From the Fall-Winter Appeal of the Monks of Norcia (Nursia), Italy:
Dear Friends,As I stand in the entry way of the monastery, directly in front of me is the new refectory; to my right the new kitchen. The view of the refectory is breath-taking. Filling the entire east wall is an extraordinary painting of the Crucifixion, done by a local artist named Fabrizio Diomedi, in a style reminiscent of the thirteenth-century painters Giotto and Duccio. This is not a copy, however; it is Fabrizio’s own style and technique, which we have coined “NeoUmbrian”.
The ribs of the vaulted ceiling are outlined by elegant stencil work which emphasizes the solemnity of the space. On the walls, about waist-high and built by a master carpenter, we’ll have wainscoting – high quality, wood paneling – which adds to the dignity of the room. The refectory, in fact, is a place of spiritual as well as physical nourishment. ...(More and source)
