Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina
Peppe Ferreri & Sons Photographers - Diocesi di Piazza Armerina via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).The Vatican reportedly sent an apostolic visitor to Sicily to assess accusations against Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina after a public prosecutor decided he should stand trial for perjury
According to Rome’s Il Messaggero newspaper, Gisana will be the first Italian bishop to face trial over the handling of an abuse case
ordered Gisana and the Diocese of Piazza Armerina’s judicial vicar Msgr
Vincenzo Murgano to answer an accusation of giving false testimony in the trial of Fr
A court in Enna sentenced Rugolo in the first instance on March 5
to four years and six months for sexual violence and attempted sexual violence against minors
The court also ruled that Gisana had failed to exercise proper oversight of a priest convicted of sexual abuse — a claim rejected by the bishop
In a Jan. 21 statement
the Piazza Armerina diocese said Gisana was “calmly following developments in the ongoing criminal proceedings.”
“While reaffirming his denial of the accusations
he reiterates his confidence in the judiciary’s work,” the diocese said
The statement did not address media reports of a Vatican investigation
The Vatican has also not commented on the reports
In cases involving a police investigation and civil trial
the Vatican typically authorizes a preliminary canonical investigation
a minimal process which does not involve a full gathering of evidence
to assess only whether there is sufficient evidence to justify opening a full canonical process to evaluate and adjudicate the accusations
The canonical process is then usually paused until the end of the civil proceedings
to prevent the parallel processes interfering with each other
Sicilian media said a canonical investigator visited the Piazza Armerina diocese Jan
The case emerged around 2018, when Antonio Messina, an archeologist now in his 30s, sent a written complaint to the diocese, accusing the priest of sexually abusing him when he was a minor. Italian media reports said Messina also alleged that Rugolo
After launching an “investigatio praevia,” or preliminary investigation
Gisana transferred Rugolo to Ferrara in northern Italy
Italian media reports alleged that the reason given for the transfer was ill health and Rugolo worked with children aged 14 to 19 in the new location
But Gisana told Italy’s La Stampa newspaper in July 2024 he had taken appropriate steps after he became aware of the accusations against the priest
He said: “Having become aware of what Antonio Messina presented
I immediately ordered an investigatio praevia that constituted a dutiful moment of verification of what young Messina claimed; as a result of this investigatio
Rugolo’s installation as a parish priest was suspended and he was sent to Ferrara for the reasons expressed in the measure taken at the time.”
In October 2020, Messina reportedly wrote to Pope Francis
expressing frustration at the slow pace of the process
Messina told police in Enna that Rugolo had sexually abused him between 2009 and 2013
Rugolo was arrested on charges of aggravated sexual violence against minors
According to Italian media reports in November 2021
police intercepted a call between Gisana and Rugolo
in which the bishop is said to have told the priest: “Now the problem is not just yours
the problem is also mine because I buried this story.”
Gisana complained that the word “buried” — “insabbiato” in Italian
which can also be translated as “covered up” — had been “decontextualized several times from the dialogue in which it was uttered.”
“I therefore acted based on what I could know at the time of the events and gave full collaboration to the investigating judicial authority,” said Gisana
The diocese has previously accused media of misrepresenting recorded exchanges between Gisana and Rugolo
who was ordained Bishop of Piazza Armerina in April 2014
told La Stampa: “The facts relating to this matter all took place before 2019
applying the canonical discipline in force at the time
The apostolic letter Vos estis lux mundi was issued by Pope Francis in the form of a motu proprio on May 9
The apostolic letter requires bishops to meet all “obligations established in each place by state laws
particularly those concerning any reporting obligations to the competent civil authorities.”
Vos estis also says it is a canonical crime for bishops to engage in “actions or omissions intended to interfere with or avoid civil investigations or canonical investigations.”
In a November 2023 address to Catholics from Sicily
Pope Francis singled out Gisana for praise
He said: “I greet Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina: he is good
The pope noted that when he visited Sicily’s capital
he stopped first at Piazza Armerina to greet the bishop
He did not elaborate on why he described the bishop as “persecuted” and “slandered.”
Lay people have held protests against Gisana and launched a petition calling for his resignation
Local media say the bishop and his judicial vicar are due to appear in court before judge Maria Rosaria Santoni in Enna May 26
The Italian Church has faced increasing scrutiny of its handling of abuse cases in recent years
In November 2022, the Italian bishops’ conference published its first abuse assessment. Examining the period from 2020 to 2021, it identified 68 alleged abusers in Italy’s 226 dioceses
This week, the Diocese of Bolzano-Brixen became the first Italian diocese to publish an independent review of its handling of abuse allegations over several decades
The study released Jan. 20 found 67 references in personnel files to cases of possible sexual assault in the northern Italian diocese from 1964 to 2023.
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An Italian bishop praised by Pope Francis is facing a Vatican investigation and a civil trial for perjury, local media reported Tuesday.
According to Rome\u2019s Il Messaggero newspaper, Gisana will be the first Italian bishop to face trial over the handling of an abuse case
ordered Gisana and the Diocese of Piazza Armerina\u2019s judicial vicar Msgr
The court also ruled that Gisana had failed to exercise proper oversight of a priest convicted of sexual abuse \u2014 a claim rejected by the bishop
In a Jan. 21 statement
the Piazza Armerina diocese said Gisana was \u201Ccalmly following developments in the ongoing criminal proceedings.\u201D
\u201CWhile reaffirming his denial of the accusations
he reiterates his confidence in the judiciary\u2019s work,\u201D the diocese said
Sicilian media said a canonical investigator visited the Piazza Armerina diocese Jan
The case emerged around 2018, when Antonio Messina, an archeologist now in his 30s, sent a written complaint to the diocese, accusing the priest of sexually abusing him when he was a minor. Italian media reports said Messina also alleged that Rugolo
After launching an \u201Cinvestigatio praevia,\u201D or preliminary investigation
Italian media reports alleged that the reason given for the transfer was ill health and Rugolo worked with children aged 14 to 19 in the new location
But Gisana told Italy\u2019s La Stampa newspaper in July 2024 he had taken appropriate steps after he became aware of the accusations against the priest
He said: \u201CHaving become aware of what Antonio Messina presented
Rugolo\u2019s installation as a parish priest was suspended and he was sent to Ferrara for the reasons expressed in the measure taken at the time.\u201D
In October 2020, Messina reportedly wrote to Pope Francis
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According to Italian media reports in November 2021
in which the bishop is said to have told the priest: \u201CNow the problem is not just yours
the problem is also mine because I buried this story.\u201D
Gisana complained that the word \u201Cburied\u201D \u2014 \u201Cinsabbiato\u201D in Italian
which can also be translated as \u201Ccovered up\u201D \u2014 had been \u201Cdecontextualized several times from the dialogue in which it was uttered.\u201D
\u201CI therefore acted based on what I could know at the time of the events and gave full collaboration to the investigating judicial authority,\u201D said Gisana
The diocese has previously accused media of misrepresenting recorded exchanges between Gisana and Rugolo
told La Stampa: \u201CThe facts relating to this matter all took place before 2019
The apostolic letter requires bishops to meet all \u201Cobligations established in each place by state laws
particularly those concerning any reporting obligations to the competent civil authorities.\u201D
Vos estis also says it is a canonical crime for bishops to engage in \u201Cactions or omissions intended to interfere with or avoid civil investigations or canonical investigations.\u201D
In a November 2023 address to Catholics from Sicily
He said: \u201CI greet Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina: he is good
The pope noted that when he visited Sicily\u2019s capital
He did not elaborate on why he described the bishop as \u201Cpersecuted\u201D and \u201Cslandered.\u201D
Lay people have held protests against Gisana and launched a petition calling for his resignation
Local media say the bishop and his judicial vicar are due to appear in court before judge Maria Rosaria Santoni in Enna May 26
In November 2022, the Italian bishops\u2019 conference published its first abuse assessment. Examining the period from 2020 to 2021, it identified 68 alleged abusers in Italy\u2019s 226 dioceses
This week, the Diocese of Bolzano-Brixen became the first Italian diocese to publish an independent review of its handling of abuse allegations over several decades
The study released Jan
20 found 67 references in personnel files to cases of possible sexual assault in the northern Italian diocese from 1964 to 2023
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Roman exploitation of the countryside is symbolized by the Villa Romana del Casale (in Sicily)
the centre of the large estate upon which the rural economy of the Western Empire was based
The villa is one of the most luxurious of its kind
It is especially noteworthy for the richness and quality of the mosaics which decorate almost every room; they are the finest mosaics in situ anywhere in the Roman world
L'exploitation de la campagne à la période romaine est symbolisée par la villa
centre du grand domaine sur lequel était fondée l'économie rurale de l'empire d'Occident
la villa romaine du Casale est l'un des exemples les plus luxueux de ce type de monument
Elle est particulièrement remarquable par la richesse et la qualité des mosaïques qui décorent presque chaque pièce
et qui sont les plus belles encore en place dans tout le monde romain
تشكل الفيلاّ رمزًا لاستثمار الريف في الحقبة الرومانية وهي مركز الميدان الكبير الذي ارتكز عليه الاقتصاد الريفي لامبراطورية الغرب
فهذه الفيلاّ هي بشكلها العائد إلى القرن الرابع أحد الأمثلة الأكثر فخامة عن هذا النوع من النصب
وهي تتميّز بالغِنى والجودة في الفسيفساء التي تزيّن كل غرفة تقريبًا والتي تعتبَر الأجمْلَ حتى في العالم الروماني بأسره.
