Husband of Assunta Mananizza Father of Eugenia Lombardo and Rosalinda Lombardo. The Lombardo family was from Italy and even if the Spanish flu pandemic was coming to an end, it seems that the girl's pneumonia was caused by this deadly virus. X-rays of the body reveal that all of the organs are extremely healthy. The combination of these ingredients worked to preserve the body. While her eyes generally open just slightly more than 1/8th of an inch, they open to reveal perfectly intact baby blue eyes. Many of these ingredients are commonly used today, but the shining star of this concoction is the zinc salts which essentially petrified her body. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Most visitors to her mummified remains say she is a miracle because she blinks even though she has been dead for a long time. Read more on Wikipedia. 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. Managed by: David Nicholas Yustin: The beautifully peaceful yet pallid face of the fallen angel Rosalia Lombardo is a chilling aide-mmoire that death can come anytime and to anyone. Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 4 million WordPress sites. Who is wrong? [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". Rosalias dead body has caught the attention of everyone, as people have noticed her eyelids move many times, seeming like she is blinking. Genealogy profile for Mario Lombardo. The first 3D image of Rosalia revealed that all the organs of her body are perfectly intact even after so many decades. ", "This Mummified Two-Year-Old Appears to Blink Every Day", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rosalia_Lombardo&oldid=1135738502, Sleeping Beauty of the Capuchin Catacombs, Being in an especially well preserved state in her tomb, in the, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 15:26. Father of Rosalia Lombardo and Rosalia Lombardo. 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. 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. What is certain, however, is that Rosalia's parents traveled a lot in the years following her death, for work reasons. He then approached the monks who ran the Capuchin Catacombs and begged for his daughter to be placed there. 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. [7] The embalming formula is described as "one part glycerin, one part formalin saturated with zinc sulfate and zinc chloride, and one part of an alcohol solution saturated with salicylic acid", and was entered into the body through a single-point injection, most likely into the femoral artery via a gravity injector. Further studies however, including time-lapse photos by National Geographic, show that Rosalia does in fact blink several times an hour! Mario Lombardo Unfortunately, though Rosalia is just 98 years old (a fairly young mummy) the truth about her life before death and her family is speculated, but unconfirmed. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to "blame" someone. This process does not offer any kind of respect for the facial features, but despite this there were many people who sought such treatment. Rosalias preserved body came out looking like the most alive mummy in the world. Genealogy for Mario Lombardo (1789 - 1864) family tree on Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Researchers and scholars had made many hypotheses, but without any evidence and without having official documentation. It is December 13, 1918. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was a Sicilian child who died of pneumonia, resulting from the Spanish flu, one week shy of her second birthday. Directories Newly added. Catacombe dei Cappuccini | Palermo, Italy, Fact Analysis: Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl, died in 1920 from an intensified case of bronchopneumonia, a kind of pneumonia that involves inflammation in the alveoli. Looking closer, you can notice that her eyelids are not completely closed, which was most likely done with Alfredo Salafias goal of making her more alive. 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. It also appears that over the years, perhaps the 1960s or 1970s, the glass in the coffin broke. Rosalia Lombardo (13 December 1918 - 6 December 1920) was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. Unfortunately, though Rosalia is just 98 years old (a fairly young mummy) the truth about her life before death and her family is speculated, but unconfirmed. (The oldest is a friar from 1599 called Silvestro da Gubbio). Her name is Rosalia Lombardo who died on November 6th, 1920 with only two summers to her name and remains the youngest on show. Mario Lombardo, her father, wanted to uncover the specific cause of her death so he could "blame" someone. The father refused to bury his daughter, seemingly extremely traumatized because of losing his child.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofyesterday_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',104,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofyesterday_com-medrectangle-3-0'); Rosalias death took place only a week shy of her second birthday. Not only was the eye blinking mystery solved by Piombino-Mascali, but he also managed to track down the embalming formula Alfredo Salafia used to preserve the body of Rosalia in such impeccable condition. Rosalia Lombardos body is kept in a small chapel at the end of the catacombs tour and is encased in a glass covered coffin, placed on a wooden pedestal. Indeed, she is nicknamed the sleeping beauty. Zinc to petrify the body. But, the fact is, that theres not even a single photo of Rosalia when she was alive to validate any part of her history. 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. Watch on Mario Lombardo was overcome by grief when his only child died of pneumonia. There are those who claim that it is a mere optical illusion, caused by how the light falls on those half-closed eyelids. 2009-2021 Historic Mysteries. Her father, Mario Lombardo, was so grief stricken that he asked an embalmer to preserve Rosalias remains. Rosalia Lombardo (December 13, 1918 in Palermo, Italy - December 6, 1920), was an Italian child who died of pneumonia. The older we get, the more constant they appear. Rosalia Lombardo born on December 13, 1918, was a Sicilian kid that died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920 from the Spanish flu. Alfredo Salafia was regarded as the finest because of his extensive knowledge in the preservation of corpses. Mario and Maria are not married at the time of Rosalia's birth, but they are very much in love. According to Piombino-Mascali, the blinking eyes of Rosalia were just an optical illusion, caused when light from windows strikes her eyes at different angles. People were curious to know what was causing the dead body to blink. However, things can go wrong. Home. Her curly blonde hair and a ribbon on it make her look like she is just sleeping. It is a location rich in history between Europe and Africa on the banks of the Tyrrhenian Sea. 