Happy Easter, Buona Pasqua, Joyeuses Pâques (sorry I can’t remember the phrase in Spanish) to all. I’ve had you all in mind during our travels and have a photo of Santa Victoria’s blood from somewhere, some fairly decent shots of reliquaries and choir stalls plus some contemporary pious practices that will probably make you smile. In Taormina, Sicily yesterday, Holy Saturday preparations were very interesting. They included a decorated fountain in front of the duomo and a Jesus with upraised arms lurking behind the main altar, probably ready to be lifted up at the appropriate moment of the Paschal Vigil Mass. It would almost have been worth missing the boat to witness what is probably a very medieval spectacle. I’ll figure out some way to jam it into a medieval religion photo site. We were in Spain during Semana Santa and got some interesting shots of white palms, processional carts being prepared for whatever they were to carry through the streets, etc. I also got good photos of the cloister of Sant Cugat del Vallès near Barcelona. However Juan Antonio Olañeta’s site, a link to which is on my site, has what are probably much better photos as well as identifications of some of the more obscure subjects.

I’ve been MIA from the list since the 1^st of April and won’t return till mid-May, at which time I’ll have some more France for the photo share site. I can receive mail via my own address but not through the list so if you want to contact me, don’t reply to this mail. Use my personal address instead.

Sorry for the length of this mail but, hey, you’ve been spared my pearls of wisdom for almost a month. Read you soon.

MG