位于西西里的卡萨尔罗马别墅是罗马大庄园的中心，西罗马帝国农村经济就依赖这些庄园。卡萨尔的罗马别墅是众多同类建筑中最奢华的一个。卡萨尔的镶嵌工艺水平和质量尤其值得关注，几乎装饰了每一个房间的马赛克，时至今日仍然是罗马世界的一朵瑰丽的奇葩。
Символом ведения хозяйства в сельской местности может служить древнеримская вилла Дель-Казале - центральная усадьба крупного поместья
Помещичье землевладение было основой сельского хозяйства в Западной Римской империи
Вилла представляет собой одно из самых роскошных владений подобного рода
Её главной достопримечательностью являются богатство и качество мозаик
которые украшают почти каждую комнату; эти мозаики являются превосходными образцами этого вида искусства
где-либо сохранившимися in-situ в древнеримском мире
Centros de las vastas haciendas en las que se basaba la economía rural
las villas eran el símbolo por excelencia de la explotación agraria en el Imperio Romano de Occidente
Uno de los ejemplares más suntuosos de estas edificaciones es la villa de Casale (Sicilia)
que ha conservado su configuración del siglo IV
los mosaicos que ornamentan casi todas las habitaciones son los más bellos de todo el orbe romano conservados in situ
The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the basis of criteria (i)
considering that the Villa del Casale at Piazza Armerina is the supreme example of a luxury Roman villa
which graphically illustrates the predominant social and economic structure of its age
The mosaics that decorate it are exceptional for their artistic quality and invention as well as their extent
Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina, Italy. Peppe Ferreri & Sons Photographers - Diocesi di Piazza Armerina via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).In an interview published July 26 by Italy’s La Stampa newspaper
Bishop Rosario Gisana insisted that he had “not ‘facilitated the predatory activity’ of anyone,” despite wire-tap recordings of the bishop saying he had “buried” the case of a priest subsequently convicted of abuse
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was responding to a 222-page explanation of a March 5 ruling on the case of Fr
Rugolo was sentenced in the first instance by a court in the Sicilian city of Enna to four years and six months for sexual violence and attempted sexual violence against minors
The priest and the episcopal curia of the Piazza Armerina diocese were ordered jointly to pay compensation
The court’s explanation, issued four months after the ruling, said that the bishop had “clearly failed to take any serious necessary initiative to protect the minors of his community and their parents
despite having specific powers conferred within the scope of his function to protect the faithful
facilitating the predatory activity of a priest who had already been reported.”
Gisana told La Stampa that the incidents addressed in the case “occurred before my installation as bishop in Piazza Armerina
But Gisana’s predecessor rejected any suggestion that he was responsible for mishandling the case
Retired Archbishop Michele Pennisi, who led the Piazza Armerina diocese from 2002 until 2013, told Italy’s ANSA news agency: “If during my episcopal term I had become aware of these facts which
I would not have hesitated to take action.”
The case has generated substantial media coverage in Italy. Rome’s Il Messaggero newspaper said it marked the first time an Italian prosecutor’s office had “strongly highlighted the responsibility of a diocese.”
The case began to develop around 2018, when Antonio Messina sent a written complaint to the diocese, accusing Rugolo of sexually abusing him when he was a minor. Italian media reports say that Messina
also alleged that Rugolo had abused other minors
Italian media reports allege that the reason given for the transfer was ill health and suggest that Rugolo worked with children aged 14 to 19 in the new location
Gisana told La Stampa: “Having become aware of what Antonio Messina presented
which can also be translated as “covered up” — had been “decontextualized several times from the dialogue in which it was uttered.”
“I therefore acted based on what I could know at the time of the events and gave full collaboration to the investigating judicial authority,” the bishop said
Following the release of the ruling’s explanation
Gisana said that diocesan lawyers were examining the text
In a March statement
a diocesan lawyer suggested that Church authorities were likely to appeal
Gisana told La Stampa that “a separate and further investigation is underway on this matter for the canonical evaluation of what happened.”
The 65-year-old bishop added: “The facts relating to this matter all took place before 2019
The apostolic letter requires bishops to meet all “obligations established in each place by state laws, particularly those concerning any reporting obligations to the competent civil authorities.”
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An Italian bishop praised by Pope Francis has disputed a court\u2019s ruling that he failed to exercise proper oversight of a priest convicted of sexual abuse.
Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina, Italy. Peppe Ferreri & Sons Photographers - Diocesi di Piazza Armerina via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).In an interview published July 26 by Italy\u2019s La Stampa newspaper
Bishop Rosario Gisana insisted that he had \u201Cnot \u2018facilitated the predatory activity\u2019 of anyone,\u201D despite wire-tap recordings of the bishop saying he had \u201Cburied\u201D the case of a priest subsequently convicted of abuse.
