Suddenly, however, fate plays a mocking trick on the couple. People Projects . Losing a child is always a tragedy, and if it is a child of just a few years of life, the tragedy is undoubtedly even greater and more difficult to bear. But let's go back to that December 6, 1920. Biblio data only below the dashed line. Many people believed that Lombardo had opened her eyes a fraction of an inch in a composite of many time-lapse photographs. Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 4 million WordPress sites. However, things can go wrong. Rosalia's daddy, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. all right reserved COOKIES & PRIVACY POLICY, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. But in doing so, she became something larger than life. Her grieving father couldn't settle . The Remains of Dead US Presidents Will Be Sent Into Space, The Man Who Surgically Brought Back Unicorns. Rosalia's dad, Official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved after her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to preserve her. A Net Inceptions project. It is considered one of the best-preserved mummies in the world. There are those who believe that it is really her, little Rosalia, who blinks forever, almost a way to communicate with the world of the living. The Lombardo family was Italian, and despite the fact that the Spanish flu pandemic was coming to an end, the girls pneumonia appeared to have been caused by this lethal illness. They were famed for their Romanesque architecture, characterized by semi-circular arches. Rosalia Lombardo's father, official Mario Lombardo, was severely upset by the death of his loved daughter and contacted a famous Sicilian embalmer, Alfredo Salafia, to preserve the body of Rosalia. All of which would have had a unique story to tell. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. The paraffin dissolved in the ether, then wiped on the girls face, making it look like she is looking directly at those who are looking at her. Despite offering her the best medication possible at the time, she was too young and didnt have a strong enough immune system to be able to fight pneumonia. They moved to other Italian cities and then also abroad, thus without having the opportunity to choose a cemetery where to bury their child. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Geni requires JavaScript! . Then, later in 2009 Dario Piombino-Mascali, a biological anthropologist sought out Alfredos living descendants and asked to go through his things for clues as to the formula. The story of Rosalia Lombardo got to Profesor Salafia, therefore he never charged the father for his services. At a closer look, it can be seen that her eyes are not 100% closed and this was probably done with the intention by Alfredo Salafia to make her look more alive. The story of Rosalia is speculated, but unknown. The embalming of the body of Rosalia Lombardo by Alfredo Salaria. Others passed this phenomenon off as changes of the light. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". He then approached the monks who ran the Capuchin Catacombs and begged for his daughter to be placed there. In 2009, an MRI scan of the little girl was performed, to see the state of preservation of the interior of the body. So ajar, they always seem on the verge of opening up, as if there is a hope that that little girl can return to life. Not only that, he also added paraffin, duly dissolved in ether. First solid scientific evidence that Vikings brought animals to Britain, 500,000-year-old tools in Polish cave may have belonged to extinct hominid species. Rosalia's face has very sweet features, with the plump cheeks of a two-year-old girl, delicately framed by fair hair. If you find the above article inaccurate or biased, please let us know at[emailprotected]. Rosalia Lombardo born on December 13, 1918, was a Sicilian kid that died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920 from the Spanish flu. Rosalia meant the world to her family, especially her father who sought to preserve her eternally. A corridor of mummies inside the catacombs. But the proof of her heritage doesnt exist. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to blame someone. Piombino-Mascali made this amazing discovery in 2009 after some of the workers in the museum moved her coffin, which caused her body to shift a little bit. Source: Sibeaster / Public Domain. After 7 months from the birth of the child they also decide to get married, aware that they need to take this step in order to guarantee serenity and tranquility for their family. X-rays of the body show that all the organs are remarkably intact. The paraffin dissolved in the ether, then applied on the girls face, creates the illusion that she is staring straight at whoever is staring at her. Rosalia Lombardos one hundred year old body may be the most beautifully embalmed body in the world. Some said this was her spirit returning to her body. The daughter was always sick. What is even more interesting is that upon an X-ray of the mummified corpse, it seems that Rosalinas organs have been perfectly conserved. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. Husband of Maria Di Cara It is reasonable to believe that the embalmer made a choice of this type to pay homage to this young missing soul, to ensure that this body could give the appearance of life. