Sicily’s mysterious mummification rituals have fascinated researchers and historians for decades. Originating with the monks of Palermo, the tradition of embalming quickly spread throughout southern Italy, finding its way into monasteries and churches. These preserved bodies, defying the natural order, were considered magical and sacred, offering protection to those near them. For the Sicilians, death was not the end of a journey but a continuation, as the spirits of miraculously preserved mummies guided the recently deceased towards their destination. their end in the afterlife.
Bodies are meticulously dehydrated, cleansed of bodily fluids, cleansing the soul both physically and metaphorically. These amazingly well-preserved mummies became a medium of communication between the living and the dead, sought out for advice and intercession. With its close ties to the nobility and bourgeoisie, embalming became a symbol of wealth and prestige.