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The court\u2019s explanation, issued four months after the ruling, said that the bishop had \u201Cclearly failed to take any serious necessary initiative to protect the minors of his community and their parents
facilitating the predatory activity of a priest who had already been reported.\u201D
Gisana told La Stampa that the incidents addressed in the case \u201Coccurred before my installation as bishop in Piazza Armerina
But Gisana\u2019s predecessor rejected any suggestion that he was responsible for mishandling the case
Retired Archbishop Michele Pennisi, who led the Piazza Armerina diocese from 2002 until 2013, told Italy\u2019s ANSA news agency: \u201CIf during my episcopal term I had become aware of these facts which
I would not have hesitated to take action.\u201D
The case has generated substantial media coverage in Italy. Rome\u2019s Il Messaggero newspaper said it marked the first time an Italian prosecutor\u2019s office had \u201Cstrongly highlighted the responsibility of a diocese.\u201D
The case began to develop around 2018, when Antonio Messina sent a written complaint to the diocese, accusing Rugolo of sexually abusing him when he was a minor. Italian media reports say that Messina
Italian media reports allege that the reason given for the transfer was ill health and suggest that Rugolo worked with children aged 14 to 19 in the new location
Gisana told La Stampa: \u201CHaving become aware of what Antonio Messina presented
which can also be translated as \u201Ccovered up\u201D \u2014 had been \u201Cdecontextualized several times from the dialogue in which it was uttered.\u201D
\u201CI therefore acted based on what I could know at the time of the events and gave full collaboration to the investigating judicial authority,\u201D the bishop said
Following the release of the ruling\u2019s explanation
In a March statement
Gisana told La Stampa that \u201Ca separate and further investigation is underway on this matter for the canonical evaluation of what happened.\u201D
The 65-year-old bishop added: \u201CThe facts relating to this matter all took place before 2019
particularly those concerning any reporting obligations to the competent civil authorities.\u201D
To learn more about Dr. Davide Tanasi’s work, visit the Institute of Digital Exploration
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Addressing the faithful of Piazza Armerina Diocese
Pope Francis acknowledged the many problems and wounds that afflict them such as social and cultural underdevelopment
exploitation of workers and lack of decent employment for young people
“In the face of so much suffering,” the Pope urged them to build an ecclesial community that is “lively and prophetic
while seeking new ways of proclaiming and offering mercy above all to those brothers and sisters who have fallen into disaffection
The Pope told the people of central Sicily that faith becomes concrete when in these human sufferings one learns to recognize the very wounds of the Lord. He thus urged them to commit themselves to the new evangelization of their territory
starting precisely from its crosses and sufferings
he urged them to propose once again the face of a synodal Church of the Word
a Church of missionary charity and Eucharistic communion.
are the Church’s hands that reach out to those who feel defeated in body and spirit
or are relegated to the margins. He underscored the Word of God as the essential centre of Christian communion
takes shape by having "evangelical compassion for the many evils affecting the people”
and by “becoming itinerant apostles of mercy in the territory". The Pope however reminded the faithful that Christian charity is not philanthropy or mere assistance
but goes beyond to remove the causes of hardships
The Pope pointed out that the Church’s missionary charity also dedicates special attention to young people and their problems
The Holy Father encouraged his young listeners “to be joyful architects” of their destiny
assuring them that Jesus is a sincere and faithful friend
Speaking about the Church as a Eucharistic community
the Pope said it is “from the Eucharist that we draw the love of Christ to take Him to the streets of the world
to go with Him to meet His brothers and sisters"
Pope Francis also urged the priests of the diocese to be united among themselves with their bishop
to humbly contemplate the difficult history of their land and to find paths of redemption and true freedom for their flocks
the Holy Father gratefully recalled the martyred priest
who visited Piazza Armerina a month before his assassination 25 years ago to meet his seminarian students. The Pope described the visit as a “prophetic passage”
a legacy not just for priests but also for all the faithful of the diocese
that of serving their brothers and sisters to the end
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There's been something going on in your head for a while now trip to Sicily in a camper but are you discouraged by the idea of long boarding lines and the main cities being overrun by tourists
you don't risk unnerving waits or even suffering from the heat of the summer period
The city is the highest in Italy and does not even come close to the scorching temperatures of the coast
With the advantage that you can tackle this itinerary in any season
without stressing yourself out while driving and taking all your time
being able to count on the farmhouse restaurants of the area they offer a genuine welcome to campers
Sicily is not just the Greek theater of Syracuse and cathedral of Noto
bite into a slice of cheese that makes you remember your childhood
smell the scent of a peach which tells an ancient story
An hour's drive from Catania there is a More intimate internal Sicily
Un apparently barren landscape which alternates valleys
knolls and hills where yellow predominates in all its shades: the wheat combed by the wind
the broom that releases such an intense scent that it stuns
the only one in Trinacria not to be washed by the sea
brother of Zeus and lord of the underworld
kidnapped the nymph Persephone at Lake Pergusa
at the foot of the mountain on which the city stands
spent six months of the year in the kingdom of the dead to return in spring
making the earth bloom again as she passed
Today this land contains the stories of women and men who have decided to stay and recover ancient cultures and knowledge of the past
transmitting the value of to new generations protection of nature and memory
This explains the name of the project Kore Siciliae wanted by Gal Fortress of Ceres: put together fifty businesses that promote that slow and authentic life that only a highly rural context can offer
Alongside treasures well known throughout the world
such as mosaics of the Roman Villa del Casale di Piazza Armerina andarchaeological area of Morgantina
this territory hides a lesser-known but no less extraordinary geological and mineral heritage
Suffice it to say that the Geopark Rocca di Cerere is included in the list of UNESCO Global Geoparks
Follow me on this itinerary in a less obvious Sicily in a camper
From Castle of Lombardy (currently closed for restoration) which stands on the highest point of the city
it is easy to understand why Enna was defined for centuries impregnable urbs
The Muslims did it Islamic capital of Sicily and they arabized Castrum Hennae in Qasr Yannah
hence the toponym of Castrogiovanni in use until 1926
The fortress is located in front of the Rocca di Cerere
where the temple dedicated to the cult of the grain goddess stood and fertility
Ceres is not the only myth that hovers over the city
son of the god Apollo and the nymph Cyrene
gifted men with the art of coagulating milk and making cheese
a saffron pecorino which takes its name from the dialectal expression “piacenti”
A walk of about twenty minutes from the main square leads to the Frederick Tower octagonal in shape
which is attributed to the Swabian emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen
But the paternity has not been ascertained also because - apart from Castel del Monte in Puglia - no tower or castle was built in an octagonal shape by the emperor
the Ursino Castle in Catania and the Maniace castle in Syracuse
A slight climb leads from the main square to the cathedral dedicated to Mary Most Holy of the Visitation to whom the 2th of july party
The church consists of three grandiose naves with pointed arches and capitals
bases and columns in alabaster plaster and the roof of the main nave in wooden coffers with grandiose sculptures of griffins and angels
Note the decorated portal equipped with a "ship" for the organ and
The square called Piazza Duomo is very pretty and houses the churchyard and
The cathedral is the culmination of the celebrations of evocative Holy Week in Enna
On the occasion of July 2nd they are prepared in the ovens and at home Marì's mustaccioli
with the attention that is dedicated to the food sacred to the gods
produced everywhere in Sicily and in the highlands
It is worth finishing the city tour on lookout
a pedestrian walk from which you can admire a splendid view of Calascibetta
This area of Sicily – the hinterland of Enna – acquires even more value if discovered by camper, stopping in the numerous companies in the Kore Siciliae network where you can have more than one experience and stock up on local products
Crossroads of peoples and cultures – including Greeks
Romans and Carthaginians – Assoro guards the remains of the acropolis
some ancient tombs and the ruins of the Norman castle square in plan with underground rooms dug into the rock
the seventeenth-century complex of Santa Maria del Gesù it preserves paintings with texts in Sicilian
Worth seeing there 12th century mother church dedicated to San Leone
which houses some monumental tombs and a precious wooden crucifix from Gagini's workshop
A round arch connects it to the important Catalan-style palace of the princes of Valguarnera
named by the Arabs Wa¯ad¯i al-t¯in (clay river) made the production of wheat in the valley particularly flourishing
which was replaced in the eighteenth century by that of sulphur
