A Palermo, near the Capuchin Catacombs, the still intact mummy of a little girl who died just over a century ago is kept. What is surprising about her slender body is not only its perfect state of preservation, but the fact that the little girl continues to open and close her eyes over time. Experts have given a scientific explanation to this mystery, which fascinates many, which, however, has not altered the charm of the "child mummy" in the slightest.
The short story of Rosalia Lombardo
The mummy in question, considered the most beautiful in the world, is that of little Rosalia Lombardo, born in Palermo on 13 December 1918 and died, aged just two, on 6 December 1920, due to pneumonia. Father Mario, devastated by pain, turned to the embalmer and pathologist Alfredo Salafia to preserve his daughter's body.
Salafia, one of the most skilled embalmers of the 900th century, is said to have used a particular technique involving the administration of a solution containing formaldehyde. The result he obtained was surprising: Rosalia's little body almost seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Her skin was smooth and soft, her hair was still intact, her eyelashes perfectly visible.
The scientific explanation for the strange movement of the eyelids
The mummy of Rosalia Lombardo has so far fascinated and intrigued numerous scholars and experts, who have tried to understand how it was possible that the body of such a small girl could be so well preserved for so long. Some have hypothesized that the formaldehyde solution used by Salafia played a key role in the embalming process, others believe that the dry and ventilated climate of the Capuchin Cemetery helped preserve the little girl's body.
Regardless of the scientific explanation, Rosalia's mummy continues to exert a mysterious and magnetic fascination on anyone who observes it. But what is most surprising and makes us cry out for a miracle are the little girl's eyes which seem to open several times a day. To investigate the causes of this phenomenon, the mummy was photographed over the course of a day with a time gap of 60 seconds. This has allowed some scholars to establish that it is a phenomenon due to the humidity and the lights of the device which together generate a photo-decomposition, creating the opening and closing movement of the eyelids.
Tourist attraction
The “mummy child” has become a real tourist attraction in Palermo, arousing wonder and terror among visitors. Rosalia is an icon of the city of Palermo and a symbol of the fragility and beauty of childhood. Every year thousands of people visit the Capuchin Catacombs to see the little girl's mummy and pay homage to her memory. Her story invites us to reflect on the brevity of life and the power of parents' love for their children, even beyond death.
(Photo: Capuchin Catacombs, Facebook Page)
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