Bisogno Divino (Necesidad Divina)

Over several centuries, hundreds of shrines have been built on the walls of the historical centre of Palermo by its inhabitants. Religious altars dedicated to the sacred figures, so important in the cultural life of the Palermitans. Some have been made by families who wished to show not only their devotion but their social position; the more powerful the family, the more imposing the construction, often commissioned by well-known local artists. And for those families fallen on hard times, the shrine followed the same fate. Other altars are the fruit of the devotion of the Palermitans, who still remember today their loved ones and place flowers there. But like the rest of the city of Palermo, there are many contradictions to be seen: sacred places amongst the chaos of city life.