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. He has worked on many projects in the past including tzi the Tyrolean Iceman from Italy and the Kabayan Mummies also known as the fire mummies of the Philippines. He used many modern and original techniques to mummify young Rosalia to perfection. Her body was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. Rosalia was an Italian child who died in 1918 in Palermo. One resident was not famous in her short life but became infamous in death. : 02075400842, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. The Lombardo family was from Italy and even if the Spanish flu pandemic was coming to an end, it seems that the girls pneumonia was caused by this deadly virus. It is so amazingly well-maintained that even X-rays show the internal organs to be intact. Her body is kept in a small chapel placed on a wooden pedestal. The corpse was preserved nearly perfectly due to the dry atmosphere inside the Catacomb. Your email address will not be published. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. The formula consisted of formalin, zinc salts, alcohol, salicylic acid, and glycerin. Researchers and scholars had made many hypotheses, but without any evidence and without having official documentation. Piombino-Mascali hopes that visitors will stop making any new stories about the little child mummy. Luckily for the scientific community they consented and Dario found a handwritten memoir reveling the exact formula injected into Rosalia. It also appears that over the years, perhaps the 1960s or 1970s, the glass in the coffin broke. Scientists have determined that changes in humidity in the catacombs cause changes of pressure in her body and thus her eyes to open. The monks agreed and she was one of the last mummies placed in the catacombs. Most of the people that go to visit her mummified body believe that she is a miracle since she keeps blinking even though she has been dead for a long time. [8], The mummy has achieved further notoriety for a phenomenon in which her eyes appear to open and close several times a day, revealing her intact blue irises. The older we get, the more constant they appear. Her mummified body was preserved in theCatacombe dei Cappuccini(The Capuchin Catacombs)in Palermo, a place filled with mummified bodies and corpses of other people throughout history. His body is not here, it has been buried. Catacombe dei Cappuccini | Palermo, Italy, Fact Analysis: This shifting of her body allowed Piombino-Mascali to see her eyelids from a new angle. Further studies however, including time-lapse photos by National Geographic, show that Rosalia does in fact blink several times an hour! The mystery was soon solved when he observed that a filtration of light from the windows was catching her eye-lens to cause the illusion of life. Her premature death at age two left her father grief-stricken. A tuft of hair is also held in place by a yellow bow. The Lombardo family was Italian and although the Spanish flu pandemic was ending, it seemed that Rosalia's pneumonia may have been caused by this deadly disease. That same year, Capuchin catacombs curator Dario Piombino-Mascali discovered a handwritten manuscript written by Salafia, wherein he lists the ingredients used to mummify Rosalia. The glass case also protects the body from any effects of light. Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. The eyes are half closed, so that the face can appear even more relaxed and sweet, an intense serenity. However, once down the stairs the scene begins to change to a more basic overlay. General Mario Lombardo, who is said to have been so grief-stricken when she died that he refused to bury her and instead chose to have her body preserved. Within Palermo, the catacombs are a short walk from the city center, but public transportation is also available. It is December 13, 1918. For after all, the dead have no need for grand decorations in this realm they leave behind. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could blame someone. The problem at the time, was that no one knew how Rosalia had been preserved. Life is full of constant reminders that we will one day die. The story was a tragedy by all accounts: Mario Lombardo, now a grieving father, couldn't bear the thought of a life without ever being able to see the face of his beloved child, Rosalia, again. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. People have witnessed that her eyes open slowly, and that the eyes seem to glisten due to the low lights in the catacombs. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. To add further to the folklore surrounding the Sleeping Beauty, rumor had it that Rosalia would blink multiple times a day. Rosalia Lombardo sadly passed away just before her second birthday back in 1920 due to a case of pneumonia, which experts suggest was likely caused by the Spanish flu pandemic. In short, Rosalia is a 98 year old mummy. The embalming took place right there, in that house where the little girl lived her first two years of life, happy and surrounded by the love of her family. all right reserved. There are those who say that a slight opening and closing of the eyelids actually occurs due to the humidity present and how it changes over the course of the day. [6] The mummy remains one of the best preserved bodies in the catacombs. Rosalia is surrounded by many other bodies, over 8000, who sleep their eternal sleep in the Catacombs of the Capuchins. Obviously it was expensive, for this reason these bodies almost all belong to people of high class. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The catacombs of the Capuchins of Palermo. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week shy of her second birthday. Rosalia's father, official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved upon her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to undertake the task of preserving her. ", "Why Does This Child Mummy Appear to Open And Close Her Eyes? The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. One strange phenomenon that scared all the tourists visiting the catacombs was that the mummy was blinking or at least that is what most people saw. Top Image: Rosalia Lombardo. Rosalias father, Official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved upon her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to preserve her. In fact, a few years ago it was realized that the girl's face was going to meet a normal decay. Her mummified body, sometimes referred to as 'Sleeping Beauty', was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin . Rosalia's father, official Mario Lombardo, was sorely grieved upon her death, so he approached Alfredo Salafia, a noted embalmer, to undertake the task of preserving her. Shes located in the Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo, Sicily with over 8,000 other mummies. The formalin wiped out all the bacteria, and the salicylic acid helped in removing any fungi present in the flesh. To address these issues the mummy was moved to a drier spot in the catacombs, and her original coffin was placed in a hermetically sealed glass enclosure with nitrogen gas to prevent decay. Another writer speaks of the temptation and sights that Palermo offers to some famous people of history past, Aunique cultural heritagethat in many centuries has attracted and fascinated onlookers from all over the world, including many intellectuals, poets and writers such asAlexandre Dumas, Mario Praz, Guy de Maupassant, Fanny Lewald and Carlo Levi.. The empty body is then filled with natron salts, which desiccate it. While Rosalia was mostly kept intact during embalming, her blood was drained and replaced by the magical formula used by Alfredo. Avid Writer with invaluable knowledge of Humanity! Rosalia Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy - December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was a Palermitan child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week before her second birthday. It is a location rich in history between Europe and Africa on the banks of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Rosalia Lombardo is known by many names; The Worlds Most Beautiful Mummy, Sleeping Beauty, The Girl In The Glass Coffin and of course: The Best Preserved Mummy In The World. On December 6, 1920, a few days after her second birthday, Rosalia died. You will then receive an email that helps you regain access. He has written for 8 years in a variety of fields including history, health and politics. After washing with vinegar, they were filled with straw and then dressed. King Abu Bakr IIs mysterious voyage: Was America discovered in the early 14th century? [9] In response to speculation about her moving eyelids, Piombino-Mascali stated that "It's an optical illusion produced by the light that filters through the side windows, which during the day is subject to change [her eyes] are not completely closed, and indeed they have never been". Mario Lombardo, Rosalia's father, was determined to find out the exact cause of her death in order to assign blame. Bipin Dimri is a writer from India with an educational background in Management Studies. The two are more and more in love, they lead a comfortable and peaceful life and their little girl grows up beautiful, healthy and strong. (Sibeaster / Wikimedia Commons). Rosalia's body was one of the last to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. Why is he still there now that it's been over 100 years since his death? STSTW Media strives to deliver accurate information through careful research. Her body is starting to take on a yellow waxy skin texture. The Italian biological anthropologist was able to debunk the myths about Rosalia Lombardo. Get notified of the best best booming posts weekly. Their families would continue to fund the monks who cared for the deceased for example with new clothes. You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools, or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence. Even though mummification is still practised in some distant cultures, it is uncommon in the Western world. Nobody can answer these questions, a mystery that after all it is perhaps good that it remains so. Bronchopneumonia, diphtheria, typhus, over the years these have been the most widespread theories on the death of little Rosalia. Zinc to petrify the body. COPYRIGHT UNSOLVED MYSTERIES & PARANORMAL ACTIVITIES, 2017-2018. 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