mass which was celebrated by Cardinal Francesco Monterisi. A glimpse of Heaven on earth.
About Saint Catherine of Siena
St. Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) was a mystic, theologian, and Doctor of the Church whose profound spirituality and bold actions left a lasting impact on the Catholic Church. Born in Siena, Italy, as the 24th of 25 children in a wool dyer’s family, she experienced visions of Christ from a young age. At age 16, the saint joined the Dominican Third Order, dedicating herself to prayer, fasting, and serving the poor.
Despite being uneducated, St. Catherine’s mystical experiences and wisdom led her to write hundreds of letters and the influential Dialogue of Divine Providence, dictating her spiritual insights. She became a trusted advisor to popes and secular leaders, courageously urging Pope Gregory XI to return the papacy from Avignon to Rome in 1377, a pivotal moment in Church history. Her tireless efforts to mediate conflicts, including between Italian city-states, earned her the title “peacemaker.”
St. Catherine’s intense devotion, marked by extreme fasting and the stigmata (invisible to others during her life), reflected her deep union with Christ. She died at 33 in Rome, exhausted by her labors. Canonized in 1461, she was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970 and is a patron saint of Italy, nurses, and those suffering illness. Her legacy endures through her writings and her example of faith-driven action.
This modern day celebration of St. Catherine’s life and veneration of her relics in such a triumphal way continues a centuries-old tradition and glorifies the God she so loved. Participating in it was a gift.
St. Catherine of Siena, pray for us!