The memory of the mines and extractive activity will be at the center of a recovery project that will reconstruct the history of the village through a multimedia installation in the Sala degli Scavi
Nestled on the slope of a hill in the Erei mountains
Leonforte it was founded in the 17th century by Prince Nicolò Placido Branciforti and overlooks the valley rich in natural springs
A small museum attached to the princely palace facing the mother church is dedicated to the water that once fed troughs
vineyards and olive groves create a break from the expanse of cereals and pastures
The inhabited area of Calascibetta it sits on the top of Mount Xibet
the peak opposite Enna from which you can enjoy the best view of the capital
what does it mean "castle on the summit”: in fact it stands on the watershed between the Simeto and Imera rivers
where the Arabs settled in 851 to organize the siege of Byzantine Enna
a Jewish community dedicated to trade and craftsmanship was established there: enter the narrow and impervious alleys of the ancient ghetto
between the Vallone Canalotto and the Bosco di Casa del Mastro
it is worth visiting the rock site of Byzantine village Canalotto
The itinerary in Sicily by camper in the province of Enna continues in Troina
Troina it offers a breathtaking view of Etna
I go up the steep streets that lead up to the cathedral: surprising views open up in the tangle of alleys
but the period of greatest splendor dates back to the 11th century
when Count Ruggero d'Altavilla made the city his stronghold and the starting point for military campaigns
The nobleman built the first Christian church on the island dedicated to the Madonna
The first floor displays the images taken in the cities of Agrigento and Palermo
the second those of the "Battle of Troina" which destroyed the town causing numerous victims between 1 and 6 August 1943
The prints come from the International Center of Photografy of New York and are largely unpublished
Agira it is nestled on the top of Mount Teja
where a Greek acropolis occupied by the Romans became an Arab stronghold around the year 1000
The city from the Norman-Swabian era - with the city walls
the tower and the underground tunnels - has been largely recovered; a recent excavation has brought to light the premises of a mint from the 4th century BC with a notable quantity of coinage residues
An essential stop on any itinerary in Sicily in a camper in the province of Enna is the Sicilian-Greek polis of Morgantina
It is worth taking a small detour along the way to admire the remains of the ancient city
at its maximum splendor under the Syracusan tyrant Hiero II
the polygonal steps of the ekklesiasterion and
Don't miss a stop at archaeological museum of Aidone in the rooms of the former Capuchin convent: it preserves ceramics
metal objects and vases as well as artefacts returned from US museums that held them illegally
including the statue of the goddess of Morgantina
You cannot visit the hinterland of Sicily in a camper and the Enna area without making a stop in Piazza Armerina
Three kilometers from the medieval historic center of Piazza Armerina
stands the Villa del Casale – splendid example of a 4th century patrician residence – with its mosaics populated by mythological figures the trip to the province of Enna alone is worth it
The sixty-six meters long corridor contains and documents the daily life of the Romans of the late empire between otium e business
composed of several rooms and expanded in several phases
stands on the route that connected North Africa with Rome: a spa complex of great interest
a basilica covered in marble coming from various places in the Mediterranean
the decorated dining room with motifs dedicated to the apotheosis of Hercules
The best known mosaic is that of girls in bikinis
discovered at the end of the 1950s just when women in Italy were starting to show off the two-piece on the beaches
there is a camper service near the Pala Pisciotto (GPS 37.562979
connected to the center by free shuttle bus
you have a rest point available on the SP3
in the Pergusa Autodromo car park; is located in front of the Pergusa lake
In the village of Aidone A camper area is available in Piazza Canalotto equipped with pitches, lighting, water and cockpit. TO Calascibetta there is a car park in Via Giudea equipped with a drain pit. TO Gagliano Castelferrato a rest area is available in Via della Regione Siciliana. Leonforte has a single stopping point in Via Antonino Buttafuoco. In Piazza Armerina there is the farmhouse Agricasale
Learn more on the Rocca di Cerere Geopark
Did you like this itinerary in Sicily in a camper between Enna and Piazza Armerina
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The bishop of a southern Italian diocese deliberately avoided protecting victims in his diocese and instead sought to protect a priest long accused of having abused several minors as a seminarian
a court in the southern Italian city of Enna ruled
The court July 24 published its “Statement of Reasons,” an extensive 222-page document explaining the court’s guilty verdict against Father Giuseppe Rugolo
who was found guilty in March of sexually abusing two minors
A copy of the court’s ruling was obtained by OSV News
The three-judge tribunal — Francesco Paolo Pitarresi
Elisa D’Aveni and Maria Rosaria Santoni — stated that Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina was “well aware for many years of the reports made concerning the abuse suffered by” Messina
“not only deliberately delayed meeting with Messina and his family
but avoided implementing any form of control or measure to protect the faithful
especially adolescents who were part of the religious community he led
which his position required him to do.”
Father Rugolo was convicted March 5 on charges of aggravated sexual assault against Messina and another unnamed victim
who was a seminarian at the time of the abuse
was sentenced to more than four years in prison and barred from teaching and holding public office
Bishop Gisana and the Diocese of Piazza Armerina were also found civilly liable for their attempts to cover up the abuse
the tribunal said Father Rugolo “committed the sexual abuse of two young teenagers with impunity … fully aware that he could count on the support of the religious leadership
which helped to reinforce Father Rugolo’s image as a prominent member of the local clergy to the outside world.”
Bishop Gisana said July 26 in the Italian newspaper La Stampa that he had “not ‘facilitated the predatory activity’ of anyone,” and that once the crime was reported — committed when he was not yet the bishop of the place — he acted
The trial against Father Rugolo was however notable for the public release of recordings made by the accused priest during private conversations with Bishop Gisana
Father Rugolo provided the secret recordings during his trial
which offered an in-depth look at how church authorities in Italy often view and handle accusations of abuse
recorded after Father Rugolo was transferred to another diocese after the allegations became public
Bishop Gisana expressed his sympathy for the priest
assuring him that due to the investigation
“all the prerequisites are there for you to become a saint.”
the Italian bishop said he hoped that the Lord would help “stop this demonic impetus.”
I can’t take it anymore!” Father Rugolo told the bishop after learning that prosecutors opened the investigation against him
“I know ‘gioia mia’ (‘my joy’ in Italian),” Bishop Gisana responded
using an affectionate term to address the priest
The only thing we can do is to pray to the Lord because the problem is not only yours
but mine as well because I covered up this story.”
as well as conversations recorded by Messina’s parents in which Bishop Gisana offered to pay them 25,000 euros (US $27,361) in cash
were chronicled in a seven-episode podcast series titled “La Confessione” (“The Confession”)
The court said Messina’s testimony at the trial “showed particular lucidity
In a phone interview with OSV News July 25
Messina said he felt vindicated by the court’s ruling
which was “very clear” about the actions made by Bishop Gisana and members of the local clergy to protect Father Rugolo
He also said the court’s statement raises questions about whether Bishop Gisana was honest with Pope Francis
with a group from the Little House of Mercy of Gela
an association serving the poor in the Diocese of Piazza Armerina
the pope praised the bishop as a “just man.”
“I greet Bishop Rosario Gisana of Piazza Armerina: He is good
(the ruling) refutes Pope Francis’ words in every way,” Messina told OSV News
“It seems to me that in light of what the panel of judges describes in its ‘Statement of Reasons,’ there is no slander
Messina said he sent a second letter to Pope Francis regarding his case
as well as letters to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
the Dicastery for the Clergy and the Dicastery for Bishops
Bishop Gisana continues to lead the Diocese of Piazza Armerina despite the fact he was caught admitting to covering up the abuse
Such an action by a bishop would be subject to investigation under “Vos Estis Lux Mundi,” (“You are the light of the world”)
the pope’s 2019 document that sets out procedures that hold responsible bishops
religious superiors and others in the case of covering up abuse
Messina told OSV News that he has also faced hostility by members of the diocesan curia and clergy members since revealing the abuse he suffered
“I have never received a word of apology
no one has ever contacted me from the diocese.”
“It’s clear to me that part of the clergy here tried in every way to give an absolutely distorted view of reality — both of what was happening inside the courtroom and what the actual story was — which I then complained because I was labeled as a homosexual seeking revenge
as a person who was in love and that I had to make this priest pay; this ‘poor priest’ who had a weak moment,” Messina said
as well as “a public aggression that escalated into physical and verbal assault” by a member of a religious community
Messina said he has “received a lot of solidarity from my city” and attends a parish community where “I felt welcomed and liked.”
