Monday, March 4, 2013

Saint Rosalia, Patron Saint of Palermo, Goth Women?


Saint Rosalia is the Patron Saint of Palermo; I would also like to nominate her as patron saint of Goth women. Why? See above for a few statues depicting her in the traditional fashion--as a young, beautiful woman, bedecked with a crown of roses, reading a book in her solitary lair with only a human skull for company, or clutching a human skull in her black robe. Simply does not get more Goth than that. Not even in the Catholic church.

More, from Wikipedia:
Born: 1130, Palermo, Italy
Died: 1166 (aged 35–36), Mount Pellegrino, Italy
Feast: September 4; July 15 (Festino)
Attributes: Depicted as a young woman, sometimes holding a cross, book, or skull. She is also seen wearing a crown of roses.
Patronage: Palermo; El Hatillo; Zuata Anzoátegui
Saint Rosalia (1130–1166), also called La Santuzza or "The Little Saint", is the patron saint of Palermo, Italy, El Hatillo, Venezuela, and Zuata, Anzoátegui, Venezuela.
According to legend, Rosalia was born of a Norman noble family that claimed descent from Charlemagne. Devoutly religious, she retired to life as a hermit in a cave on Mount Pellegrino, where she died alone in 1166. Tradition says that she was led to the cave by two angels. On the cave wall she wrote "I, Rosalia, daughter of Sinibald, Lord of Roses, and Quisquina, have taken the resolution to live in this cave for the love of my Lord, Jesus Christ."
In 1624, a horrible plague haunted Palermo, and during this hardship St Rosalia appeared first to a sick woman, then to a hunter to whom she indicated where her remains were to be found. She ordered him to bring her bones to Palermo and have them carried in procession through the city.
The hunter climbed the mountain and found her bones in the cave as described. He did what she had asked in the apparition, and after the procession the plague ceased. After this St Rosalia would be venerated as the patron saint of Palermo, and a sanctuary was built in the cave where her remains were discovered.
Both images from random churches in Palermo. More to come soon!

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