“You have not brought any kaneh for me, or lavished on me the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses.”
– Isaiah 43:23-24, God scolding the Israelite’s for not bringing him cannabis
Monreale Cathedral in Sicily
Sicily’s Cannabis Cathedral
During the Norman Conquest in 1072, crusading forces took control of the island of Sicily from Islamic control. By 1174 the newly declared King of Sicily William II decided to build a grand metropolitan cathedral in this newly conquered land right in the picturesque little village of Monreale.
A mix of Norman-French, Byzantine and Arabic cultures create a stunning display of spectacular design throughout the interior. One image seems to be repeated in the mosaics art… The cannabis leaf!
Inside the Monreale Cathedral in Sicily
The walls of the majestic cathedral are covered with massive glass mosaics with gold backgrounds making the images pop to life. Each image recreates a bible story in blazing detail.
Mosaics of the north side of the nave, Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily, Italy 1182
Mosaics of the south side of the nave, Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily, Italy 1182
Every inch of the interior was used to engulf the viewers in the cathedral’s biblical narrative.
Mosaics of the east side of the nave, Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily, Italy 1182
Mosaics of the west side of the nave, Cathedral of Monreale, Sicily, Italy 1182
Taking a closer look at the individual mosaics, a common symbol is repeated throughout the narrative… A cannabis leaf!
When God first introduced Adam to Eve in the Garden of Eden, cannabis was there…
Adam and Eve first meeting
When God taught Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, cannabis was there…
God teaching Adam and Eve
While Adam and Eve worked in the Garden, cannabis was there…
Adam and Eve working in the garden
Even when God confronted Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden casting them out, cannabis was there…
God Confronts Adam and Eve
Jacob was sure to point out the leaf with his bow in the family portrait.
Isaac with His Sons Jacob and Esau
Later while Jacob wrestled with an angel, both green and gold varieties of the leaf can be found…
Jacob Wrestling with the Angel
Hinting at the original healing powers of holy anointing oil, a cannabis leaf can be found just as Christ heals two blind men on the road to Jericho!
Christ heals the two blind men on the road to Jericho
I know what your thinking… It’s just palm tree’s you smuck!
Well maybe…
The image of palm tree’s are also depicted on multiple mosaics around the Monreale Cathedral, none resembling the representations of the cannabis leaf’s…
Mosaic of animals and tree’s including the palm with berries
One mosaic in particular even shows the palm tree and cannabis leaf on top of each other for a quick visual comparison of the two designs.
Mosaic with palm on top and cannabis depiction on bottom
Cannabis would play a role in Christianity until Pope Innocent VIII tried to completely erase the herb from the church’s record in the 15th century… Not so Innocent after all…
Similar to the footprints in the sand parable, the Cathedral of Monreale reminds us that cannabis has indeed been here the whole time!
God sitting with cannabis