TOURISM
Modica is
one of the most picturesque towns of all Sicily. It is located in the Southern
side of the Hyblean mountains and was originally divided into two areas: Modica
Alta (the High Modica), whose houses are nestled on the slopes of a promontory,
and Modica Bassa (the Low Modica), down in the valley, where once flew rivers
Ianni Mauro and Pozzo dei Pruni, and where now runs the Corso Umberto, the main
street and historic centre of the town. Over the years the town has extended
its territory to new areas, namely Modica Sorda, Monserrato and Idria, corresponding to the “new” Modica.
The historic town has a baroque look originating from a post-quake
reconstruction, since the disaster, dated 1693, completely razed to ground the
old city.
ARCHITECTURE
AND TOURISM ROUTES.
Modica has
a typical baroque look, as well as most cities in the South-Eastern Sicily,
that were highly damaged or completely destroyed by a terrible earthquake in
1693. Only a few remains of the ancient city, which was an outstanding and
powerful county at the time of the feudalism in Sicily. Nevertheless, a large
number of historical palazzi, churches and convents, mainly originating from
the post-quake reconstruction, equally testify to the glorious past of this
town. The Palazzo dei Mercedari, a former convent located next to the church of
the Madonna delle Grazie, today houses the municipal library and museum.
The
Campailla auditorium, in Matteotti square, has a wide façade decorated with
four masks in a liberty style. Next to it rises the former Carmelitan
monastery, that long housed the Carabinieri (Italian Paramilitary
Police) barracks, until not long ago.
Following
the Corso Umberto, considered the “Baroque Hall of the town”, you reach Piazza
Principe di Napoli (Prince of Naples’ Square), where rivers Janni Mauro and
Pozzo dei Pruni once joined (they were covered at the beginning of the century because
of frequent floods).
Here rises the municipal palace, framed by columns supporting round archs. The
square is overhung by a rocky hill where once rose the Castle of the Count, of
which a tower with a clock (more recently added) has remained. Other remnants
consist of the external walls and the prisons, whose walls bear graffiti.
Along De
Leva street, that stretches up a hill, stands the Villa De Leva, with an
impressive portal (referred to as the “Portale De Leva”) in Chiaramonte style.
The portal probably gave access to a small church successively turned into a
chapel by the De Leva family.
The Palazzo
Ascenzo, endowed with decorated balconies and beautiful corbels, is a perfect
specimen of aristocratic building.
Also
worth-visiting is Palazzo Rubino, with wide balconies enriched with decorations
and supported by corbels representing grotesque figures.
The Palazzo
Arena also has corbels, representing vampires, under its main balcony.
The
Garibaldi theatre, nearby located, was recently restored and closed back due to
a vault collapse.
A very
pleasant corner is located along the road to Modica Alta, featuring an arch
that gives access to a nice courtyard and to the splendid portico of Palazzo
Zacco Pirrera.
Next to the
Duomo of Saint George is Palazzo Polara, hosting a nice picture-gallery
collecting precious 17th and 18th century paintings and
antique furniture.
In front of
it stands Palazzo Napolino, one of the most beautiful baroque buildings in
Modica, with a wide portal in calcareous stone, unfortunately decayed with the
passing of time. On the top floor are typical balconies with wrought-iron
fences and supported by corbels representing masks and acanthus leaves.
The
Campailla Museum is dedicated to Modica’s philosopher, scientist and doctor
Tommaso Campailla, who used to cure syphilis by inhalations of mercurial vapor.
The museum preserves his famous vats and numerous documents and photographs of
the day.
The
birth-house of poet Salvatore Quasimodo, awarded Nobel Prize in Literature, is
a renowned tourism attraction. It retains much of its original structure,
including the furniture arrangement.
MODICA
“Modica. Noble, opulent and populated city,
seat of the ancient and vast County”.
This 18th century description by
historian and clergyman Vito Amore elegantly summarizes the political,
economical and cultural importance of this city whose origins go back to remote
ages and events. Historiography provides data on a town called “Motyca”
inhabited by prehistoric peoples, called Sikels, around the 7th
century BC., at the time of the Greek Colonization of Sicily; historian Mario
Carrafa, in the 18th century, told of Greek coins discovered in the
territory, bearing the inscription “Motayon”. Traces of a Roman settlement in
this area appear clearer, it perhaps being a Decuman Town. Clearer traces were
left by the Arabians who conquered a “Castle” in “Mudiqah” in 845. Other common
names of the city were Motica, Motuca and Mohac. The Normans it in the 11th
century, led by Roger of Hauteville, who had driven Arabians from Sicily. He,
lately known as “the Norman” and devoted to St. George, established the cult of
the Saint, today’s patron of Modica.
