Four Churches but No Service

Awoke before 7 – had breakfast at 7:20 so as to try to go somewhere before church. I went to the Museo of San Marco and found it beautiful and most interesting. I saw famous pictures and frescoes of the cell where Savonarola lived when he was preaching his famous sermons.

Then I left and went around to the English church which was just behind San Marco and met a lady who said that Mass was just over, that the service was at 10 o’clock in summer instead of eleven – so I thought it must be an Eng. Catholic church. I went on and went in and sat there a few minutes and really thought it was a Catholic church – beautiful stained glass windows and coming out I saw a notice in the side of the English Episcopal church – must be a very high church.

Went back to the church of San Marco and sat there – so many worshippers - I did not like to walk around. Came home. On the way bought four brightly painted wooden topped cork. After lunch, lay down a while – then went on with my letter to Margaret – which I finished in the evening.

At 5 o’clock I started out to go to Piazza San Annunziata to hear the fine music in the vesper service. An English priest had told me at San Marco that the music was beautiful and that it would be at six. Not knowing the distance I took two cars to get there. There were a number of people in the church, but no crowd and they went all quickly saying their prayers. I sat down and waited. Finally I asked a nice looking woman next me and she said the service would be at eight, so I left.

Then I saw the two Hubbell girls. I had told them about the service being at 6 and also about the 11 A.M. service and they had tried to go to both and in neither case was there a service. We decided to walk home when we saw a notice that there would be a service at 6:30 in the church of San Firenze and that the archbishop would be there so we asked several people till we found where the church was and flew around to find a beautiful church and few people in it. It was after 6:30. What could it mean? As we were sitting there it flashed over me that it was to be July 26th and this was the 19th. We were a week ahead. I laughed out loud. We walked home. I had been in 4 churches and no service today. Began a letter to F.T.S. To bed at 10.