Finding Genesis in Sicily

Seven trips to Italy, and Carol and Roger finally made it to Sicily.  Every Italian we’ve spoken with told us how beautiful Sicily is.  The picture speaks for itself.  We are staying just outside Palermo with Gail and Morris Rosenberg.  

Our first visit was to the town of Monreale, perched on a hill overlooking the city of Palermo.  It was everything you imagined a hilltop Sicilian town to be.  The cathedral dominates not only the skyline but the two piazzas inside the town itself.

It wasn’t our plan, but our visit to the Cathedral took up most of our visit.  The Cathedral was started under the rule of the Norman kings in 1098.

The Moorish influence is obvious, even from the outside.  It was intentional.  King William II (who’s buried inside) wanted to appease his largely-Arab conquered subjects, so he intentionally had a church designed that assimilated Moorish style with Christian values.

When you first enter the cathedral, you’re struck by the giant picture over the central nave.  This is not a painting, not a fresco, but a huge mosaic…as is almost all the other art inside.

The designs are clearly Moorish.  North Africans have lived in this part of Sicily since the Carthaginians first settled on the island in the 8th century B.C.  The Monreale Duomo is considered the prime example of “Arab-Norman” architecture of the 12th century...a style common on Sicily.

The cathedral took five centuries to build.  It wasn’t finished until 1658.  It was then renovated in 1770.  But what most surprised the four of us, was the theme of the mosaics on the walls.  Prominent was the entire book of Genesis.  

Here is but a small selection of the story the mosaics tell.

Creation: God separates land
from the sea.  (one of seven)

The serpent tempts Adam & Eve
in the Garden of Eden

Cain slays Abel

The entire Noah story is pictured, including the rainbow and dove with the olive branch, not seen here.

Building the arc

Animals: Two by two

The Arc lands on Mt. Ararat

The Tower of Babel

Lot's wife turns into a pillar of salt

Abraham washes the feet of visiting angels

The Akidah: the binding of Isaac

Rebecca at the well

Jacob dreams of angels climbing a ladder

Jacob wrestles with an angel

Why Genesis, you may ask?  It’s a story common to both Islamic and Christain theology.  Morris called it a smart political move on the part of King William II.