In that period the city became an important
county. Gualtieri, one of Ruggero’s lieutenants, was the first Count. It
enjoyed its greatest prosperity under the Spanish Aragon (13th and
14th century), successively governed by the Mosca, Chiaramonte and
Cabrera dynasties, representatives of the feudal local power, that for
authority, richness and magnificence, was not inferior to the king himself.
Under successive Henriquez, Alvarez and
Fits-Stuart dynasties, the County declined, and the title of Count had a mere
formal meaning since it had lost any of its old privileges. On the whole are
seven centuries of history, almost entirely under the Spanish rule, that so
much contributed to Sicilian languages, foods and architecture – Baroque right
originating from Spain.
Today the city is depicted in several different
ways:
It is the “one-hundred churches town”,
according to historian and writer F.L. Belgiorno’s count, that also includes
ruins across the larger territory. It is the birth-place of Salvatore
Quasimodo, a 20th century writer and 1959’s Nobel Prize, and of
Tommaso Campailla, an 18th century scientist and philosopher. It is
the town of the famous bridge, among the highest in Europe (300m in height),
overlooking the whole City and joining the “new” and the “old” Modicas. It is
the town of the Castle, whose remnants consist of a 18th century
tower and a more recent clock, both symbolically representing it. It is the
town of the Baroque and of the County, both testifying to its glorious past.
Finally, it is a town of disasters: of natural disasters, such as earthquakes
in 1613 and 1693 or floods in 1833 and 1902; of human disasters, as appear
certain modern buildings in its historical centre, amidst a beautiful architectural
scenery.
These are all features of an historic city that
has much changed throughout the centuries and encountered many difficulties,
notably of economic nature. Nevertheless, of late, it has regained some of its
ancient splendor also thanks to the public administration that has fostered and
supported a number of folkloristic and tourism activities and events.
Geography
Modica is one of the most picturesque towns of
all Sicily. It is located in the Southern side of the Hyblean mountains and was
originally divided into two areas: Modica Alta (High Modica), whose houses are
nestled on the slopes of a hill, and Modica Bassa (Low Modica), down in the
valley, where once flew rivers Ianni Mauro and Pozzo dei Pruni – covered at the
beginning of the century because of frequent floods – where now runs the Corso
Umberto, the main street and historic centre of the town. Over the years the
town has extended its territory to new
areas, namely Modica Sorda, Monserrato, Idria, etc.,
corresponding to the “new” Modicas. The historic town has a baroque look mainly
originating from a post-quake reconstruction, since the disaster had completely
razed the old city.
Few remnants of the ancient city are:
The gothic portal of the church of the Carmine;
ruins of the 16th century church of “S. Maria del Gesù (St. Mary of
Jesus); the 15th century Chapel of the Sacrament within the church
of “S. Maria di Betlemme” (St. Mary of Bethlehem); the recently discovered 12th
century cave-church of San Nicolò Inferiore (St. Nicholas), in a late Byzantine
style, preserving decorations ranging in date from the 8th through
the 16th century.
What makes Modica so unique and charming is,
first of all, its baroque look, that dominates the historic centre, and,
secondly, the presence of picturesque narrow-streets and alleys, framed by
oldest shops, houses and buildings, that characterize the entire old Modica. A
tour of the churches and palazzi of the city is highly recommended.
The stately Cathedral of San Giorgio is one of
the most important and impressing religious monuments in all Sicily. Its origin
is partly unknown. According to historian Carrafa, the original structure of
the church dated from the earliest Middle ages and was destroyed by the
Arabians in 845; in the beginning of the 12th century it was rebuilt
and dedicated to Saint George by Roger the “Norman”. Highly damaged by the
1613’s earthquake, it was rebuilt at the behest of Count Giovanni Alfonso
Henriquez-Cabrera. Another terrific earthquake, in 1693, largely razed it, and
the new reconstruction, sumptuous and luxurious like never before, was
entrusted to celebrated architect Rosario Gagliardi, from Siracusa, already
author of the San Giorgio’s in Ragusa. The five-naves church, re-opened in
1738, is rich in artistic ornaments, stuccoes and paintings, such as the 1513’s
“Events of the Gospel and of the life of Saint George”, by Girolamo Aliprandi,
who was known as the “Raphael of Sicily”. The 1885’s sundial and the treasure
of the church are also remarkable. The latter guards the “Holy Ark”, a silvered
piece of art containing the relics of the Saint. A magnificent stairway,
counting 250 steps, contributes to make the church so impressing. It was
completed in 1818, made by Jesuit Francesco di Mauro.
