A Petition to Save Aleister Crowley’s “Abbey”

crowley artAleister Crowley’s “abbey” in Sicily is still there, but the building seriously needs help. This petition is partly designed, I am told, to persuade local authorities that it is worth saving as a historical site — and presumably as a tourist destination.

Aleister Crowley took up his residence at Villa Santa Barbara at Cefalu, located in Palermo, Sicily – ITALY during the 1920s, and he afterwards transformed it into the Rableaisian Monastery Thelema Abbey (or Abbey of Thelema).

At Cefalu, Crowley was mainly climber, painter and prolific writer. He personally painted the walls of his residence and he also made some artworks during that period of time, that are actually in Australia. His figure is considered between the 100 most important figures in England and it is often of mediatic attention and interest.

Already Leonardo Sciascia, Fosco Maraini, Vincenzo Consolo, Giuseppe Quatriglio, Marco Fax, Pietro Saja, Domenico Portera, Nico Marino, Alberto Samonà, Antonino Napoli, Marco Pasi, Massimo Introvigne, and others in Italy have seriously dealed with this charachter and with his stay that inspired films as those by Kenneth Anger and by Ferdinando Vincentini Orgnani, more a wide musical productions that ranges from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin, from the Iron Maiden to Coil, the Current 93, Coph Nia, but also Ozzy Osbourne, Graham Bond and many others.

The house in which he lived is considered a cultural object from the Italian State and it is a so important momument that has always been the pilgrimage destination for a wide international community.

It is actually in a state of serious degradation and abandonement: the roof of the building is going to fall and the murals inside of it, partially compromized, risk to fade.

Signing the petition you want to save the Abbey and its paintings.

Initiative by www.abbeyofthelema.org