Saint-Mary-among-the-Vines is a church and pharmacy[1] located in Giglia. The monks residing at the church are Dominicans, "The Hounds of God"[2].
Saint-Mary-among-the-Vines is based on the real church in Florence, Santa Maria Novella, which was originally named Santa Maria tra le Vigne. Attached to the church is the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica, which sells soaps, perfumes, lotions, herbal remedies and Alkermes[3].
Features[]
The church building for Saint-Mary-among-the-Vines is black and white striped and is located in the northwestern part of Giglia. In the church there is the labyrinth, the Great Cloister, the Lesser Cloister, and Farmacia.
The labyrinth on the floor
The labyrinth is a pattern on the floor made of black and white strips of marble contained roughly within a circle; there are eleven circuits between the outside edge and the centre, made into folded loops. When the friars reach the centre, which is a pattern like a flower with six petals and a figure in the middle, they fall to their knees and spend several minutes of heartfelt prayer before taking the path back out. After Sulien has walked the labyrinth (as the last friar to do so), the labyrinth is covered with a threadbare carpet. The friars walk the labyrinth as a form of meditation, inviting others to do so in order to calm themselves.
In the Farmacia, the monastery produces perfumes, creams, lotions, and medicine. Among their most valuable recipes include a "famous liqueur" and drinkable silver (argentum portabile), which is an extremely effective but difficult to produce counter for most poisons. Several novice friars assist the pharmacist in distilling chemicals in the laboratory.
There is also a cloister pool with fish in it. They have carrots and vines they tend.
Friars and Novices[]
The friars wear black robes with white hoods and the novices wear coarse white robes with black hoods. They have a choir.
Known Friars[]
- Brother Sulien, Senior Friar, the pharmacist-friar
- Brother Tullio, the cook-friar, in charge of the kitchens.
Known Novices[]
- Brother Tino
- Brother Benvenuto
- Brother Sandro
- Brother Ambrogio, a friar working in the kitchens[4]
Previous Friars[]
- Brother Antonio, previous Senior Friar, Sulien's predecessor.[1]
Notes and References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 City of Flowers
- ↑ Domini Canes is Talian for "God's Hounds" so they are called "The Hounds of God"
- ↑ A Message from Mary
- ↑ City of Flowers
Brother Tino mentions that there are two novices in the kitchen with Tullio when Tullio sends Ambrogio to see Sulien, implying that Ambrogio is one of the novices assisting Tullio.
| Independent City-States Bellezza · Padavia · Classe · Montemurato · Romula · Cittanuova | |||
| Di Chimici City-States Giglia · Remora · Fortezza · Bellona · Volana · Moresco | |||
| Other Locations Burlesca · Torrone · Merlino · Santa Fina · Belle Vigne · Saint-Mary-among-the-Vines |