March 18, 2024
Our last stop in Sicily was Cefalù, a coastal city about an hour and a half from Palermo. It has a population of about 14,000 and is a major tourist destination.
We were VERY lucky to find a parking lot with an open spot within walking distance of the old (aka touristy) part of town, and it only cost 1€! We came out of the parking lot by this building that I think was a school. I love the murals and the words Vola Con Me (Fly with me).
As we walked into town, we passed this monument honoring the locals who perished in World War I.
The narrow, shop-lined street reminds me of
Taormina, which we had visited two days prior.
The main attraction in the city is the
Cefalù Cathedral, built by Roger II between 1131 and 1240 to thank God for saving him from a shipwreck that happened nearby. Supposedly Roger washed up on shore just below this site.
The Cathedral sits atop an impressive stretch of stone steps.
On the left is the coat of arms of the current bishop of Cefalù, Giuseppe Marciante. On the right is the papal coats of arms. (Did you know bishops and popes have their own coat of arms? I didn't.)
This cathedral, which is about the same age as the other three cathedrals we had visited in Palermo and Monreale and part of the same UNESCO World Heritage Site designation, seems much older and less of a mixture of styles than the other three.
It is certainly less ornate, although there are nice art pieces.
It has an unusual entrance to the crypt in one of the main side aisles.
As was the case in almost every cathedral in Sicily we visited, the main altar was being restored, and the work was being overseen and blessed by a gold-infused mosaic of Christ Pantocrator. This particular mosaic is supposedly one of the best in Italy.
I love the seraphim (six-winged angels that fly around the throne of God calling "Holy, holy, holy") and cherubim (other winged angels around the throne of God).
There is a beautiful all-white and silver apse on the left side of the altar. In contrast, the view of the far end of the cathedral is quite plain.
The carved stone 12th-century baptismal font is decorated with lions whose heads pop out from the basin.
One of my favorite things in the cathedral was this statue of Joseph and the young boy Jesus rising out of a stunning spray of fresh flowers. After returning home, I learned that we missed the annual procession of the Brotherhood of St. Joseph (aka Guiseppe) on St. Joseph's Feast Day, which was the following day. Joseph is the patron saint of Sicily, but it turns out he is also important in Malta, as we would learn the next day.
A local artist has designed and installed abstract stained glass windows over the past 40 years that have been very controversial, as you can imagine, and although this cathedral does not have the array of tile mosaics the other churches have, there are a few that have been preserved and put on display.
We started the walk back to the car through the pedestrian district of town. Bob got stuck at an olive oil shop, where he bought several items and as a result had to pay to check his bag at the airport.
I would love to return to Sicily to explore some of the ancient Greek ruins and more of the small towns and villages. I think we just scratched the surface of what is here.
Mt. Etna is an impressive landmark. These photos were taken through the window of our moving car.
Speaking of our car, these bags are all carry-ons, so you can see how small the car itself was. We barely fit!
Next up: Marvelous Malta
(Bob) I agree that there is much left to see in Sicily. I was a little disappointed with Cephalu Cathedral, but I think the town itself looked fun and would have been worth some more time.
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