The church of the Carmine, near Corrado
Rizzone’s Square, was a convent of Carmelitani friars. Both the church and the
convent date back to the 16th century, when the religious order
first came to Sicily. The church was highly injured by 1693’s earthquake and
retains of its original structure a splendid portal and a sumptuous
rose-window. The inside, with a nave, has altars on both sides, one of which
holds the “Annunciation”, a precious sculptural group, dating from the 16th
century, by Antonio Gagini. The main altar contains notable relief
stuccoes.
The church of St. Mary of Betlehem, in Modica Bassa, along the
main “Corso”, by Prince of Piedmont’s Square, originates from a 15th
century highly damaged construction, and retains the only right nave’s portal.
Inside it has three naves and a notably decorated truss roof. At the back of
the right aisle is the chapel of the Sacrament, with an octagonal cupola
decorated with Arabesque pendentives in gothic style and enriched with Arabian,
Norman and Catalan elements. The church preserves the tombs of noble Cabreras.
The left aisle contains a beautiful terracotta Christmas Crib, made by Father
Benedetto Papale in 1882.
On the main street also stands the church of
San Pietro (St. Peter), Patron of Modica Bassa, dating from the 14th
century, but rebuilt after 1693’s quake. The church has an elegant flight of
steps which is flanked by statues of the twelve apostles. The three-naved
basilica has fourteen pilasters bearing Corinthian capitals. The nave is
decorated with Scenes of the Old Testament; two important works adorn the right
aisle: “The Madonna of Trapani”, attributed to Giovanni Pisano, and a
polichrome work depicting “Saint Peter and the Paralytic”, by Paolo Civiletti
(1893).
The 18th century convent of the
Mercedari friars is an elegant building housing two museums: the municipal
museum, collecting archaeological finds from the Paleolithic and ancient
Christian Ages, and 18th and 19th century paintings; the
Hyblean museum of popular arts and traditions, holding a rich heritage of agricultural
tools, antique furniture, and shops, faithfully reproduced within several
rooms, representing an important specimen of the old activities and lifestyle.
The church of “S. Maria delle Grazie”, attached
to a convent, was built thanks to the recovery, in 1615, of a slate tablet
bearing the image of Mary with the Child. This tablet is still kept into the
main altar of the church. The upper side of the town, Modica Alta, also has
plenty of impressing churches and Palazzi, like that of Tomasi-Rossis, with a
large stone portal and top floor beautiful balconies supported by corbels with
masks.
The cathedral of San Giovanni rises at the top
of a beautiful flight of steps. It has a remarkable belfry, 449 m in height.
The façade is on two orders and enriched with two couples of columns.
The Palazzo De Leva, in Modica Bassa, is one of
the most stately in Modica. It hosts a public office and frequent art
exhibitions. It is especially renowned for its amazing 18th portal,
in Arabian and Norman style, which is referred to as the Chiaramonte style. The
Palazzo Polara stands right beside the Cathedral of San Giorgio. It is a
splendid construction in baroque style with an elegant flight of steps. Its
front elevation dominates Modica Bassa and its overhanging hills. It hosts a
well-known picture-gallery.
ECONOMY
Modica has a mainly agricultural economy, with
major outputs of olives, carobs, legumes, flours and all kinds of cereals. The
cattle-breeding is by far the most important activity, the Modica cattle being well-known for the
excellent quality of its flesh and milk. A quantity of cattle factories is
spread across the territory and the field is also supported by promoting
initiatives like traditional festivals. The production of wine and coffee (here
roasted and blended), exported worldwide, are as much outstanding. Especially
during the last decade commerce has seen a remarkable growth, thanks to the
development of a flourishing commercial zone gathering factories and businesses
of any sort: textile, house furniture, household appliances, cars, etc. Finally
worth-mentioning is the establishment of several sporting and tourism
facilities. Tourism also has recently remarkably grown, being better exploited
the historical, archaeological and natural riches of the area. The construction
of accomodation and recreational facilities also resulted in a boost of the
tourist influx.
Modica’s
traditional festivities are a perfect occasion to taste our many traditional
specialties. Away from diets, our local specialties are a pleasure for the
gourmet.
