Assisi Retreat

The Mighty Silence of Assisi

Assisi Retreat 2026

The Mighty Silence of Assisi

Assisi breathes devotion.

From dawn until night, monks and nuns chant, walk and pray in a rhythm centuries old. We attune ourselves to this sacred rhythm ~ and to the still, golden light of late autumn ~ combined with silence, meditation, and a cacao ceremony.

Saint Francis and Clare devoted their lives to serving from the heart — to brotherhood and sisterhood, silence, prayer, meditation, music, nature, animals, humility, simplicity, faith, purity and care for those most in need.

We have walked in their footsteps and have been drawn back to the energy of Assisi again and again.

This invitation comes from the deepest corner of our hearts.

The purpose of this year’s Assisi retreat is to experience the Mighty Silence that is always available — the peace, the love — which we can find in everything that nourishes us: the sun and its warmth, the food, the air we breathe, the earth we walk upon, feeling our singing hearts.

Our retreat place is located on the backside of Assisi, in Santa Croce — quiet and secluded from tourism, yet within walking distance of the Basilica of Saint Francis 🌞

https://www.casalesantamargherita.com/en

🌙 Tentativee Daily Rhythm 🌾

Mornings begin with a silent sunrise walk from our retreat home to the tomb of Saint Francis inside the Basilica.

The silence here is thick — like velvet. People sit.
Walk slowly.
Cry.

The air is filled with guitar, prayer, and the quiet presence of something far greater than us. It feels as if Francis never left.

Then we walk back together, slowly and in silence.

At the retreat home:

Perhaps…

Meditation ( 5-6 hours each day)

Singing

Mindful movement

Being with difficult feelings

Listening to sacred chants in churches. Initiation into the lives and spirit of Saint Francis and Saint Clare.

A simple, gentle rhythm of presence and devotion.We are most likely blessed with a musician who can support us in singing songs of Francis and Clare — you can explore the songs in this album: Brother Sun & Sister Moon.

Our dear friend, a deeply awakened meditation practitioner and one of the most empathic and supportive beings you could wish to have close to you in a retreat — Alex — prepares our meals. He loves food, presence and care, and you can feel it in every meal.

Retreat Details

• Limited to 12 participants (5 spaces remaining)

• Dates: October 12–18, 2026
• Arrival: October 12, between 16:00–18:00

Address
Strada Comunale Santa Croce 7
06081 Assisi, Umbria, Italy
(Approx. 1and a half hour walk from the train station)

• Opening Dinner & Welcome Circle: 19:00
• Check-out: 09:00 on October 18th
• Contribution: €1200
(Includes retreat, accommodation, and all meals) • Transportation is not included

Travel Tip
Low-cost flights are often available to Rome with Ryanair. From Rome: frequent and affordable trains to Assisi (approx. 3 hours).

Registration & Payment

Only 12 spaces available (5 remaining).

Write to: ngapende@gmail.com to check availability.

Once confirmed, full payment is required to secure your place.

Payment is made via: https://www.stephanpende.com/ donation/

Please note: Payment is non-refundable in case of cancellation.

🍀 Is This For You?
A retreat is an invitation to go inside.

To feel your feelings rather than projecting them outward or talking them away.

This is a silent retreat. A time to experience the preciousness of being together in silence — also when we walk to churches, share meals, and move through the day.

So we are where we are.
We do what we do.
We are with what is.
Instead of going for a walk in the head,
We open space for joy and silence through direct feeling: the soles of the feet touching the earth as we walk, the scent of pine trees, even the uncomfortable feelings of awkwardness when we don’t speak where we normally would.

Falling in love with silence.

Sometimes people say it is lonely or unloving not to express. Yet so much is expressed — and truly held — in silence: So try something new. Become more free and less reactive in the space of silence.

Be an instrument of peace in the world simply by how you walk, step by step — not ahead.

When strong emotions arise:

Retreat makes everything bigger. Sometimes someone becomes overwhelmed — and in a way, this is not a failure. It is the practice working. When helpful, we may guide a short, simple floor practice in a circle — a gentle structure for meeting a difficult feeling directly, without becoming the story or character inside it. The group witnesses. Learns.

🥾 Extend Your Journey

If you feel called to combine this meditation retreat with a pilgrimage walk, you can walk in the footsteps of Francis from Assisi to La Verna (the monastery where he received stigmata), or walk around the Rieti Valley (medieval preserved villages, beautiful serene nature, sacred caves, forests and sanctuaries).

🔥 Meet you around the sacred fire in the Heart of Francis & Claire.

Stephan & Kristina

About Kristina & Stephan

Kristina and Stephan are longtime spiritual companions, retreat leaders and teachers rooted in meditation and psychotherapy. Together, they create sacred spaces for silence, healing and awakening.

Kristina brings her deep experience as a psychotherapist, Vipassana and healer. Her work is infused with devotion, nature and animal connection and the healing power of presence.

Stephan, a former Tibetan monk with over 40 years of meditation experience, weaves Buddhist insight and nondual teachings into accessible, heartfelt guidance.

Their retreats are known for their depth, gentleness, and authenticity — offering a space to come home to yourself, again and again.