I had the honor of performing here the music of the wonderful Italian composer Bartolomeo Cosenza
The Palatine Chapel of the Norman Palace in Palermo is the personal chapel of the Sicilian kings and vice-kings.
I had seen the chapel in photographs many times before, but when I stepped inside, I saw something incredible... Art that is impossible to grasp and convey in words. The ceiling, columns, and vaults are covered in mosaic, mostly gold... This fills the entire chapel with warm, soft light. And it seems like you stop breathing, enchanted as you look around... while feeling an incredible peace and the grace of God.
It is hard to believe that it is all mosaic! And it's not just religious scenes - it's the entire Bible in mosaic! Taking your time to look at each picture in turn, you can easily learn about the fall of Adam and Eve, the story of Cain and Abel, Noah's Ark, and other biblical stories...
The uniqueness of this basilica is also in the fact that it visually and spiritually combines all the beginnings of Sicily - European, Byzantine, Arab, and its own, unique Sicilian... Everything here is wonderful: the mosaics, the marble floors and stairs, the sculptures, and it's all complemented by fantastic acoustics.
The combination of East and West, which are not combined, is what the Palatine Chapel is. Of course, it is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Thank you for organizing this wonderful event, Lions Club Palermo Federico II
