St. Luke's in Sicily: Standing at the Crossroads of Civilizations & Culture

In Sicily, Director of Studies and Classics teacher Jim Yavenditti led the group as they visited the region’s historic landmarks and experienced its unique, rich culture. "Sicily has always been on my radar as a place for St. Luke’s students to visit,” reflected Yavenditti. “There are some unbelievable Greek and Roman sites there, and those locations have not been as manhandled by tourists as other European locations. Sicily is well known for its history of both conquering and being conquered—by Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and Normans—so even just one week on the island can give visitors a thorough understanding on the history of Sicily." Highlights of the trip include: the Greek temple and theater at Segesta; the Duomo at Monreale; the Lombardy castle at Enna; the Valley of the Temples at Agrigento; the Roman villa (and its mosaics) at Piazza Armerina; the theater, amphitheater, and quarries at ancient Syracuse; the well-preserved Roman theater at Taormina; and climbing up parts of snow-capped Mt. Etna.

Beyond its well-preserved ancient monuments, Sicily gave the St. Luke’s travelers much more to remember: terracotta rooftops, majestic churches, intricate mosaics, as well as colorful spices, fruits and vegetables, and gelato (lots of gelato!) found at multicultural marketplaces. These, and the varied landscapes encompassing mountains, the sea, vineyards and valleys, are a few of the scenes captured in these photographs by Dale Griffa, St. Luke’s Upper School Music Department Chair, who chaperoned along with Camille DeMarco-Havens (Upper School Health and Wellness Coordinator), Leonora Mahler (MS and US Classics teacher), and Matt Bavone (US Latin teacher and Academic Technologist). To see more photos: St. Luke's in Sicily.