Sweets are
our most renowned and demanded specialty. Not to miss are the world-wide famous
home-made chocolate, still made after its ancient recipe, and the cassate, a
sweet delicacy made of ricotta, and sometimes mixed with chocolate flakes or
cinnamon. The “mustazzola”, made with honey and almond flakes, are a type of
biscotti, as hard as Modica’s torrone or “ghiugghiulena”, all gourmets for
strong teeth. Softer, but equally delightful, are the s-shaped “nucatoli” and
the “mpanatigghi”, which is a sweet pastry stuffed with chocolate and meat.
Finally
there are the “tarallucci”, sugar-coated and slightly lemon-flavored biscotti,
the marzipan fruits, available in a variety of tastes and shapes, and the much
appreciated almond biscotti.
Among the
salty specialties there are plenty of delightful specialties. Among others are:
the “palummedda ccu ll’ova”, a bagel-like dough baked along with a boiled egg
nestled in its hole; the “pastizzi”, pies stuffed with broccoli or spinachs,
the “mpanati”, pies stuffed with lamb or veal and baked potatoes; the
“pastieri”, pastries filled with minced meat and lamb entrails
Modica
people have a special affection for saints, notably for the two patron saints
of the town, St. Peter and Saint George, that they celebrate with amazing
annual events.
On St. George’s day, the saint is celebrated by
a procession of devotees, the so-called “Sangiorgiari”, and his statue carried
through the town, in a highly festive atmosphere.
The St.
Peter’s Feast has a less religious tone, mostly characterized by a large number
of booths filling the historic centre and the Via Medaglia d’Oro, where a crowd
of people coming from all the province and beyond stop to buy all kinds of
items. Despite traffic congestion, so
usual on the occasion of the feast, people would never miss these traditional
gaudy booths, its specialties and its typical flavours.
St. Anthony from Padova is also celebrated by a special feast.
Every year, on 13 June, people gather in the square before the convent of
Capuchins, and celebrate the Saint with a banquet comprised of typical
fava-beans, that the friars cook, wine and home-made bread.
The Feast of the Madonna delle Grazie, in the
square before the church, is also a much-awaited event. The statue of the Saint
is carried shoulder-high through the historical centre. The traditional “iocu
fuocu” (fireworks) concludes the feast at late night.
At Modica, Easter’s Day is characterized by a
picturesque traditional event: the Madonna Vasa-Vasa, able to attract a mass of
people, comprised of devotees, residents and tourists, who crowd the Corso
Umberto to see the traditional kiss, at midday, between the Virgin Mary and the
Resurrected Christ, who, carried shoulder-high by groups of devotees, “search”
for each other in the main street. The finale is extremely enrapturing: the
Madonna opens and close her arms with joy and slips off her black mantle
revealing a blue one, as a flock of white doves soar skyward to honor her.
“U Marti i l’Itria” (The Idria’s Tuesday) is a
traditional feast held on the tuesday following Easter’s day in the omonymous
small church nestled on the Idria hill, overlooking the town. It is a very
amusing event and people use to eat the traditional citrons. According to
popular tradition the feast originates from a misunderstanding: two peasants,
coming back to town from a long trip and lost their sense of time, believing
that that was Easter’s Day, stopped there and started celebrating with pastieri
and cassate, Modica’s traditional pastries.
Click here to take a photographic tour.
MARONNA VASA VASA
In the morning, the statues of the Resurrected
Christ and of the Virgin Mary are taken outside the church and carried through
the main streets of the historical centre where they “search” for each other.
The finale is particularly exciting. The black mantle slips off the Virgin
shoulders revealing a blue mantle.
THE CHIARAMONTE’S JOUST.
It is an event organized by the municipality of
Modica, every year, since 1996, to revive a tradition of the 17th
century and to celebrate the glorious past of the town. It is held annually on
15 August.
Click here to take a photographic tour
Click here to take a photographic tour of Saint
George’s Feast.
The Saint is celebrated in the weekend
following 23rd April (St. George’s day). The statue is carried
through the main streets of the city and finally brought to the cathedral,
filled with people, and carried all around the church to honour the Saint. A
show of fireworks concludes the feast at late night.
OUR LADY OF SORROW’S FEAST
It is celebrated in Modica Alta, with a
procession and a concert of the municipal band. A traditional festival, like
that of the home-made pasta, or other interesting events, like exhibitions, are
usually held on that occasion. For years it has been a very exciting feast also
thanks to the will and work of Father Pintaldi, priest of the Church of St.
John. A show of fireworks conclude the feast after midnight.
