“Image and Scripture. Greek Presence in Messina from the Middle Ages to Modernity”

March 23 - August 23, 2013

Museo Interdisciplinare Regionale “Maria Accascina", Messina, Sicily, 23 March - 26 May 2013

Sala Duca di Montalto Palazzo dei Normanni, Palermo, Sicily, 5 June - 23 August 2013

The exhibition deals with the Greek presence in Sicily from the Βyzantine era to the 19th century, focusing on the city of Messina, where a flourishing Greek Community existed. A number of Βyzantine and post-Βyzantine icons from the Community’s Church, Saint Nicholas “of the Greeks”, has been the starting point for the exhibition project. The icons were rescued from the ruins of the church by the crew of the Greek warship “Sfakteria” shortly after the big earthquake of the 28th of December 1908, which devastated the city of Messina. They were immediately transferred to Athens, in safety, and a few years later, in June 1915, they entered the Collection of the newly founded (in November 1914) Byzantine & Christian Museum.