Sicily’s Public Mourning and the Quiet Life of Smaller Towns
During my trip to Ragusa, Modica, and Pozzallo, one of the first things that caught my eye was the posters plastered on walls and noticeboards announcing deaths. Known locally as avvisi funebri, these public notices are Sicily’s way of informing the community about a passing and providing funeral details. Each one features a photo of the deceased, their full name, and messages from family members, often adorned with religious iconography, including angels, saints, or delicate floral motifs. Unlike other countries, where obituaries are tucked away in newspapers or buried in digital archives, in Sicily, death is public, shared, and intimately woven into the rhythm of daily life. You might see a poster as you walk past a corner café or near a bakery, a gentle reminder of mortality interlaced with the everyday sounds of scooters and church bells.
