Mario, her father, approached Alfredo Salafia, embalmer and taxidermist, to preserve her. Accept Read More, https://www.youtube.com/embed/jrbbOCuDJCE, Post Mortem Photography Immortalizing the Dead, Padre Pio Stigmata, Miracle Worker or Fraud, https://www.amusingplanet.com/2017/01/rosalia-lombardo-mummy-that-blinks.html, https://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2014/06/mystery-of-blinking-child-mummy-solved.html. In fact, the only proof Rosalia the mummy has a sister is that there is a Rosalia Lombardo who was in discussion with the Sicilian government about the poor treatment of Rosalia by National Geographic. Thanks to Salafia, the body was well preserved. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) [1] was a Palermitan child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, [2] one week before her second birthday. Rosalia is surrounded by many other bodies, over 8000, who sleep their eternal sleep in the Catacombs of the Capuchins. It is difficult to untangle the feelings aroused by Rosalia, innocent and young, yet frozen between worlds, un-allowed to decay least her family lose her spirit forever. He approached a popular embalmer, Alfredo Salafia and asked to have her preserved for eternity. I wrote about the Capuchin Catacombs already, but essentially, the Catacombs were a place where the dead were displayed in order to be visited by the living. Rosalia Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy - December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'historyofyesterday_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_8',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');However,Dario Piombino- Mascali, the curator of Capuchin Catacombs has assured us that all that people are seeing is, in fact, an optical illusion. In fact, the body of little Rosalia has organs in a perfect state of preservation and you can see how one lung is denser than the other, a clear sign that the little girl actually fell ill with bronchopneumonia. Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl, died in 1920 from an intensified case of bronchopneumonia, a kind of pneumonia that involves inflammation in the alveoli. These blue eyes, like the rest of her body, are remarkably intact. Top Image: Rosalia Lombardo. ", "Why Does This Child Mummy Appear to Open And Close Her Eyes? 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. The problem at the time, was that no one knew how Rosalia had been preserved. Thousands of visitors from across the world have come to see the girl, intrigued by the many reports that the eyes of the dead body are blinking. Thanks to these tricks it will be possible to keep this body intact for a long, long time. This, along with the light that filters in various ways through the tombs windows throughout the day, causes the girls eyes to seem open. Many of these ingredients are commonly used today, but the shining star of this concoction is the zinc salts which essentially petrified her body. The Italian biological anthropologist was able to debunk the myths about Rosalia Lombardo. Also, check out Children of Llullaillaco: Where Young Children Were Sacrificed to the Gods. Rosalia Lombardos Xray By National Geographic. Catacombe dei Cappuccini | Palermo, Italy, Fact Analysis: Is it better to believe in science or in the irrational? Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. After the embalming, Rosalia was then transported to the Catacombs of the Capuchins, which was made possible by the mayor of the city, Giuseppe Lanza di Scalea, who in fact gave his permission. Her young age allowed Salafia to follow a simple mummification process that kept her angel face untouched and undeteriorated for over 100 years. The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. , thanks to the possibility that he was granted access to the anatomical school of Professor Randaccio. The father refused to bury his daughter, seemingly extremely traumatized because of losing his child.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofyesterday_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Rosalias death took place only a week shy of her second birthday. Father of Rosalia Lombardo and Rosalia Lombardo. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could blame someone. Maria di Cara, his partner, has in fact just given birth to their first daughter, Rosalia. Rosalias body is now preserved in a new glass coffin, which is designed to block the growth of fungi or bacteria. If you want to visit Rosalia, youre not alone. [4] Rosalia Lombardo's body is kept in a small chapel at the end of the catacomb's tour and is encased in a glass covered coffin, placed on a wooden pedestal. La Pascualita: An Extremely Well-Preserved Corpse, or an Eerily Life-like Mannequin? [7] The embalming formula is described as "one part glycerin, one part formalin saturated with zinc sulfate and zinc chloride, and one part of an alcohol solution saturated with salicylic acid", and was entered into the body through a single-point injection, most likely into the femoral artery via a gravity injector. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. Avid Writer with invaluable knowledge of Humanity! The Lombardo family was Italian, and despite the fact that the Spanish flu pandemic was coming to an end, the girls pneumonia appeared to have been caused by this lethal illness. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). The older we get, the more constant they appear. Source: Sibeaster / Public Domain. Many find it too overwhelming to be underground with what looks like an army of the dead from a horror film, including an Argentinian companion of mine who had to surface for air and rejoin the mortal beings above. Not only do visitors swear that the little girls eyes blink, but many sequences of photographs seem to confirm that her eyelids open and close a little. