Sicily
Hand-painted sacred icons in Palermo and Sicily
Sicily is Concetta Basile's home: here she paints her icons entirely by hand, in egg tempera and 23¾ karat gold. And it is a land where the icon has been at home for almost a thousand years, from the Norman mosaics of Palermo, Monreale and Cefalù to the Byzantine-rite parishes of the Arbëreshë communities.
Palermo, Monreale, Cefalù: Byzantine Sicily
- The Palatine Chapel, in the Norman Palace of Palermo, commissioned by King Roger II in the 12th century: from the dome Christ Pantocrator presides over one of the richest cycles of Byzantine mosaics in the West.
- The Martorana, Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio, founded in 1143 by George of Antioch, admiral of Roger II: it holds the oldest mosaics in Sicily and belongs to the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi, where the liturgy is celebrated in the Byzantine rite.
- Monreale Cathedral, founded in 1174 by William II: the great mosaic of Christ Pantocrator fills the vault of the central apse.
- Cefalù Cathedral, commissioned by Roger II, with the apse Pantocrator, among the most famous faces of Christ in Byzantine art.
- Since 2015 these monuments have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage site «Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedral Churches of Cefalù and Monreale».
A living tradition: the Byzantine rite in Sicily
In Sicily the icon is not only art history. The Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi gathers the Byzantine-rite Arbëreshë communities of Piana degli Albanesi, Contessa Entellina, Mezzojuso, Palazzo Adriano and Santa Cristina Gela, and the Martorana in Palermo: here icons and the iconostasis are part of every Sunday liturgy.
Devotion to the Madonna dell'Itria, from the Greek Hodegetria, is widespread from Palermo to eastern Sicily; and according to the Life written by Saint Jerome, Saint Hilarion of Gaza landed in Sicily at Cape Pachino. Concetta Basile paints in the furrow of this heritage.
A work in Palermo: the Good Samaritan of the Mission of Hope and Charity
In 2022 Concetta Basile delivered the icon of the Good Samaritan to the Missione di Speranza e Carità (Mission of Hope and Charity) in Palermo, founded by Brother Biagio Conte and today led by Father Pino Vitrano: on a gold ground, the whole parable with Christ the King of the Universe and the Latin inscriptions CHRISTUS REX UNIVERSI and DE BONO SAMARITANO.
The Good Samaritan
Mission of Hope and Charity, Palermo, 2022.
Delivery to the Mission
Concetta Basile and the tenor Ilarion carry the icon to the Mission.
Saint Hilarion the Great
The saint who landed in Sicily at Cape Pachino.
Christ Pantocrator
Round panel with Greek inscription.
Looking for an iconographer in or near Palermo?
Those looking for iconographers in Palermo or nearby, from Monreale to Bagheria, from Carini to Termini Imerese, from Partinico to Cefalù, will find in Concetta Basile a Sicilian iconographer of the traditional school of iconography, granddaughter and direct pupil of the master Lia Galdiolo, whose iconographic ministry is attested by the Archimandrite, monk and hermit Father Alessio Mandanikiotis.
Every icon is painted entirely by hand on a panel prepared with gesso and animal glue, in egg tempera with ochres, earths and oxides, and is fully gilded with 23¾ karat gold. It is commissioned with an offering proportionate to the time and materials of the work, for churches, parishes, confraternities, religious communities and families in Palermo and throughout Sicily, from Trapani to Catania, from Messina to Syracuse and Ragusa.
The first conversation can take place online or in person. We ship worldwide: the icon is delivered with protective packaging and, on request, insured shipping, together with its certificate of authenticity on real parchment with photographs of every stage and its explanatory booklet in Italian or English. Shipping conditions are checked case by case at the time of commission.
Gift ideas in Sicily
In Sicily the feasts of patron saints mark the year, from the Festino of Saint Rosalia in Palermo to the feasts of Saint Agatha in Catania and Saint Lucy in Syracuse; the cathedrals of Monreale and Cefalù and the island's Baroque churches host weddings worthy of a fitting gift. A hand-painted icon accompanies weddings, baptisms, ordinations and the life of parishes, confraternities and charitable works.
Wedding
The Holy Family or the Mother of God of Tenderness.
Patron saints
Saint Rosalia, Saint Agatha, Saint Lucy or the patron of your own town.
Ordination
The Pantocrator or the new priest's patron saint.
Communities and charities
The Good Samaritan or the Good Shepherd.
Frequently asked questions
Are there iconographers in Palermo?
Yes. Concetta Basile is a Sicilian iconographer who hand-paints sacred icons to commission for Palermo and all of Sicily: for churches, parishes, religious communities and families. The first conversation can take place online or in person.
Can I commission an icon for a Byzantine-rite church?
Yes. The icons are painted according to the Byzantine canon, with Greek inscriptions, and can be designed for the iconostasis, a chapel or the veneration of the faithful.
Can Saint Rosalia or other Sicilian saints be painted?
Yes. Besides saints with an ancient iconography, the iconographer can paint local saints such as Saint Rosalia, Saint Agatha or Saint Lucy, studying the sources and traditional images to remain faithful to the canon.