Were religious faith measured in terms of the number of sacred buildings in a town, Modica, and all the cities in the Ragusa province, would certainly rank among the top religious cities in Italy. In fact both Modica Bassa and Modica Alta have plenty of beautiful historical churches, that are important attractions for tourists from Italy and abroad.
In Modica
Bassa there are: The Church of the Madonna delle Grazie, mysteriously remained
incomplete. The front of the church features splendid decorations, a low-relief
depicting the coat-of-arms of the ancient county and two niches containing
statues. It is a three naved church. In the cupola and in the cross-vault are
interesting frescoes depicting the Evangelists and the Prophets. The main altar
bears a slate tablet bearing the image of the virgin Mary, who had defeated a
devastating plague in 1709. Next stands the Baroque convent of the Mercedari
friars, today hosting the municipal library, and the ethnographic museum,
holding a richest patrimony of tools and specimens of old popular arts and
traditions.
Along the Corso Umberto there is the church of the Carmine, that underwent numerous changes from its construction, dated the 15th century, notably after 1693’s earthquake that had almost entirely razed it. The upper part of the façade was rebuilt with a bell-tower and a niche of the Virgin Mary. A splendid rose-window, above the ogival portal, is the main feature of the front. Inside is a vestibule with a splendid holy-water font and a gothic arch in the Chiaramonte style. The church has one nave with altars on both sides, one of which showing a precious sculptured group by Gagini. The wooden major altar was sculpted in low-relief by local craftsmen.
The Church
of San Francesco, in the Idria hill, not far from the train station, has a
simple façade. It has a single nave and houses a beautiful wooden sculptured
altar. Next to the church is the convent of the Franciscan Friars.
The Madonna
del Rosario’s church, along the Corso Umberto, was erected in 1361. The
entrance door, bearing the coat of arms of the Dominican Friars, is surrounded
by four niches with statues. It has a single nave with a cross-vault.
Nearby is
the church of Santa Maria di Betlem, erected around 1400 on the ruins of four
ancient churches. The church is enriched with a nice and ancient square that
has been recently restored after being used as a parking since the ‘60s. Next
to the church is a bell-tower successively erected. On the left side is the
so-called “lunetta di Berlon”, entirely made from stone, depicting the nativity
and bearing some gothic insciptions. The church has three naves with a marble
floor and a richly decorated truss roof. The Palatin Chapel, erected in the 15th
century and guarding tombs of aristocratic people, is a precious piece of art
and the major attraction of the church. The chapel, with an elliptical plan and
a small cupola, can be considered a precious specimen of the Chiaramonte
architecture, characterized by a late-gothic style strongly influenced by
catalan, arab and norman elements. The ogival arch, entirely sculptured, is
framed by a wrought-iron fence. By the altar is a painted stone “Enthroned
Virgin and Child”, dating back to the 1500’s. One of the lateral chapels, on
the left side of the church, guards an impressing Holy Crib made by Father
Benedetto Papale in 1882. Counting over sixty statues in terracotta from
Caltagirone, it recreates scenes from Modica’s old days and lifestyle. A
majestic organ, in the central nave, made from sculptured wood, is also
remarkable.
Following the Corso Umberto, you meet a monumental flight of steps flanked by statues of the twelve apostles. On top of it rises the church of St. Peter, built soon after 1693’s earthquake, on the ruins of a 14th century temple. Its architecture derives from two different projects. The first, dating from the 17th century, is especially evident in the decorations of the columns and in the portals’ design. The second dates from the 18th century and is clearly visible in the vaults and in the windows. The façade is particularly impressing. Inside it has two chapels and three naves divided by columns bearing corinthian capitals; it contains numerous paintings and statues among which outstanding is the “Madonna dell’Ausilio”, of the Gagini school.
Nearby is
the small church of San Nicolò Inferiore, carved into the rock, containing
frescoes that date back to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Also worth-mentioning is the Church of S. Maria del Soccorso, recently restored and annexed by a former Jesuit Monastery.
Along the
way to Modica Alta, stands the Duomo of Saint George, one of the major baroque
monuments of all Sicily, built in the first half of the 18th century
by notorious architect Rosario Gagliardi. The imposing Cathedral rises at the
top of a long and elegant flight of steps. Inside it has five naves and a
transept where is a remarkable sundial. Also worth-mentioning are the cupola
and the lateral chapels. The five-naved cathedral preserves numerous precious
works, such as paintings, sculptures, and objects like pyxes, candelabrums and
a stunning pipe-organ dated 1885. Noteworthy are: a polyptych by Bernardino
Niger, portraying, in nine panels, scenes of the life of knight saints George
and Martin, and from the Old and New Testament; a painting by Paladino, dated
1610, depicting the “Madonna Assunta in cielo” that self-portrays the author
near a group of Apostles; a picture depicting the martyrdom of St. Hippolyte,
by Cicalesius, and a small ark containing the
relics of the saint; a statue of the Madonna della Neve dated 1511.
