Perugino's Feast

Umbria, the landlocked 'green heart' of Italy is renowned for its hilltop towns, its beautiful countryside, and its Renaissance frescoes. It is also the land of St Francis and the Franciscan movement. This book, centred on the miniature walled town of Panicale, evokes the rich cultural history of Umbria, interwoven with accounts of the often-hilarious experiences of two innocents abroad trying to renovate a derelict cottage and adapt to life among the Umbrians. The book concludes with reflections on why foreigners come to live in Umbria and why they eventually leave.

Norman Russell is a widely read Orthodox theologian who has for many years taught patristic and Byzantine theology. In this book he reveals another facet of his life, his enduring love of Italy and particularly of Umbria. His easy conversational style invites the reader to share in his affection for the people of Umbria, to participate with him in the unexpected problems of trying to create a home among them, and to experience through his eyes the splendours of their history and their culture. In the end, however, it is not the beauty of the landscape and the monuments that comes through most strongly but the spiritual quality of the people themselves.