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Sicily

Blessed Giuseppe "Pino" Puglisi was a Roman Catholic priest in the rough Palermo neighbourhood of Brancaccio. He openly challenged the Mafia who controlled the neighbourhood, and was killed by them on his 56th birthday.

He spoke out against the Mafia who controlled the area and opened a shelter for underprivileged children. Puglisi had been offered other parishes by the local curia, in less troublesome Palermo neighborhoods, but he opted for San Gaetano. On 15 September 1993—Puglisi's 56th birthday—he was killed outside his home by a single bullet shot at point-blank range. He was taken unconscious to a local hospital, where surgeons could not revive him. One of the hitmen who killed Puglisi, Salvatore Grigoli, later confessed and revealed the priest’s last words as his killers approached: "I've been expecting you."

Palermo's cathedral has suffered aesthetically from multiple reworkings over the centuries, but remains a prime example of Sicily's unique Arab-Norman architectural style. The interior, while impressive in scale, is essentially a marble shell

The Baroque small side cupolas by Ferdinando Fuga.

The famous portico by Domenico and Antonello Gagini.

Garden area in front of the main entrance

Notice the different style of architecture through the facade of the cathedral.

The oranges and Pomegranates are so sweet for juices at these local stands.

Time for relaxing and people watching

It almost looks like a frosted cake from the distance with the many facets of the building.

Through the years so many different style of Achitecture in the cathedral.

Opera dei pupi teatro Argento. The puppet theater, run by the same family since 1893, already five generations of puppeteers. The owners are of venerable age and the grandsons of the founder, their grandsons are the ones performing. Before the show, they explain the story and origins of the puppeteer tradition in Sicily; all the walls are decorated with pictures of the family and some old marionettes are also on display.

Explaining to us how the puppets function and the care for them over the years.

A son explaining what all the generations have brought forward in the puppet world for everyone to enjoy.

Father and son Puppeteers

The weight of each the puppets is very surprising

Examples of different puppets

Different examples of puppets for the shows.

Looking from the fruit juice stand back towards the Cathedral Palermo

View of more buildings damaged in 1943 shelling of Palermo during WWII bombings . in 1943

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