CVerga

I have searched previous posts and have printed out the schedule for the abbey. Could someone clarify if there will be chanting during the 9am Terce? I read on a previous post that it is nice to arrive early to avoid the crowds during the visiting hours of 10:15 - 12:30. So we would like to be there for the service and then stay for a while during visiting hours to look around. Could someone tell me what Terce means and if we can expect the chants during that service? Thank you.

wanderlust5

We have visited there, and we didn't get to hear the chants, but I bought a CD while there since we missed.

Here is the link to their website: (they have a link to an english translation)

http://www.antimo.it/

CVerga

Wanderlust,
I looked at that website and to be honest, I couldn't figure out when the chants were. Do you think they are part of every service that is listed?

StuDudley

There are Gregorian chants inside the church at various times of the day (posted on the entrance to the church – one chant is at 12:45). See http://ww.slowtrav.com/italy/tuscany/sant_antimo.htm for a full chant schedule and a description of Sant Antimo.

Stu Dudley

Traviata

CVerga,

The only thing I can help you with is to tell you the 11:00 am Sunday mass is full Gregorian chants...we have attended frequently..if you decide to go to it instead of the earlier Terce, arrive about 10:15 to look around a bit...service lasts about an hour or a bit more...you can leave at any time if you are in the back, but you likely won't want to...it is beautiful..

Peggyann

Terce refers to the hour at which the monks chant. In days of old they would arise at the third (Terce) hour of the day, Nowadays a more humane approach, terce ( the actual prayers are Psalms) is chanted in the morning at 9 AM. It is a beautiful place and I hope you get to hear the chant. Acyually on e time we were there at just the wrong time, so we went back to the little town and had a great lunch and then returned to hear the monks.

CVerga

From the information you have all shared it appears that we could arrive for the 9am serice and be able to hear the chants. Then we could stay for awhile during the visiting hours. Or we could arrive near the end of the visiting hours and stay for the 12:45 service. Do you think it would be better to go to the earlier service, since there might be less people there or do you think it's just as good either way?
Carol

Traviata

CVerga,

A lot depends on the day of the week and time of year...Sunday is the busiest day with Saturday next...during the week is much quieter, though in season, there are many tourists every day...when are you going to be there???

CVerga

Traviata, We plan on visiting the abbey on Monday, March 20th.

constant

There is a schedule and a couple of great photos here: http://www.montalcino.net/sant_antimo.htm

Traviata

CVerga,

I don't think you will have a problem on a Monday in March...the abbey is small and you can view the inside and around the altar fairly easily....do you want to go for a mass or just hear the chants??? If you go for the mass, I would probably visit afterwards..it is pretty informal, so you could do it either way..there will be people doing both..

Eloise

The 9:00 a.m. service is probably the longest, Terce followed by Mass, and you can only start wandering around in the church at 10:15.

Decide how much time you want to spend wandering around (don't forget to go down to the crypt), and get there that
much time before 12:30, at which time "tourists" are going to be shooed out. You then have a short wait until the 12:45 service, which will also include Gregorian chant.

Georgine

Plan to arrive at around 8:50am. The church door will be opened by one of the monk's a few minutes before the start of the service.

That will give you enough time to get a chant and mass book from the shelves located at the foot of the middle aisle of the church. (The shleves looks similar to a lector's pulpit.)

All six of the current monks in residence participate in the chants and the Mass. It is a beautiful service.

There is also a gift shop on the road leaving the Abbey property. It will open as soon as the 9:00am service concludes.

We attended on a Tuesday in mid-October'05, and there were busloads of tourists that showed up at the conclusion of the 9:00am Mass.