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| Emily enters the crypt at the Mother Church in Piraino. |
July 30th, 2016
We all had lunch and went to a small cafĂ© for a restroom break with gelato. We ran into Father Carlo. What a priest! He took about 50 photos during the few hours we spent with him. He explained the art in the church and showed us precious artifacts. The artifacts should be in a museum soon, which is good. They are deeply rooted in Sicilian Catholicism and culture. Father also played the organ and it was amazing. I had tears in my eyes when he played Amazing Grace. He then took us to a stone tower that was used to watch for pirates and his own church. He saw me kneeling at the altar with red candles, and we shared that special bond. It makes me proud to be Catholic. He was an amazing priest and I will not forget him. Today was also the day we saw the ... mummies of the crypts [in Piraino]. No words will ever do in describing the feelings I had down there. I was inches from people who had died hundreds of years [ago]. People who still had skin surrounding their bones. Skeletons are still people, of course, but mummies create a different bond to humanity. You can see their features and maybe even how they liked to dress or do their hair. It’s communicating through culture relating those today to ones that were breathing thousands of years ago. It reminds me of the natural human connection with death and my strange curiosity about trying to understand.
We all had lunch and went to a small cafĂ© for a restroom break with gelato. We ran into Father Carlo. What a priest! He took about 50 photos during the few hours we spent with him. He explained the art in the church and showed us precious artifacts. The artifacts should be in a museum soon, which is good. They are deeply rooted in Sicilian Catholicism and culture. Father also played the organ and it was amazing. I had tears in my eyes when he played Amazing Grace. He then took us to a stone tower that was used to watch for pirates and his own church. He saw me kneeling at the altar with red candles, and we shared that special bond. It makes me proud to be Catholic. He was an amazing priest and I will not forget him. Today was also the day we saw the ... mummies of the crypts [in Piraino]. No words will ever do in describing the feelings I had down there. I was inches from people who had died hundreds of years [ago]. People who still had skin surrounding their bones. Skeletons are still people, of course, but mummies create a different bond to humanity. You can see their features and maybe even how they liked to dress or do their hair. It’s communicating through culture relating those today to ones that were breathing thousands of years ago. It reminds me of the natural human connection with death and my strange curiosity about trying to understand.
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| The class meets Father Carlo on their trip to Piraino. |
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| A painting within a church in Palermo. |
August 2nd, 2016
We left for Palermo and a wonderful tour of the city by Dario. The walk through the cemetery helped display the connection of life and death that seemed to be a constant theme of the day. The churches were also beautiful! The paintings, statues, architecture, and Catholic relics are so different from the modern depiction in the USA. I also feel a deeper understanding and connection to my own faith seeing it practiced in another culture. I can’t wait to discuss my findings with my world religions professor.
We left for Palermo and a wonderful tour of the city by Dario. The walk through the cemetery helped display the connection of life and death that seemed to be a constant theme of the day. The churches were also beautiful! The paintings, statues, architecture, and Catholic relics are so different from the modern depiction in the USA. I also feel a deeper understanding and connection to my own faith seeing it practiced in another culture. I can’t wait to discuss my findings with my world religions professor.
The end of the day was
spent in the Catacombs. I could have spent hours in there. I was amazed at the
history and mystery every mummy held.
I am pondering my
future career choices after this trip. Wondering how I can apply my new
knowledge. [The] Palermo crypt would be amazing to study up close. I can’t even
imagine what could be found.
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| A cathedral in Palermo. |
August 5th, 2016
This study has been one of the best decisions of my life. I enjoyed all the lectures and learned so much. I can apply this knowledge to my future career in many ways. If I had the choice, I would come back again hands down! I will always remember the examinations of the mummies and the delicate line between life and death. There is a lot to say that words cannot express. Thank you to all of the professors for putting this together. I truly loved the MSFS.
This study has been one of the best decisions of my life. I enjoyed all the lectures and learned so much. I can apply this knowledge to my future career in many ways. If I had the choice, I would come back again hands down! I will always remember the examinations of the mummies and the delicate line between life and death. There is a lot to say that words cannot express. Thank you to all of the professors for putting this together. I truly loved the MSFS.
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| Emily loved the MSFS...almost as much as she loved these meatballs! |