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. A 2009 National Geographic photograph of Rosalia Lombardo shows the mummy is beginning to show signs of decomposition, most notably discoloration. Mario was grieving so much after her death that he asked Alfredo Salafia (a well-known Italian chemist) to mummify her and keep her as alive as possible (looking). The grid is of the coffin beneath the body (Source:National Geographic). 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. 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. Historic Mysteries is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The catacombs are open nearly everyday and the entry fee is only 3 euros. Her story to this day is passed on by the monks who still work in the catacombs. Create Biography . What happened to little Rosalia's body after she died. Rosalia Lombardo - The Blinking Mummy . 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. Many find it too overwhelming to be underground with what looks like an army of the dead from a horror film, including an Argentinian companion of mine who had to surface for air and rejoin the mortal beings above. [3] Sometimes called "Sleeping Beauty", hers was one of the last corpses to be admitted to the Capuchin catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. Rosalia's father Mario Lombardo was devastated by her death and approached Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her. The typical embalming procedures include the complete removal of organs. [2] Rosalia Lombardo: The mystery of the Blinking Mummy, Present condition of Rosalia Lombardos mummy: The preserved corpse was relocated. . Mario Lombardo Collection: FamilySearch Family Tree Birth: 1890 - Italy Death: 1980 Wife: Maria Lombardo (born Di Cara) Children: Rosalia Lombardo, Rosalia Lombardo View the Record view all Immediate Family Maria Di Cara wife Rosalia Lombardo daughter Rosalia Lombardo daughter About Mario Lombardo Mario Lombardo is an infantry officer who only on this day discovers what happiness is, true happiness. In the 100 years since her death in 1920, Rosalia has become interwoven with Sicilian lore. Available at: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2017/01/rosalia-lombardo-mummy-that-blinks.html, Mystery of The Blinking Child Mummy Solved. Connect to 3,088 Lombardo profiles on Geni, Dec 13 1918 - Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Dec 6 1920 - Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Mario Lombardo, Maria Lombardo (ne Di Cara), Cause of death: Pneumonia - Dec 6 1920 - Palermo, Mario Lombardo, Maria Lombardo (born Di Cara), Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy, Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo, Palermo, Province of Palermo, Sicily, Italy. Geni requires JavaScript! Rosalia Lombardo, a two-year-old girl, died in 1920 from an intensified case of bronchopneumonia, a kind of pneumonia that involves inflammation in the alveoli. Your email address will not be published. Glycerin keeping the body from becoming too dry The empty body is then filled with natron salts, which desiccate it. He made a small puncture and injected a mixture of zinc salts, formalin, glycerin, and salicylic acid. Who is right? MYSTERIESRUNSOLVED & MRU MEDIA, 2019-2022. He then handed it over to the researchers who discovered the formula right there to guarantee a body the eternal sleep it deserves. Nobody can answer these questions, a mystery that after all it is perhaps good that it remains so. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The embalmers relatives gave him several of Alfredo Salafias documents. Her body is starting to take on a yellow waxy skin texture. Rosalia died of pneumonia on December 6, 1920. Rosalia died due to pneumonia in a region which becomes extremely cold in the winter months. All rights reserved. This shifting of her body allowed Piombino-Mascali to see her eyelids from a new angle. Enjoyed this article? This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Her father, Mario Lombardo wanted to know the exact cause of her death in order to blame someone. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. On the historical island of Sicily sits the Sicilian capital of Palermo, resting on the toe of Italys boot-based geographical shape. People Projects . For years the mix of chemicals that Alfredo Salaria used on Rosalia remained unknown, as well as the technique used. Rosalias gaze is something that has attracted onlookers to Palermo for a hundred years. Missing Three Flannan Isles Lighthouse Keepers. Thats hard to say. : 02075400842, 2023 by Albaincoming Eurofirst Tours. The Normans were a group from France unified by a famous Viking called Rollo who took over much of Europe. But why the bottle under Rosalia's head is completely empty remains an inexplicable mystery. One of the properties that makes Rosalia such a beautiful mummy is the embalming process that was used to preserve her. The researchers wanted to see what state his body was in. Alfredo also designed an ad hoc coffin for little Rosalia, with a glass lid welded to a wooden crate, so that the body could be preserved for a long time, since there was no contact with light, since in this way no one could touch the body. These blue eyes, like the rest of her body, are remarkably intact. The formalin wiped out all the bacteria, and the salicylic acid helped in removing any fungi present in the flesh. The notes represent more of a prescription for different chemicals used for the mummification: The glycerine was used to prevent the mummified body from drying up, the saturated formol, and salicyl alcohol for killing the bacteria which formed after her death. We are talking about the body of Rosalia Lombardo, a 2-year-old girl, who has been in the Catacombs for over 100 years, masterfully embalmed, in perfect condition, who also seems to be about to open her eyes and come back to life. But what curiosity are we talking about? But why did the body of little Rosalia Lombardo remain in the Capuchin Catacombs for so long? Her father Mario Lombardo, who was an local official, engaged noted embalmer, Alfredo Salafia to mummify her body. Rosalia's father, Mario Lombardo, was grieving her death, asked Alfredo Salafia, an embalmer, to preserve her remains. (In Pics) Ten Extinct Animals which Survive only in Drawings. Salafia replaced the girls blood with a liquid made of formalin to kill bacteria, alcohol to dry the body, glycerin to keep her from overdrying, salicylic acid to kill fungi, and zinc salts to give her body rigidity. Were a group from France unified by a famous Viking called Rollo who took over much of.! Geni, with over 240 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives of Sicily sits Sicilian. Of Alfredo Salafias documents and scholars had made many hypotheses, but without any evidence and without official. 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