New book on the sacred natural sites of the Mediterranean

The organization DiversEarth has just published “Protected by Prayer. Sacred Natural Sites of the Mediterranean” a work by Liza Zogib and Sandra Spissinger-Bang, cooked on a slow fire, which Jaime Tatay and Josep Maria Mallarach prefaced. The large-format book, with attractive images and drawings, offers an insight into the surprising diversity and richness of sacred natural spaces and landscapes in the countries of the Mediterranean basin.

Based on an inventory of more than 500 places from 22 different countries, the work presents the places by natural typologies, including more than a dozen religious and spiritual traditions. In all types, the authors consider the custodians, their beliefs and the teachings that lead to the care of nature, focusing on the practices that benefit the natural, cultural and spiritual heritage, despite the strong adverse pressures that many of ‘them, often linked to tourism.

The book shows how, despite the advanced secularization in most Mediterranean societies, all religions and most confessions are committed to the conservation of their sacred natural places. The territories preserved by Christian monastic communities provide the longest record of these practices, which can reach more than 16 centuries in very diverse ecosystems and landscapes.

See the link to the project, with directions to acquire the book.