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| Alexis has her first taste of anchovies. |
Greetings from Sicily! Yesterday, students, faculty, and visiting scholars representing a wide range of educational backgrounds and seven different institutions met up in the city of Palermo. We had no major delays or lost baggage, but we are all thankful for having the extra day to recover from our jet lag that was scheduled in case of such travel complications this year. Students are starting to get to know one another and have already shared a few meals at some of the city's restaurants.
Today brought about adventures in exploring the city, but don't take it from me! This year, we will be featuring a series of blog posts written by our students to share with you their experiences.
Stories from Sicily will summarize our daily activities and provide different perspectives and insights related to our time on the island.
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| Student Haley Carr talks to her fellow classmates about the concept of incorruptibility. |
Please enjoy our first piece for this series written by
Haley Carr:
July 21st, 2017
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| Santa Maria rests above the crypt. |
This morning we enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the Caffe Roma and at the hostel before heading out to the crypt of Santa Maria Dell'Itria of the Coachmen. We observed the many frescos painted on the walls, some of which date as far back as the 15th century. As we walked through, we saw the draining rooms where the bodies would sit for a year before being moved upstairs for three years and then to the main room where families could sit and visit with their loved one. The incorrupt body of Santa Maria herself was also in the crypt encased in a replica. We examined some of the skulls in the draining room and determined sex and age. It was interesting to learn that the bodies that were prepared at the crypt were ordinary people of the coachman profession and their families.
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| Karl talks to students about crypt construction and usage. |
After leaving the crypt, we stopped for a refreshing granita before heading to the National Museum of Palermo. Many of the artifacts there were recovered from two cities that were covered in ash from Mt. Vesuvius, and they have allowed researchers to have a greater understanding of Greek and Roman culture. There was a wide variety of statues and pottery but we especially loved the turtles swimming in the courtyard.
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| One of the many beautiful stone artifacts seen today at the museum. |
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| Students enter the courtyard at the museum. |
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| Students also enjoyed seeing turtles in a fountain at the museum today. |
After the museum, we stopped for lunch where we enjoyed a multitude of dishes such as pasta, pizza, and risotto. After lunch, we went to the dome to get a birds eye view of the city and take photos. We then went back to the hostel to rest or went out on our own to explore before we all met for dinner.
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| View overlooking the city of Palermo from the dome of an old church. |
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| Students enjoy a view from the top of the city. |
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| A view of the inside of the dome. |
For me, the best part of the day was the crypt because I was very impressed with both its age and how elaborate it was. It felt very authentic and not so much like a museum. I learned a lot about the body preparation process as well as confirming my previous knowledge that I had learned online such as families eating meals with their dead and identifying incorrupt saints. I ate a lot of good food (Nutella gelato is the best!) and am excited to see what tomorrow has in store.
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| 2017 MSFS students enjoy their extra day in Palermo. |
