THE SPECIAL SKY OF ENNA (SICILY)

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

When a person visits a new place, he is usually attracted by something interesting to see: historical monuments, leisure places, beautiful landscapes, museums, and so on. It is quite unusual to find someone fascinated by the color of sky. Nevertheless, if you come to Enna, you will see that here the hue of the sky is different.

In my life, I have traveled across all continents, from north to south, from east to west, but I have not seen in other places the same sky as that in Enna. It has something magic and special.

If I were a painter, I would try to paint it on a canvas, but it would be difficult to find a mixture of colors to paint Enna’s sky.

What is the cause of such a peculiar color? The citizens of Enna think that Our Lady watches over them, as Demeter did in ancient times. They think that Mary’s blue mantle envelops the city. “Blessed are they who live in the city of Enna,” once a seer said. Who knows! Anyway, I love to see the sky of Enna. Whenever I see this magic sky, I feel blessed. I become a part of the universe!

Ettore Grillo, author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily (English edition)

– A Hidden Sicilian History (English edition)

– The Vibrations of Words (English edition)

– Travels of the Mind (English edition)

– Una Storia Siciliana Nascosta (edizione in lingua italiana)

– Viaggi della Mente (edizione in lingua italiana)

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

THE STATUE OF SAINT FRANCIS IN ENNA (SICILY)

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

A small green area has recently been attached to the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, in Enna, with an olive tree and a statue of the saint surrounded by white doves. While we were going back home and passing by that green, we noticed a fragrance emanating from the area.

We turned in all directions but could not spot a flower or a tree from where that subtle scent might be emanating. The following days we passed by the same place again, but we could not smell anything.

After that, we went to the crypt of the Basilica of Saint Francis, in Assisi. We sat on a pew facing Saint Francis’s tomb. As soon as I sat down, I had the sensation that a kind of energy was telling me something: “Purify your heart, mind, body, and actions, and then you’ll see God inside you!”

What was Saint Francis telling me this time? He meant that the real kingdom of God is inside every living being, but we cannot find it if our mind is contaminated by too many materialistic desires or our actions are not directed towards the well-being of our fellow creatures. I also inferred that prayer and meditation are a good way to purify my mind and get close to God, as long as my actions aim not towards an egoistic goal but to the love of all creatures.

Were my contacts with St. Francis the fruit of hallucinations? I cannot know. I can just say that what I have written above is the truth!

Ettore Grillo, author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily (English edition)

– A Hidden Sicilian History (English edition)

– The Vibrations of Words (English edition)

– Travels of the Mind (English edition)

– Una Storia Siciliana Nascosta (edizione in lingua italiana)

– Viaggi della Mente (edizione in lingua italiana)

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

THE MYTH OF SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

On our way back to Sicily, we stopped by the nice town of Scilla (Calabria), which faces Sicily.

In the square of Scilla, stands out the fine sculpture of the nymph Scylla.

She was a very beautiful girl that ran into the envy of the witch Circe who turned her into a monster, half fish and half woman, with six heads of ferocious dogs.  

In Sicily, there was another monster, Charybdis. He sucked water from the sea and then spit it back, giving rise to dangerous whirlpools. Whoever passed through the Strait of Messina had to confront one of the two monsters. According to Homer, Charybdis was more dangerous, for Odysseus preferred to face Scylla that, however, devoured six of the men of Odysseus’ crew.

Nowadays, neither Scylla nor Charybdis exists anymore. The crystalline sea by Scilla invites us for a swim. Like all Greek myths, even the myth of Scylla and Charybdis has a deep meaning: Sometimes, in our life we confront difficulties. Not always, we are able to overcome them. In this case, as Odysseus did, it is better to choose the lesser of the two evils!