Messina told OSV News that despite the difficulties
he hopes that other victims of clergy sexual abuse
“I understand very much the position they may be in today if someone is still afraid to speak out because I myself have suffered a series of attacks that still continue and will continue throughout this process
It is certainly not easy to deal with all of this,” he said
“But it’s important they find the courage to denounce (their abuse); also because
I believe the way these cases are treated by the court system in Italy is changing.”
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an international Summer School of Archaeology (ArchLABS – Archaeological heritage in Late Antique and Byzantine Sicily) is being held in the Villa del Casale in Piazza Armerina in Sicily
one of the most famous complexes in the Mediterranean as well as a UNESCO site (this year celebrates its 25th anniversary)
One of the participants is Stockholm University
The project is made possible by the new Erasmus BIP initiative
It’s an international project being carried out thanks to the support of the European Erasmus Bip (Blended intensive program) and involves students from the universities of Athens
Stockholm and the Peloponnese as well as professors
Stockholm University is represented in the summer school by professor Arja Karivieri and four students
ArchLABS Summer School has its centre of interest in the Villa del Casale
considered a particularly representative element of Mediterranean housing in the Late Antique period (4th-century AD).
– Participants are engaged in an excavation in the western part of the famous complex
an area that has never been excavated before and that was probably used for service and storage functions
professor at the Department of Archeology and Classical Studies
students not only learn the techniques of stratigraphic excavation
but they also apply digital documentation methods based on digital techniques for collecting and managing archaeological data
history and restoration take place daily at Palazzo Trigona
The aim is that this experience can constitute a training model of excellence
to be continued over time and also developed in terms of a broader awareness of the issues of archaeology and the preservation of the cultural heritage of Sicily.
which combines online training and practice in the field
which meets the challenges of the period after the COVID-19 pandemic and takes European cooperation in research and learning to the next level
However, the deterioration of Villa Romana del Casale, a Unesco heritage site near the Sicilian town of Piazza Armerina, has drawn alarm from cultural experts, with some blaming ineffectual regional officials and calling on the government to intervene.
Women wear bikinis during an athletics competition in one of the site’s most famous mosaicsALAMYA hunter loads an ostrich on to a ship in the Great Hunt section of the artworkDEAGOSTINI/GETTYThe case has become an emblem of cultural heritage neglect across Sicily, as the custodians of the island’s archaeological treasures — including ancient Greek theatres and towering temples — allow archaeology to waste away.
“They are in a pitiful condition,” said Michele Campisi, general secretary of the Italia Nostra heritage group. “All Sicilian archaeology is going this way: it is
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In the shadow on Mount Etna, overlooking the Ionian Sea, Annabel Grossman discovers a tranquil stay in this simple yet chic eco-resort
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Sicily is no longer the secret it once was
Long gone are the days when you could wander along Agrigento’s beaches
roam the streets of Taormina or admire Noto’s architecture without bumping into another tourist
Yet this region still manages to appear distinctly unspoiled
Despite the proliferation of five-star hotels and luxury resorts
take a drive along the picturesque coastline or wander among the sleepy hilltop towns
and you can still find a spot that feels undiscovered
Tucked away in a sea of greenery, this boutique hotel has relaxation and restoration at its core. It’s situated on Sicily’s eastern coast, less than an hour from Catania airport, and three to four hours from Palermo
Noto and Syracuse are also close enough for day trips
The hotel is ideally located to visit Mount Etna and explore the wineries and vineyards in her foothills
Read more: Best Sicily hotels
the hotel is effortlessly stylish without being ostentatious
There’s a strong emphasis on the environment
with the outdoors seeming to spill into the rooms
and lush greenery encasing the entire resort
but you’d also feel comfortable bringing children or a group of friends to the hotel
Significant measures have been taken to improve the sustainability of the resort
Donna Carmela was fitted with solar photovoltaic panels
and the hotel is moving to eliminate plastic in its everyday use
The attention to detail is near-flawless at Donna Carmela
and guests enjoy five-star service without the stuffiness
and genuinely seem to care about their guests
It’s the sort of hotel where you feel spoiled but also at home
Read more: Best boutique and luxury Sicily hotels
which adds to the feeling of privacy and exclusivity
The accommodation includes eight eco-lodges
which make it feel like you’re staying in a tropical jungle
These were all constructed respecting “bio-architecture” – they feature solar thermal panels
natural insulation and ventilated flat roofs
18 suites are scattered across the rest of the property
and range from junior suites (which either have a view of the sea or Mount Etna) to an exclusive suite with private pool and a 120-square-metre terrace
which has more privacy yet offers access to the hotel’s facilities
simple and incredibly chic – all clean lines
Read more on travel in Italy
The breakfast buffet is expansive and Instagram perfect (there’s also an a la carte breakfast menu)
while La Cucina Di Donna Carmela Sicily offers a truly memorable dining experience
meaning that ingredients are sourced from the immediate gardens of Carmela or the local area
where you can whip up cannoli and arancini with Donna Carmela’s talented chefs
don’t miss the granita – this Sicilian delicacy is a sweet
cold (but not quite frozen) treat that is served with brioche for breakfast
and Donna Carmela’s is the best I’ve tried yet
which is ideal if you enjoy a sunrise or sunset dip
There are free bikes to explore the surrounding areas
with a personal trainer available with pre-booking
with treatments including massages and facials
Children are welcome and a number of the suites can accommodate families
Disability access: The property has two rooms (one suite and one of the Romantic Lodges) with disability access
Worst thing: Dining at Donna Carmela is exquisite
and there aren’t many other options in the vicinity
Don’t miss: A day trip to the Pietradolce winery on the slopes of Mount Etna
British Airways Holidays offers three nights at Donna Carmela from £473pp travelling in April 2024
This is based on two adults sharing a Superior room with a full breakfast with return flights from London Gatwick and 23kg luggage included
Read more of our reviews of the best hotels in Italy
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Annabel Grossman discovers a tranquil stay in this simple yet chic eco-resort
An important initiative of the Clubs for UNESCO
belonging to the FICLU in the context of the protection and safeguarding of linguistic minorities
a conference entitled “Gallo-Italian
Franco-Provençal in Italy and in Europe: an itinerary to discover of the traces of an ancient heritage.” was held
Thanks to the usual method of telematic communications
it was possible to contact numerous experts and researchers
all directed towards the defense of linguistic diversity in a real journey of discovery that is promoted by the Clubs of Piazza Armerina
and coordinated by Anna Maria Di Rosa Placa
president of the Club for Unesco in Piazza Armerina and Vice President of the Euro-Mediterranean Federation
opened the meeting and emphasizing that starting from that moment
the FICLU will devote an increasing attention to the theme of linguistic diversity
considering this is a priority for UNESCO which has its ultimate goal: the construction of peace and implement it by protecting diversities
and organizing them in a single world human community
“languages are a fundamental cultural heritage to be protected and stimulating the study of the local language in schools through tools such as the UNESCO atlas of languages – created to identify and protect the languages that are disappearing
the Occitano and the Franco Provençal are included.”
