There is one place in Palermo that caught my attention because of its purpose: Oratorio dei Bianchi.
Today, it is simply a museum, but in the 16th and 17th centuries it was the home of the Compagnia del Santissimo Crocifisso—a brotherhood of men dressed in white robes with large hoods. Their mission was to accompany people sentenced to death during the last three days of their lives. They spoke with the condemned, helped them make peace with their fate and with their loved ones, stayed with them throughout those final three days, accompanied them to the execution, and finally arranged their burial.
The Oratory has a separate door through which the condemned would leave for their execution, accompanied by the brothers. Locals call it the Door of Mercy. The brothers were neither executioners nor judges. Their role was to offer compassion and support.
There is another fascinating door inside the Oratory, although it is not directly connected to the brotherhood. It was moved here much later. Bab el Fotik, also known as Porta della Vittoria, dates back to the 11th century. According to tradition, this was the gate through which the Normans entered Arab Palermo after conquering the city. It is incredible how well it has been preserved, and at the same time its age is impossible not to admire.
If you’re in Palermo on the first Sunday of the month, you can often visit Oratorio dei Bianchi free of charge until 1:00 pm.