Ettore Grillo, author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily (English edition)

– A Hidden Sicilian History (English edition)

– The Vibrations of Words (English edition)

– Travels of the Mind (English edition)

– Una Storia Siciliana Nascosta (edizione in lingua italiana)

– Viaggi della Mente (edizione in lingua italiana)

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

MY REVIEW OF JANE EYRE BY CHARLOTTE BRONTE

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

Three sisters – Emily, Charlotte, and Anne Bronte – were excellent writers. I have read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and just finished reading Jane Eyre by her sister Charlotte. Someday, I hope to come across something written by the third sister, Anne Bronte.

In Jane Eyre, the main theme is love; the immortal love that disregards wealth, physical beauty, age, and social status. Do you think we can find this kind of love only in novels or also in real life? Can unalloyed love exist? Is it just the dream of artists, writers, poets, painters, sculptors, and music composers?

What also struck me was the nobleness of Jane Eyre’s soul. Her uncle bequeaths to her twenty thousand pounds – a huge amount of money at the time – , but instead of pocketing it all for her, she shares the bequest with her cousins who have been disinherited by their uncle. Can such a thing also happen nowadays or does it only exist in literary works?

Overall, Jane Eyre is a superb, thought provoking novel. It prompts us to act well in life, for, in the end, Providence always comes to the aid of the righteous.

Ettore Grillo, author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily (English edition)

– A Hidden Sicilian History (English edition)

– The Vibrations of Words (English edition)

– Travels of the Mind (English edition)

– Una Storia Siciliana Nascosta (edizione in lingua italiana)

– Viaggi della Mente (edizione in lingua italiana)

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

THE FEAST OF SAN CALOGERO, IN AGRIGENTO (SICILY)

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

Although the city of Agrigento has its own patron saint – San Gerlando, a Norman saint –, the citizens of Agrigento love San Calogero more than any other saint. He was a hermit who probably came to Sicily from Africa or the Middle East.

The celebrations in his honor last one week, from the first to the second Sunday in July. The brethren carry in procession his statue, and people crowd around it.

When there was leprosy, San Calogero took care of the lepers. At that time, people threw loaves of bread at him from the balconies and terraces of the houses, so as not to come into contact with him and run the risk of being infected.  The loaves of bread were for him and for the lepers too. Even today, during the procession, people throw loaves of bread at the statue of the saint.

While we were spending a three-day vacation in San Leone, near Agrigento, I had an irresistible urge to visit the church of San Calogero. We went there, sat on a pew, and meditated for a little while. I felt an atmosphere of sacredness and had the feeling that he was really a great saint, who fully deserves to be loved by his people: the citizens of Agrigento!

Ettore Grillo, author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily (English edition)

– A Hidden Sicilian History (English edition)

– The Vibrations of Words (English edition)

– Travels of the Mind (English edition)

– Una Storia Siciliana Nascosta (edizione in lingua italiana)

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo

THE RIACE BRONZES IN REGGIO CALABRIA

Posted on by Ettore Grillo

On our way back to Sicily, before taking the ferryboat, we visited the Museum of Reggio Calabria, which houses finds from Hellenistic period and, in particular, the Riace Bronzes.

They are two big bronze sculptures, dating back to the fifth century BC, that were found in the sea of Riace Marina, in 1972. Their perfect bodies embody the “harmony of forms” so dear to the Greeks.

For the Greeks, beauty was “the smile of the earth”. While building a temple or making a sculpture, they had in mind the idea of “harmony of forms”. It was not possible to find a Greek sculpture that was not beautiful.

Aphrodite was the ideal of female beauty as Heracles was the ideal of male beauty. Everybody, both gods and humans, fell in love with Aphrodite. But, all rules have their exceptions!

Aphrodite (the goddess of beauty) was jealous of Psyche (the goddess of the soul). Sometimes, Psyche outshone Aphrodite, for some fell in love with Psyche. They preferred the beauty of the soul to that of the body.

Do you think the same happens nowadays?

Ettore Grillo author of these books:

– November 2: The Day of the Dead in Sicily (English version)

– A Hidden Sicilian History (English version)

– The Vibrations of Words(English version)

– Travels of the Mind (English version)

– Una Storia Siciliana Nascosta (versione in lingua italiana)

http://www.amazon.com/author/ettoregrillo