linguist and president of the Association for the Knowledge and Protection of the Gallo-Italic dialects of Sicily
explored the inherent importance of the dialect as a vehicle for a culture
He underlined the need to involve the new generations to bring them closer to dialects
he spoke of the Galloitalico of San Fratello
brought in the Middle Ages by the Normans and Aleramici
who contributed to making this language strong in southern Italy
where there are numerous linguistic islands in alloglot
the illustrious speaker highlighted how the words describe the trades practiced by the new colonizers
thus helping to better understand a people and its social structure
he explained that the etymology also allows us to go back to the history of a people
to explain some characteristic elements of that given period
director of the International Center for Dialectology
“you reported that at the University of Basilicata
there are already dialectal literacy courses
a project linked to the Centre and carried out together with Cambridge
You spoke of languages as a treasure trove of the identity of a people
of the importance of teaching them also in schools
but through mother tongue experts; you underlined the contact with Palermo by the great Lucania
where the Gallo Italici came rebounding from Sicily
bringing the language still present today in a vast area of the Potenza province
as the eminent dialectologist Rohlfs had already claimed and demonstrated.” In conclusion
the professor also supported the importance of maintaining a diversity that is enriching
Very interesting was the interlude in which it was possible to listen to Eleonora Bordonaro
who had the opportunity to know a series of poems of San Fratello
containing facts connected to that culture
Coming from the plain of Catania in the Sanfratellana area
she dedicated herself to listening to local speakers
assisted by them to learn the language and enliven it with new significant contributions
a large contribution was offered to us in the Potentino by Antonio Cuccaro
who recently published the booklet “Unpublished Galloitalico
speakers and peasant civilization in Basilicata”
with the aim of arousing greater involvement in this linguistic phenomenon through research
Formerly an official of the APT of Potenza
he was coordinator of the project “The Gallo-Italic dialects of Basilicata” created by Prof
Maria Teresa Greco of the University of Potenza
with the establishment of a network between the municipalities of Potenza
The ideal journey among linguistic minorities then moved north to Occitan territory
but which has always been present in both the Italian and French Alpine areas
There are over 12 million inhabitants of which three or four million are still speaking the language
there is no university chair and he hopes that this language
president of the “A Vastera” association of the land of Brigasca who
author of the Vocabulary of Brigasque culture
spoke about the attempt to preserve the present language in various centers in France and Liguria and became entirely French after the rectification of the borders in 1947
In this context it is a real attempt to recover the roots of a people and
spoke of how much the brigasco is saved despite being a further minority within the Occitan landscape
A language that straddles the Gallo novel and the Galloitalico
took part in the conference with a speech entitled “The Franco-Provençal area in Puglia: Faeto and Celle di San Vito.” Once again the language recalls a particular historical fact: with the arrival of Charles of Anjou
who fortify a castle and are later joined by families
It goes without saying that the spoken language
The recovery of this experience is still witnessed today by a Franco-Provençal branch in the province
President of the Euro-Mediterranean Federation of Ancient Medieval Migrations
spoke instead of his great interest as a free researcher in the migration of peoples
he highlighted how much the nature of the traveler has also characterized the predisposition to create numerous forms of linguistic admixture
Going into the specifics of migrations in Italy
he wanted to emphasize the various linguistic islands of alloglot: the Walser of Germanic origin in Piedmont and Valle d’Aosta with their language Titsch; the Ladins in the Dolomite areas between the provinces of Trento
Bolzano and Belluno; the Albanian minority Arbereshe in southern Italy (in Calabria and in Piana degli Albanesi in the province of Palermo); the Croatian one in Molise; the Franco Provençal in Puglia in the territory of Valmaggiore
on the Daunia Mountains in the province of Foggia; the Waldensian Occitan’s at Guardia Piemontese in Calabria; Salento Greece; up to the Galloitalico in Sicily and Basilicata
a mixture that for every researcher is a splendid opportunity for observation
Noting that these components make it possible to break down barriers and bind peoples with greater tolerance
he spoke of the importance of the Federation as an experiment to keep alive the interest in the union of peoples and the defence of minorities
hoped that the clubs continue this path with support from the universities and that an action protocol be defined for the enhancement of the territories
the traces of our history and our identity
helps to promote integration between peoples
MD does not stand behind any specific agenda
and arguments to the light and see what remains valid and sound
a town in the Sicilian hinterland with just under 5,000 inhabitants
a citizens' committee has gathered to discuss an issue of extreme urgency for their community: water.
because the new water tariffs for billing from 2024 to 2029 – determined by the Authority for Energy Networks and the Environment – will result in further increases in water bills
The committee convened an assembly to engage citizens in a transparent dialogue about the reasons behind high taxes and to collaboratively explore potential solutions
Armed with informative slides and documents
the committee shed light on the intricacies of taxation
addressing the concerns that prompted citizens to call for the assembly in the first place
Among those present is the mayor of the nearby town of Piazza Armerina
also the director of the local Territorial Water Assembly Enna
is the body responsible for the high taxation that burdens them
the theme that emerges most frequently is: water infrastructure is crumbling
and the cost of their maintenance falls mostly on the citizens
Sicily indeed has a decrepit water network. In 2020, Istat found that 52.5 percent of the water volume introduced into Sicilian water networks and used for civil purposes is lost
With severe drought affecting the entire Mediterranean basin
sustainable water management is of paramount importance.
However, water interruptions are now daily occurrences. In recent weeks, the region of Sicily has declared a state of crisis by approving a water rationing regime that will affect about one million citizens
For two years water has been cut off in the municipality of Aidone in the evenings during the summer
when water demand is typically higher due to increasingly high temperatures.
July 2023 was recorded by the Sicilian meteorological service
Servizio Informativo Agrometeorologico Siciliano (SIAS) as the hottest month in the last 20 years
were recorded in the Sicilian hinterland.
The heat and the resulting water demands from civil
agricultural and industrial sectors makes it even more important to improve water management
Purification could be a necessary choice for the near future
But also in the context of water purification, Italy finds itself lagging behind. There are currently four European infringement procedures underway, involving more than 900 clusters
A significant portion of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) is dedicated to improving Italian water infrastructures
The PNRR is Italy’s implementation of Next Generation EU
the European Union’s post-Covid recovery program
Italy stands as the foremost beneficiary of the EU's Next Generation funds
with total projected investments amounting to €222.1bn
which also encompasses the green revolution and ecological transition
allocates a portion of its resources to enhancing water infrastructure
aiming to reduce water loss in drinking water networks by at least 15 percent
A total of €3.9bn has been invested in the improvement of water infrastructures throughout Italy
with about 60 percent of the funds allocated to the southern regions facing the greatest challenges
About €900m has been specifically earmarked for reducing losses in the water distribution network
with Sicily being the second-largest beneficiary region with around €239.6m.
the first temporal window opened for Water Management Authorities to submit funding proposals under the PNRR aimed at reducing losses in water distribution networks
28 out of 119 requests originate from Southern Italy
amounting to approximately one-third of the total requested contributions
a total of eight projects have been rejected within the first timeframe of the funding application
The requests received were much higher than the available resources
several projects were not admitted due to failure to meet scoring limits and lack of admission requirements
This confirms that local authorities have struggled to develop projects in line with the tough requirements of the PNRR
among the accepted funding for Sicilian water
In the midst of a territory strewn with golden and dry fields
surrounded by hills and topped by the ruins of a Norman castle
the construction works of the Pietrarossa Dam continue
The Pietrarossa Dam has received a record funding of €82.2m from the PNRR
a sum that has stirred the anger of local communities and environmental associations
The dam is part of a water system aimed at irrigating the plain of Catania
43,000 hectares of fertile plain where citrus fruits are cultivated and shipped throughout Europe
Accompanied by volunteers from Siciliantica
an association for the protection of Sicilian cultural heritage
we walk along the fences of the construction site.
a retired archaeologist and member of the association
points out the spot where an archaeological find dating back to the Roman era is located: a statio romana
a stopping area dating back to the imperial era along the ancient wheat road that connected the cities of Catania and Agrigento.
the site will be buried by water,\" explains Sergio Amata
the stream that the dam would block is completely dry
Part of the funding will be allocated to develop a virtual reconstruction of the archaeological site near the dam
the construction site guards take photos of us
The first works on the dam began in 1963 and have never been completed (today
it is 95% complete) and have experienced a series of stalls caused by errors in the dam's construction and subsequently by a judicial seizure of the site by the Enna Public Prosecutor's Office
as well as defacement of natural and archaeological beauties.
