| Father Domenica da Trapani Human Mummy | |
| Biographical Information | |
|---|---|
| Name(s) | Father Domenica Da Trapani |
| Age | Unknown |
| Sex | Male |
| Status | priest |
| Height | |
| Source | |
| Culture | Italian |
| Date(s) | Died 1843 |
| Site | Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo |
| Current Location | |
| Location | Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo |
| Catalog # | |
In 1534 the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins settled in Palermo and in that same year the Senate of Palermo granted to religious privilege to build their convent next to the existing church of Santa Maria della Pace. At that time, the dead friars were buried in a mass grave, placed in the south side of the church. In 1599, bodies were transferred to a grave behind the high altar of the church, and placed in niches all around the walls of the first corridor. Soon other preserved bodies of monks who lived and died in Palermo needed to be buried, so it became necessary to build another room and a chapel. Expansions continued in the next years to meet the increasing demand for burial made by outsiders.
Mummification
At first, the bodies were laid in the so-called “colanders”, where they remained for the time needed to drain organic liquids that would have made impossible a proper storage - about a year. Then the bodies were brought in a ventilated place ready to be washed and cleaned with vinegar and water, after that the bodies were dressed and placed in the niches along the corridors.
References
Hayes, H., 2010. Capuchin Catacombs, Palermo. Available at: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/palermo-capuchin-catacombs [Accessed 1 May 2014].
Lange, K., 2009. Lost "Sleeping Beauty" Mummy Formula Found. Available at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/01/090126-sicily-mummy.html [Accessed 1 May 2014].
Powell, M., 2011. The Bone-Chilling Catacombs of the Capuchin Monks. Available at: http://palermo.for91days.com/2011/11/06/the-bone-chilling-catacombs-of-the-capuchin-monks/
External Links
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/italy/articles/the-story-behind-capuchin-monastery-catacombs/
