Palermo, Sicily
The morning began with a visit to Monreale, the 12th century Norman cathedral high in the hills overlooking the city. Almost every surface of the cathedral's nave is covered with exquisitely detailed mosaics; a remarkable example of Byzantine art capturing biblical history.
A walk through the historic quarter of Palermo was next and what better way to be introduced to its culinary specialities than a lunch sampling local street food. I can't say that I ate everything on my plate, but it was certainly one of those memorable gastronomic experiences.
Years back,I remember reading about and following the exploits of the Italian Mafia, the Cosa Nostra. Its control over the lives of Sicilians, its far-reaching power and cruelty, and its connections to groups within my own country was something filed away in my memory bank. This stain of organized crime on Sicily's history, although not as dark as it once was, is still felt by many who lost family members to the organization. So, it was with much interest, when we met with Angelo Provenzano, the son of Bernardo Provenzano, a notorious °boss° of the Cosa Nostra, and now serving a life sentence for a string of murders, including those of two judges. Angelo spoke of a life in hiding while his father was on the run, although he and his brother were unaware of the crimes committed until after the elder Provenzano's capture in 2006. When asked if he thought his father evil, he paused and then replied that history would judge him and that the man was still his father. Should Angelo have publicly denounced his father's crimes? I have my own opinion on that, but, then again, I am not walking in the shoes of the son of a Mafia boss.
It was a fascinating talk with lots of questions asked and answered as the younger Provenzano shared the difficulty of his life and the problems of finding work, especially in his home towm of Corleone. There are many in Sicily who still cast a distrustful eye on Angelo, his brother, and mother..."the sins of the father carried on the backs of his sons"...
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| Bernardo Provenzano, escorted by a black-hooded police officer in 2006. |
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