Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Wednesday, June 26th

The ship docked in Messina (Sicily), Italy, today.  After getting off the ship, we walked to the Messina Duomo and astronomical clock and fountain - fabulous!  We spent the afternoon on the pool deck reading on the chaise loungers.  We went to two shows tonight: 'Comedy Showtime' starring  comedian Mark Palmer and 'Spotlight Showtime' featuring Shane Hampsheir.

Steps for the day: 5, 856

Madonnina del Porto di Messina - seven metres tall golden statue - guards the city and port of Messina - the inscription on the base of the monument reads 'Vos et ipsam civitatem benedicimus' which means 'We bless you and your city' - it is a quote from a letter the Virgin Mary sent to the people of Messina in the year 42

Fontana d'Orione (Fountain of Orion) - a monumental marble fountain built in 1553 - located in Piazza Duomo - built to celebrate the completion of the first aqueduct in Messina in 1547 - Orion was the mythical founder of the city of Messina - the fountain has a pyramidal structure: at the top: Orion with his dog Sirius at his feet; underneath him are four cherubs riding dolphins from whose mouths water comes out and pours into the cup below - they are followed by four naiads and four newts - then a large dodecagonal basin with four statues representing the rivers Nile, Tiber, Ebro and Camaro (the latter is actually the small stream that feeds the fountain) and eight bas-reliefs 

Orologio Astronomico del Duomo di Messina (The astronomical clock of Messina) - constructed in 1933 - built into the free-standing bell tower of the Messina Cathedral - the side of the bell tower facing the Piazza del Duomo and has the following displays (from bottom to top):

- the carousel of the days of the week: each day is represented by its classical deity in a chariot pulled by an animal (eg: Sunday: Apollo, driving a horse);
- the carousel of the ages of life: four statues represent the ages of man: a child, a young man, a warrior and an old man;
- the Sanctuary of the Madonna at Montalto: representing the sanctuary's foundation in the 13th century, a dove flies in a circle and the sanctuary rises form the ground at midday;
- Biblical scenes: a different biblical scene appears in each quarter of the liturgical year (eg: Easter to Pentecost: the Resurrection of Jesus: two soldiers keep watch over Jesus' tomb, from which Jesus rises;
- The Madonna of the Letter, patron saint of Messina: according to legend, Messina's ambassadors were sent to Jerusalem to pay their respects to the Virgin Mary and received a letter from her, granting the city her blessing - at midday, an angel hands the letter to the Madonna
- Dina and Clarenza: according to legend, Dina repelled an attack on Messina by rolling rocks while Clarenza rang the bells of the tower to alert the city during the Sicilian Vespers in 1282;
- at the top, the crowned lion (symbol of the Province of Messina) carries the flag of Messina - at midday, it waves the flag, moves its tail, turns its head and roars three times

Duomo di Messina / Basilica Cattedrale metropolitana di Santa Maria Assunta (Messina Cathedral / Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Saint Mary of Assumption) - Roman Catholic cathedral - the Protometropolitan temple was built during the Empire of Justinian I, under the pontificate of Pope Boniface II, in the year 530 - the original structures of the sacred building, over the centuries, have undergone frequent transformations, sometimes with the addition of architectural and decorative elements that indulged the taste of the time - this was almost always due to the wounds inflicted by disastrous events, especially earthquakes, and the consequent need to rebuild it in whole or in part

The Fountain of Orion, the Messina Cathedral Bell Tower and the Messina Cathedral

The Fountain of Orion and an example of beautiful Italian architecture of the building behind the fountain

A tourist bus and a tourist horse and buggy

Santuario parrocchia S. Maria Di Montalto (Parish Sanctuary of St. Mary of Montalto) - Roman Catholic church - building completed in June 1295 - rises on the hill of Caperrina - the first religious building that was reconstructed after the 1908 earthquake - it's decorated with colourful stained glass windows - supposedly built after the Virgin Mary appeared in a monk's dream and told him to build it there

Several mechanisms of the astronomical clock of Messina

Mike standing in front of the left door to the Messina Cathedral - the left door, made in the 14th century, is decorated with spiral animal motifs; the lunette shows the enthroned Virgin Mary; the architrave has the Agnus Dei in the centre; the pointed-topped door shows three tortile columns with plant-motif capitals on each side - the door remained almost intact after the 1908 earthquake

The main door of the Messina Cathedral - work began on this door in the 14th century and was completed in the 16th century - on each side, a lion holds up a tortile column with a plant-motif capital - above the columns are recesses with statues of Saints - in the lunette, a statue represents the Madonna enthroned with Baby Jesus - the architrave represents Christ, giving a blessing among the four evangelists and their symbols - on the right and left sides of the lower parts of the main door, are bas-reliefs picturing the grape harvest, sowing, weaving, the olive harvest and the extraction of the oil, 14th century - the door is decorated with human figures ascending vines, women with robes and head coverings, slender columns covered with bunches of grapes, images of patriarchs, angels, scenes from the life of the Madonna and from the Apocalypse

Inside the Messina Cathedral

Lovely Italian architecture

The Messina Cathedral and the Messina Cathedral Bell Tower

More beautiful Italian architecture

Statua di Don Giovanni d'Austria (John of Austria statue) - a sculpture in bronze - made to honour the victor of the Battle of Lepanto, from which many Messineses had benefitted - dedicated in 1572 - John is figured holding a three-pronged baton in reference to his command of the triple alliance of Philiip II, the Pope and the Republic of Venice

Chiesa Santissima Annunziata dei Catalani (Church of St. Mary of the Announcement of Catalani) - Catholic church - the name of the church derives from merchants from Catalonia who established a presence in Messina in the 16th century - an example of Norman architecture - dates from the 12th century - built on top of the ruins of an older temple - displays influences from Arab and Byzantine architecture as well

Palazzo del Granchio (The Crab Palace) - a building in eclectic style - built from 1915 -1917 - destined to be the headquarters of Banco Cerruti (Cerruti Bank) - designed by a Florentine architect

Sailing away from Messina