Ornella Segnalini, appointed as the extraordinary government commissioner for the completion of the Pietrarossa Dam in Sicily, commented on the project as \"a forward-thinking vision that through the Pietrarossa dam would have allowed the irrigation of a huge part of the plain of Catania
A vision of the future that is often lacking today.\"
However, environmental associations are not so optimistic. \"Forward-thinking? Today, rivers are being freed,\" says Giuseppe Maria Amato, regional manager of protected natural areas for Legambiente Sicilia, \"in 2022 alone, 425 barriers were demolished. The EU's biodiversity strategy aims to renaturalise at least 25,000km of rivers
a country suffering from thirst like Sicily
there were about 90 percent more natural wetlands
Reclamation carried out during the fascist regime and water interventions after the First World War shaped and drained these areas for agricultural and civil purposes.
and allows rivers to expand in case of flooding
enabling the return of hundreds of species now extinct
restoring balances,\" comments Giuseppe Maria Amato
and the persistent drought makes the situation dramatic
hectares and hectares of wheat fields stretch out
Under the pylons being rebuilt for the highway connecting Enna to the capital Palermo
a farmer who produces local and ancient varieties of wheat and legumes
a local variety of wheat widespread since the 1920s in Sicily
She asks us to pay attention to the colour variations in the nearby fields
Yellowish patches alternate with greener patches
demonstrating the plant's water stress.
Silvia Turco shows us an ear of wheat: \"From this wheat
usually four or five ears sprout from one grain
This means that this year we will have a loss of at least 50 percent of the product
all due to drought.\" Her farm relies solely on rainwater
and although local varieties are resistant to Sicily's notoriously arid climates
this extreme drought could jeopardise the entire production system
\"October 2023 was marked as the driest since 1921 in Sicily,\" explains Ramona Magno, head of the Drought Observatory section of the Climate Services at the CNR Biometeorology Institute
\"The most important factor of this drought is the scarcity of precipitation in winter periods combined with rising temperatures.\"
prolonged higher-than-normal temperatures add to the lack of rain
\"This implies greater evaporation and causes soils to dry out faster
as well as draining even the largest reservoirs,\" explains Ramona Magno
This trend also affects the entire Mediterranean basin
making Sicily a kind of litmus test for the future climate of Mediterranean Europe
the solution to such a widespread problem must be systemic
\"There should definitely be interventions on the water network
But it needs to be integrated with new ways of farming and thinking about water use
We should act on the ground because desertification is also due to intensive agriculture that reduces soil fertility with the intensive use of machinery
Another summer of record temperatures is looming
A crisis that today affects the largest island in the Mediterranean but could involve continental regions in the coming years
with increasingly heated tones from tired and angry citizens
Yet none of them mentioned the ongoing climate crisis; instead
This article was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe
Pierluigi Bizzini is an Italian freelance journalist
Sicily indeed has a decrepit water network. In 2020, Istat found that 52.5 percent of the water volume introduced into Sicilian water networks and used for civil purposes is lost
However, water interruptions are now daily occurrences. In recent weeks, the region of Sicily has declared a state of crisis by approving a water rationing regime that will affect about one million citizens
But also in the context of water purification, Italy finds itself lagging behind. There are currently four European infringement procedures underway, involving more than 900 clusters
A total of €3.9bn has been invested in the improvement of water infrastructures throughout Italy
The Pietrarossa Dam has received a record funding of €82.2m from the PNRR
the site will be buried by water," explains Sergio Amata
Ornella Segnalini, appointed as the extraordinary government commissioner for the completion of the Pietrarossa Dam in Sicily, commented on the project as "a forward-thinking vision that through the Pietrarossa dam would have allowed the irrigation of a huge part of the plain of Catania
A vision of the future that is often lacking today."
However, environmental associations are not so optimistic. "Forward-thinking? Today, rivers are being freed," says Giuseppe Maria Amato, regional manager of protected natural areas for Legambiente Sicilia, "in 2022 alone, 425 barriers were demolished. The EU's biodiversity strategy aims to renaturalise at least 25,000km of rivers
restoring balances," comments Giuseppe Maria Amato
Silvia Turco shows us an ear of wheat: "From this wheat
all due to drought." Her farm relies solely on rainwater
"October 2023 was marked as the driest since 1921 in Sicily," explains Ramona Magno, head of the Drought Observatory section of the Climate Services at the CNR Biometeorology Institute
"The most important factor of this drought is the scarcity of precipitation in winter periods combined with rising temperatures."
"This implies greater evaporation and causes soils to dry out faster
as well as draining even the largest reservoirs," explains Ramona Magno
"There should definitely be interventions on the water network
This article was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe
Green EconomyFeatureAuthor BioPierluigi Bizzini is an Italian freelance journalist
After reciting the Angelus with pilgrims and tourists in St
Pope Francis recalled his visit on Saturday to the Italian island of Sicily
He thanked everyone who made his visit to Piazza Armerina and Palermo possible
and even the airplane and helicopter pilots who flew him there and back
“I am particularly grateful to the dear bishops Rosario Gisana and Corrado Lorefice for their excellent pastoral service,” he said
and all the wonderful people who live in that beautiful land of Sicily for their warm welcome.”
Pope Francis also invited Sicilians to remember the example and witness of Blessed Father Giuseppe “Pino” Puglisi
who was martyred by the mafia 25 years ago
He said Father Pino shows us “that goodness is stronger than evil
Pope Francis then invited those present at the Angelus to give a round of applause for all Sicilians
Filming for the documentary film “Le vie Aleramiche and Normanno Sveve”
which tells the story of the Normans and Swabians dynasties is now almost completed
chaired an online meeting with the key European partners in this ambitious cultural project
The Aleramicibrought their culture to Sicily where it was absorbed by the local population
Even today the Gallo-Italic idiom persists in many Sicilian areas
(Sicilian by origin and Piedmontese by adoption) visited Sicily on various occasions to participate in study seminars organized by the Piazza Armerina UNESCO club (coordinated by Anna Maria Di Rosa Placa in collaboration with the Regions of Sicily
with contributions from Italian Universities)
It was in Piazza Armerina – the only city completely rebuilt by the Aleramici – that Di Salvo and Maestri first thought of retracing the ancient emigration of the Lombards from northern to southern Italy
This project subsequently evolved into the creation of a cultural
touristic and gastronomic network of places marked by the presence of Aleramici
Normans and Swabians from the eleventh to the thirteenth century
The Euro-Mediterranean Federation aims to unite associations
universities and members of the Scientific Technical Committee into a single body which will build upon the work accomplished by Di Salvo over years of studies
debates and travels in the various countries today involved in the project
Di Salvo chaired the meeting in several languages
reflecting the international dimension of the event and the zone of scientific research which stretches to the farthest borders of Europe
The aim of the “The Aleramici and Norman-Swabian Ways”visio-conference was to establish a framework for the different stakeholders to collaborate on future cultural
It took place in the presence of the mayors Enzo Daniele ofSezzadio
Guy Fossardof Hauteville La-Guichard(Hauteville in Normandy home of the theAltavilla family) and Nino Cammarata (Piazza Armerina
who participated in the filming of the documentary “Le Vie Aleramiche”
head of FAI in Sezzadio and the English filmmaker David Paul Carr
Also involved in the project were the mayor of Troina
Fabio Venezia (Troina was the first Norman capital in Sicily following the conquest of the Grand Count Ruggerod’Altavilla
twinned with Hauteville since the 90s and also with Coutances) and Martin Mundorff (Head of the Historical Archive of Goppingen
a region once known as Swabia and homeland of the Hohenstaufen dynasty “Swabians”)
president of the AIParC Territorial Center partner of the project and Salvatore Lo Re
historian and President of Society of Homeland History of Sicily
Among the objectives of the Euro-Mediterranean Federation
will be the study of the migrations of peoples that occurred in ancient and medieval times
This research will cover not only Europe but also Russia
the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea
Scientific studies will be supported by a high-level academic committee
Davide Pettener of the University of Bologna and Joanna Drell of the University of Richmond United State
