The Legend of the Sister of the Mercede
The Legend of the Sister of the Mercede speaks of a ghost that wanders in the Church of Santa Maria della Mercede in Palermo.
According to legend, in the bell tower of the church of Santa Maria della Mercede located in the Capo district of Palermo , where a convent once stood, the ghost of a nun wanders, who remains motionless all night looking towards the Serenario Palace.
Locals believe be it the ghost of a nun looking for her daughter. It is said that the woman, after giving birth to a girl who was the result of violence, was forced to shut herself up in the convent of the cappuccinelle and never see her child again.
It is believed that the legend is connected to a story that really happened in the eighteenth century. It is said that a craftsman had carried out work for a squire of the city but that when the master craftsman presented the bill, the nobleman felt that the price was too high and had him beaten. Not content, he also had his daughter, 'Ngela, kidnapped and abused her. The girl returned home bearing the fruit of violence in her womb. Her father, to hide the dishonor, had her shut up in the convent of the cappuccinelle, built by the brotherhood of the "Mercedari". After giving birth to a girl, 'Ngela officially took her vows and never saw her own daughter again, who was adopted and then, it is said, worked as a maid in Palazzo Serenario. In the place towards which the ghost of the nun della Mercede looks.
