Submitted Photo Pictured is Father Joe Porpiglia on the trail to LaVerna.

Making his way in Italy, Father Joe Porpiglia hiked an impressive amount of miles through the countryside and neighboring villages.

On Aug. 10 he chose to take a rest day and enjoy one of the holiest sites on the trail.

“Decided to make a rest day in LaVerna where St Francis received the stigmata,” Father Joe stated on St. Joseph’s Facebook page. “The ceramic art work in the chapels are outstanding; I always like the depictions of the nativity. Francis spent a lot of time here and it is a very sacred site.”

On Aug. 11, he departed La Verna and hiked a moderate 9-and-a-half miles, arriving in Santo Stefano just in time to witness a wedding in the church there.

Aug. 12 he departed Pieve, arriving in Sansepolcro after five-and-a-half hours of walking.

“Saw more people walking and many people on the roads on their bikes. Went through countryside and gravel pit. Sansepolcro is a bigger town with a lot of history, beautiful churches and museums; my pictures do not do them justice,” he said.

Monday took him to Citerna following a 10-mile hike, the last couple miles being uphill.

“Beautiful village overlooking a great Umbrian countryside,” Father Joe commented. “(I) Walked (pass) many fields of tobacco and sunflowers, (the) churches had great art in them.”

On Tuesday he arrived in Citta di Castello by way of a ride and took a rest day as he suffered equipment problems and an ankle that didn’t seem to want to work right. He really loved the school of della Robbia, the duomo and the town piazza.

Wednesday, Father Joe hiked another 11 miles before calling it quits, obviously feeling in better from the day before.

“Made it to Pietralunga today, shorten the trip because (they are) predicting rain later in the day– still caught some rain and hiked 11 miles today. Countryside is still beautiful! Ferragusto day here and some men enjoying the day for a ride,” he commented.

Father Joe is of course doing the Way of St. Francis in Italy to raise funds for Gowanda and Cattaraugus EMS units. To donate to his cause visit Community Bank in Gowanda or send a check to “Father Joe’s Walk” Community Bank N.A. 76 West Main Street Gowanda, NY 14070.