These studies will serve to demonstrate that all peoples of the earth are connected to each other and form a single race
(ANS– Piazza Armerina) – On 21 September
and the President of the Federal Republic of Germany
will join in a historic joint private visit to Piazza Armerina
to explore the work carried out by the Don Bosco 2000 migrant reception community and to learn about the cooperation activities with the missions in Africa
This visit underlines the importance of international solidarity and integration
as well as the recognition of the essential work carried out by host communities such as Don Bosco 2000 in promoting peace
It is not the first time that the President of the Republic
the student who lost his life in an accident while completingg his final day of apprenticeship in a factory in Lauzacco
on a visit to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin
he told the then Vicar of the Rector Major
that he kept an image of Don Bosco in his study
Sergio Mattarella will meet the migrant community that has distinguished itself over the years for integration projects
such as the ASD Don Bosco Aidone football team made up of young migrants from SAI centres
and integration initiatives between Ukrainian families welcomed by sub-Saharan migrants who are now integrated into the Sicilian social fabric
“This visit represents an immense recognition for the hard work carried out by all the operators of the Associazione Don Bosco 2000 in over a decade of activity” wrote Agostino Sella
“But it is not only a recognition; it is also an encourgement and an invitation to intensify our efforts in welcoming people in Italy and in cooperation in Africa"
is a reference point for the reception and integration of migrants and refugees from different parts of the world
the Association works through specific and multidisciplinary interventions in the field of legal assistance
The interventions are intended to support minors
direct and indirect victims of any form of abuse
discrimination and socio-cultural inequalities
Gambia and Mali and has five different centres in Sicily
located in the provinces of Catania and Enna (Piazza Armerina
ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication
the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007
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From the fountain in La Dolce Vita to the idyllic Italian island in The Talented Mr Ripley
The Cannes Film Festival celebrates its 70th anniversary this week
bringing the glitz of Hollywood to the glamorous French Riviera
To celebrate Celebrity Cruises has played back some classic movies and come up with five iconic locations that should be on the bucket list of every film buff
Has your favourite location been missed out
Must-see sights: The Hotel Carlton & the Grande Corniche
Much of Alfred’s Hitchcock’s acclaimed 1955 film To Catch a Thief was shot in and around Cannes
Its decadent backdrop of the French Riviera
coupled with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly’s electric chemistry
will have you itching to explore the palatial streets and glamorous beaches
You can visit the impressive Hotel Carlton (now the Hotel InterContinental Carlton) where much of the film was set
To recreate the famous car scene where they enjoy a view of the Monaco skyline
take a drive up the picturesque Grande Corniche – bonus points if it’s in a vintage open-top car
Must-see sights: The Via Vento & the Trevi Fountain
Winner of the Cannes Film Festival’s prestigious Palme d’Or in 1960
Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita boasts some of the most iconic cinematic shots in film history
And although much of the film was shot in the studio
there are a number of spots in Rome that were actually used as backdrops to Fellini’s masterpiece
The Via Vento is the elegant street it's centred around
which was famed for its wealthy clientele during the 1950s and 60s
make your way to the Roman baths of Caracalla’s Thermals (Terme Di Caracalla) where Anita Ekberg danced with Marcello Mastroianni before heading back to the city for that fountain scene – the famous Trevi fountain was where Ekberg and Mastroianna waded
Must-see sights: The Ponte Vecchio & Piazza della Signoria
The film adaptation of E.M Forster’s novel from 1985 showcases some of the finest sights in historic Florence
The \"view\" of the title is that of the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River (pictured above)
You can admire the bridge from afar or stroll across it yourself
where you’ll find an array of shops and merchants
You can also follow in Helena Bonham-Carter’s footsteps and visit the Basilica of San Croce
where in the film Bonham-Carter witnesses a knife fight and is rescued by the handsome Emerson
which is where the infamous family from the films hailed from
if it’s filming locations you’re looking for then travel to Forza D’Agro and Savoca
It’s in Savoca where you can find Bar Vitelli and the church where Michael and Apollonia were married
Must-see sights: Ischia Ponte & Palazzo Malcovati
the island of Ischia was one of the main locations where the 1999 film The Talented Mr Ripley was shot
the busy square where Ripley (Matt Damon) arrives on his mission to befriend Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law); and Bagno Antonio – the private beach where the two meet for the first time
Dickie’s seaside villa is also on the island; you can find it on Ischia Ponte’s main street Via Luigi Mazzella – it’s Palazzo Malcovati
To celebrate Celebrity Cruises has played back some classic movies and come up with five iconic locations that should be on the bucket list of every film buff
The Via Vento is the elegant street it's centred around
The "view" of the title is that of the Ponte Vecchio over the Arno River (pictured above)
Etna, Taormina and Classic Sicily, 7 nights from £769pp
Discover Sicily with a stay beneath the towering cone of Mount Etna
visiting the volcano's lava-strewn slopes and nearby Taormina's stunning Greek Theatre
and enjoy a beachside stay close to delightful Cefalu
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Italy – January 2025 – From 3 to 5 January
the Adolescent Meeting 2025 of the Salesian Youth Movement of Sicily was held in Piazza Armerina: #Remember #Celebrate #Build
These are the three words that guided the days and that recall the project developed by the Regional SYM Council on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Salesian Youth Movement in Sicily
Fifty years is an extraordinary achievement
The days spent filled the heart with passion and hope for the future
to remember why we are heirs of a great history that continues even today and that is called to write splendid pages of Salesian mission
witnessing the Gospel of joy in everyday life"
The multimedia exhibition Mosaico: Italian Code of a Timeless Art is on display at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
starting its tour of Asian countries to present traditional Italian art
the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Embassy in Hanoi
It will run until April 7 at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
The itinerary of the exhibition is conceived as a journey through 2000 years of Italian mosaic art
techniques and materials of some of the most famous and iconic Italian mosaics.
Through an immersive multimedia experience
visitors will be able to admire the most evocative mosaics of Rome
The Rome section tells of the capital's glorious past and the process of urbanization that took place over many centuries
There is also mosaic art under the influence of Christianity through murals in basilicas
there is an outstanding tile work depicting the story of Alexander the Great in confrontation with the powerful Persian Empire
It is best known for the mosaic on the floor of the Basilica of St
which depicts the historical moment when the Emperor Constantine decreed religious freedom
features paintings in mausoleums and basilicas
with brighter colours that have more spiritual effects
harmonious and complex multiculturalism depicted in chapels and churches
which takes you into the rooms of the ancient Villa Romana del Casale
a part of everyday moments of the Roman Empire in the first centuries after Christ
Zone 6 tells about Baiae - an underwater archaeological area of a once prosperous port sunk to the bottom of the sea
Ambassador Marco Della Seta explained that mosaics are very durable
glass and shells contribute to this characteristic
"Some of the mosaics in the exhibition are 2,000 years old and still look like new
The special technique of mosaic painting has many similarities with Vietnamese lacquer painting," he said
artist Cristina Gonzalez (Spain) said that the exhibition really helps visitors to understand more about mosaic techniques
especially as people can't lift the mosaics to display them everywhere
Cristina Gonzalez has also been strongly influenced by the paintings in terms of technique
but has long been interested in Vietnamese lacquer and has spent almost 4 years studying this material
With certain similarities to the mosaic industry
the exhibition is even more interesting for Cristina
Mosaic art originated in Mesopotamia in the 3rd millennium BC and then spread to many regions
with the strongest development in ancient Greece and Rome (now Italy)
the most popular mosaic works are the Ceramic Road (celebrating the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi)
Hue City and works of Chuon Ngo mother-of-pearl mosaic craft village (Phu Xuyen
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