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason that Rosalia's parents requested that the child's body be entrusted to Alfredo Salaria, one of the most famous embalmers of the twentieth century, with the hope in this way of being able to pay homage to the memory of the little girl, torn all too young to life, with the hope of being able to stop the passage of time. These cookies do not store any personal information. Powered by WordPress and Mystique theme by digitalnature | RSS Feeds, Working at the Crossroads of Life and Death, When the Public Viewing of a Mutilated Body is a Statement: The Funeral of Emmett Till. Perhaps the period close to the feast of the dead is precisely the most suitable! Her body is kept in a small chapel placed on a wooden pedestal. For after all, the dead have no need for grand decorations in this realm they leave behind. The story of Rosalia is speculated, but unknown. Rosalia Lombardos mummified body appeared to be the most alive mummy in the world. Perhaps it is precisely for this reason, therefore, if in the end Rosalia's body has always remained there, where it was first placed. Even if the little girl's body has not found a worthy burial, the choice to embalm her so as to be able to give her eternal rest and to give her name to her little sister are the clear sign of how much Rosalia was loved. A century has passed, but her corpse still looks like the little girl is just dozing under the glass case of the casket. Rosalia Lombardo born on December 13, 1918, was a Sicilian kid that died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920 from the Spanish flu. Interesting history topics are just a click away. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. [3] Her story to this day is passed on by the monks who still work in the catacombs. Of him who gave eternal sleep to many bodies, of him who transformed Rosalia's body into a masterpiece, all that remains is a pile of bones. The catacombs are open nearly everyday and the entry fee is only 3 euros. The Lombardo family was . It seems that it was a common practice to insert a bottle in the coffin containing the reagent capable of preventing the formation of mold and ensuring that the body was preserved longer. A city steeped in religious history; it was also home to a Catholic sect called the Capuchins (An order of friars and one of the main offshoots of the Franciscan order created by famous religious devout Francis of Assisi). Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. And the body of Alfredo Salaria? The typical embalming procedures include the complete removal of organs. Rosalias preserved body came out looking like the most alive mummy in the world. [3] Sometimes called "Sleeping Beauty", hers was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. He then approached the monks who ran the Capuchin Catacombs and begged for his daughter to be placed there. Some photographs taken in sequence, at intervals of about one minute, also offered a similar testimony. They tell of a young child, born frail and weak, who endured more pain and sickness throughout her short life than most do in their lifetimes. The glass case also protects the body from any effects of light. However, they are not perfectly closed, they are actually ajar, as if it were sleeping, yes, but on the verge of waking up. People Projects . (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). That same year, Capuchin catacombs curator Dario Piombino-Mascali discovered a handwritten manuscript written by Salafia, wherein he lists the ingredients used to mummify Rosalia. Rosalia Lombardo: The mystery of the Blinking Mummy, Present condition of Rosalia Lombardos mummy: The preserved corpse was relocated. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Her curly blonde hair and a ribbon on it make her look like she is just sleeping. Upcoming historian with over 30 million views online. So, Mario in his grief sought out the famed embalmer Alfredo Salafia to preserve Rosalia forever. The mummy is one of the best preserved bodies in the catacombs. They moved to other Italian cities and then also abroad, thus without having the opportunity to choose a cemetery where to bury their child. It is reasonable to believe that the embalmer made a choice of this type to pay homage to this young missing soul, to ensure that this body could give the appearance of life. Most visitors to her mummified remains say she is a miracle because she blinks even though she has been dead for a long time. This, combined with the light which is filtrated in different ways during the day through the windows of the catacombs makes the girls eyes look like they are open.A team of researchers performing X-ray on Rosalias body (Source:National Geographic)This X-ray clearly shows Rosalias arms and feet (Source:National Geographic)The X-ray of Rosalia showed her brain and liver intact. These questions arise spontaneously. So ajar, they always seem on the verge of opening up, as if there is a hope that that little girl can return to life. After washing with vinegar, they were filled with straw and then dressed. A visit to the Catacombs of Capuchin is the ultimate reminder or Memento Mori (in Latin) that we too will join the endless ranks of the dead alas perhaps in not such a spectacular setting. Get notified of the best booming posts weekly. He also sought the embalmers elixir of preservation which has kept her form so perfect even until this day. Rosalia died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to "blame" someone. Why is there an Elephant Buried Beneath the Vatican. Recommended Visit: Further studies however, including time-lapse photos by National Geographic, show that Rosalia does in fact blink several times an hour! The story was a tragedy by all accounts: Mario Lombardo, now a grieving father, couldn't bear the thought of a life without ever being able to see the face of his beloved child, Rosalia, again. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Rosalia Lombardo's father, official Mario Lombardo, was severely upset by the death of his loved daughter and contacted a famous Sicilian embalmer, Alfredo Salafia, to preserve the body of Rosalia. You will then receive an email that helps you regain access. A symbol of love, death, loss and a reminder of just how short life can be. 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