Over the last few days, there have been an opportunities to take a few walks through Messina and discover what’s around the next corner. One goal was to see the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Montalto, a church high on the hill. My understanding of the story is that an apparition of Mary appeared and asked a priest to build a church on the hill and to watch for a white dove to show where to build it. The dove appeared and circled an area for the church and the church was built. It seems a simple story but it has great meaning and it felt special to be able to see this church during this visit. There are so many churches in Messina. To me they represent a pride and a way of life and they are big and beautiful and old. I also saw the King Neptune fountain and a sculpture depicting the 1908 Earthquake. As I’ve heard, this town was destroyed during that earthquake in 1908 and again in 1943 with Allied bombings. Yet, walking through town, it seems so much of the old character and charm has survived.