Pilgrims from the diocese visit Sicily and Italy

Photos courtesy of John Nobile

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A group of 28 pilgrims from throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake City traveled with Msgr. Terence Moore, pastor of Saint John the Baptist. They were led throughout Sicily and Italy by Italian tour escort Laura Pagano, who showed them all the sites, taught them Italian and to sing the Italian song ?Volare.?

SICILY-ITALY - Our heritage, religion, and history came alive as we traveled Nov. 9-21 through Sicily and Italy on a pilgrimage with Msgr. Terrence Moore, pastor of Saint John the Baptist Parish. All 28 pilgrims traveled to connect with their Italian roots, increase their Catholic faith, or experience an audience with Pope Benedict XVI.

Our first destination was Palermo, Sicily. When we got off the plane, John Salvatore Nobile, a parishioner of St. John the Baptist, said "I've been waiting 84 years to come home." Nobile's family is from Messino, Sicily, and he was anxious to see the island from where they came. His great-grandfather died in the Messino earthquake in 1908 that killed 80 percent of the population.

We toured the temples of Apollo, Athena, Arethusa and the Greek Theatre in Siracusa, rode close to the top of Mt. Etna in Catania, where we hiked around a crater of lava. We traveled to Taormina before crossing to Italy by ferry through Messina, known as the door of Sicily. With its port shaped like a sickle it has always been a trading city situated close to the peninsula of Italy.

In Sorrento, Italy, we explored the Amalfi Coast, and visited the eternal city of Pompeii. We viewed Mount Vesuvius, which in 79 A.D. destroyed the City of Pompeii.

On our first day in Rome we attended an audience with Pope Benedict XVI. In his message he said the Christian faith and Christ enters our hearts through art and architecture. That was evident as we witnessed all the sculptures, paintings and mosaics of Michelangelo, Bernini, Botticelli and other artists throughout the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican and the major basilicas.

In Rome John Nobile and his two daughters, Kathy Medlock, from California, and Marilou Small, a St. John the Baptist parishioner, took a side trip to the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial. There are 7,861 Americans buried there who were killed during World War II.

"For us, we finally had closure on the death of my brother, who died in 1944," said John. "I was glad to be there with my daughters. It was the highlight of my trip. John's brother, Joseph Nobile, was a belly gunner on a B-24 bomber. He was killed on a bombing run to Germany; his plane was hit flying over Austria.

"Everyone survived but him," said John.

"We grew up hearing stories about Uncle Joe," said Marilou. "We felt like we knew him. Being at his grave put a lump in our throats and it was hard to leave."

"I'm old and I will never get to see him again," said John. "I made sure my girls knew their uncle. I always told them stories about him. My father fainted when got the telegram telling him my brother had died."

"He was only a boy when he died. It was really touching to be at his graveside," said Kathy. "It was sad. This cemetery is not visited much by family members, it is visited more by tourists. To experience this with Dad was something we will never forget."