Following the main road you soon get to Modica Alta, where
stands the Church of St. John,
on top of a large stairway flanked by twenty-six pilasters that once supported
statues. Only three of them have remained. The baroque façade is divided into
two orders. Inside it has three-naves and a transept with plenty of stuccoes.
Highly remarkable are the stuccoes contained in the vault, the lateral chapels
and the presbitery.
A narrow
street, on the right side of the church, leads to the former church of S. Maria
del Gesù, with an annexed convent dating from
the 15th century. Only the splendid façade remained of the
original construction that was destroyed by the 1693’s earthquake. The ogival
portal shows a splay enriched with columns that bear nice capitals.
Also
worth-visiting are the churches of St. Nicholas, in a neo-classic style, and of
Saint Jacob, maybe the most ancient of all the churches in Modica, located out
of town on the road to Scicli, amidst a nice wood of pines and eucalyptuses.
Erected around the 14th century it remained nearly intact. It has a
simple façade with a small bell-tower and two ogival portals without
decorations. Inside it houses the remains of a fresco and an ancient stone
altar.
ISLAM IN
MODICA
MOSQUES AND
SURROUNDINGS
Islam is a
fascinating and mysterious faith spanning fourteen centuries of history. The
Mosque is the place of worship for Muslim people. It is not to have anything
special. Any place where Muslims gather for prayer, as a group
or individually, is a mosque, ranging from a sumptuous and richly decorated
building to a one-room one. It often contains just a mat, where muslims kneel during prayer, and a niche, or something, showing the direction of Mecca,
Islam’s holiest city.
This is the way most Muslims in Modica, practice their religion. They are
people that place great value on their religious faith and that dedicate plenty
of their time to prayer and to the worship of Allah. Their Mosque is located in
the historical centre of Modica, in Via Arancitello, a street running parallel
to Corso Umberto, the main street. Most Modica people hardly know the place,
even thanks to Muslims’ usual shyness, an inborn quality, that some people
often mistake for their being snob. But they could not be wronger. That’s
Islam, a way of life, that sees religion primarily as a
spiritual sentiment. According to the Koran, muslims must wash before praying, since he must be in a state of ritual
purity, both physical and spiritual. Non-muslims are usually not allowed to enter the mosque, since they’re
not pure. But what is it meant by “purity”? Just a few, simple rules, such as
that of not drinking alcohols before the prayer, and that of performing
ablutions, that is washing the hands and the face in preparation for
prayer, as a spiritual purification. Only then is a worshipper worthy to enter the mosque. Every muslim
worshipper scrupolously fulfilles these obligations. Unfulfillment is seen as a lack of
respect for Allah. The Mosque of Modica is frequented everyday by some fifty
muslims, most Moroccans, open all the day from dawn till sunrise. They are
required to pray five times a day, kneeling on a prayer mat and facing Mecca. They start at dawn, then at midday,
in the afternoon, at dusk, at night. During the prayer each Muslim establishes a
direct contact with Allah. There is no need of a priest as an intermediary, as it is in Christian
Faith. Some
prayers can include a sermon given by a prayer leader called the “Imam”. Another person, the “Muezzin” is the
one who calls Muslims to prayer. The first Muezzin was a black slave, Hazrat
Bilal, who converted to Islam.
Moroccans
in Modica, and in all over the world, continue to profess and practice, with
extreme devotion, their own faith, dividing their time between work (often
underpaid) and prayer, while dealing with preconceived ideas and prejudices of
people, who only rarely boast their same spirituality and faith.
MARINA DI MODICA
Marina di
Modica, administratively belonging to Modica, is a renowned summer resort, its
numerous shops and facilities remaining mostly closed during winter, when few
hundreds of residents populate the village. Yet, for people who do prefer a
peaceful and relaxing vacation this is a very special time, with a nice climate
especially in the late spring and early autumn. Thanks to its favorable windy
conditions, Marina di Modica is a well-known little “surfers’ paradise”.
Surfers and windsurfers from all the South-Eastern Sicily crowd the little bay
all the year round. But above all it is a summer destination with accomodation
and entertainment facilities that make it an ideal place for your vacation.