In the face of right-wing, racist politicians who now rule Italy......
The door to Palazzo delle Aquile is covered with gold -- gold thermal blankets handed out to immigrants who are rescued from the sea. Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando says: "We are reminding everyone that we are engaged in defending the only race that exists: the human race."
An awesome view. Etna erupting. The Fontanarossa Airport was shut down for a few days. Fleri, a neighborhood of Zafferana Etnea, was the epicenter of a strong earthquake that was a kilometer deep.
Vermont Public Radio did a piece on the installation of the third iteration of the goddess Ceres (aka Demeter) , goddess of agriculture, atop the golden dome of the capital building in Montpelier. Interesting Vermont/Sicily connection:
Demeter is the goddess of agriculture in Sicily. Her daughter, Persephone, was abducted beside a lake in central Sicily and spent the dry months underground in Hades.
Here is the link:
http://digital.vpr.net/post/ceres-statue-once-again-adorns-vermont-statehouses-golden-dome
Sicilian towns have won four of the six annual national competitions for Il Borgo Piu` Bello dell'Italia, the most beautiful town in Italy. This year the wnner is Petralia Soprana in the Madonie Mountains of Sicily, not far from Polizzi Generosa.
On Saturday, September 15th, 2018 Pope Francis had lunch at Fra Biagio's Citadella homeless refuge near the Palermo train station where it all started decades ago. The pontiff broke bread ( actually home-grown olives, caponata, breaded chicken, warm organic bread and olive oil, then dolci, all grown and prepared by the homeless residents and volunteers) with the mostly African immigrants and other guests. The following day was fra Biagio's birthday, Sept. 16. I think he was satisfied with how things went.
Last year, fra Biagio Conte carried a wooden cross frm Palermo to the Vatican where the pope granted him a half-hour private audience. This week, Pope francis returned the visit. here they are busy getting ready for the visit on Sept. 15.
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