The men who are entrusted to carry the saint on her procession are all members of a family that’s been doing this important task for centuries. When we asked how that family was originally chosen, our guide said it was so long ago that no one knows. That sort of dedication to a saint, to personal beliefs, to a community is admirable. And is something that I do not believe I’ve witnessed before.

Thank you for your patience as I presented all these photos of Sicily. It took me several months to commit to making the trip; finally making the commitment to go was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. So, here’s my Big Important Advice: don’t put off doing that thing that you think you want to do but aren’t sure about it because this might not be the best time or your schedule might be too tight to make it work or what about that other thing that you’ll miss at home (or at the office) if you go. If you CAN, you should.

Bivona, Sicily
photographed 9.4.2022