Madonna delle Milizie in Scicli and the legend of the rescue of Sicily from the Saracens in 1091

The Madonna delle Milizie from the church in the comune of Scicli is a unique representation of the Mother of God as a horsewoman on a white steed. According to legend, it was the Madonna herself, appearing in a radiant cloud on horseback, who saved Sicily from capture by the Saracens in 1091. Once a year the statue is carried out of the church in a solemn procession. Beneath the horse's hooves are the figures of two vanquished enemies, one of whom is dark-skinned; one wonders whether, in time, he will be removed from the composition?

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September digest: archaeological finds, exhibitions, museums, theatre and the Church

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Frederic Leighton

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Madonna delle Milizie in Scicli and the legend of the rescue of Sicily from the Saracens in 1091

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September digest: archaeological finds, exhibitions, museums, theatre and the Church

Frederic Leighton

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