The Origins of the Nativity Scene

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he Crèche has a very old and charming history. The term “Presepe” Originated from the Latin “Praesepium,” which means “Manger” or “Cave”. The first Crèche can be traced back to Saint Francis, built in 1223 in Greccio. From the Middle Ages the word is used to indicate a plastic representation of the nativity through figures: statues, chalk figures, wood and cardboard. The representations of the birth of Jesus, taken from the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, however have even more ancient origins almost inter-

twined with the origins of Christianity. The first paleochristian communities, in fact, already depicted the event in frescoes and bas-reliefs.

The first medieval crèche kept today was carved by the famous artist of Tuscany origin Arnolfo di Cambio for Pope Onofrio IV in 1283 and hosted in the church of S. Maria Maggiore in Rome. Five of those statues can still be admired. Since then, the tradition of the crèche spread not only throughout Italy, but also in the rest of Christianity (important centers of production can be found in Bavaria, in the Netherlands, in Provence and in Catalonia). It’s between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries that aesthetical and stylistic rules, still followed today, were set for the layout of Nativity scenes. Rome and Naples become the two major centers of diffusion. In the capital, the most

important families competed among each other to create the most magnificent crèche, set in the city or Roman countryside, and open to the public. Noble Neapolitan families brought forward similar competitions. But in the Gulf city a rich tradition was sustained for this popular craft, which led to the inser-

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What’s in this issue... Spaghetti Every Sunday.... 2 Giuseppe Garibaldi............3 A look at VENETO.............4 History and Tradition of Christmas in Italy...........6 A letter from a previous scholarship winner...........7 The Five F’s......................8

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Spaghetti Every Sunday By Claire Marie Mauro TeBockhorst

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PAGE 3 Celebrating a significant Anniversary...

Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) ‘The Hero of Two Worlds’

Marsala.

News from Italy... The Coliseum, As Good As New

Visitors touring ancient Roman archaeological sites including the Forum and Coliseum can now see beyond the structures to the magnificence which once was. An international team of scientists and technology experts has recreated the Coliseum, Senate, Forums, Temple of Venus, and other ancient Roman sites through a project called Rome Reborn.

The ongoing project will culminate in a 3-D movie experience at the Coliseum in April 2008. A sneak peek of the 31 monuments and 7,000 buildings can be found at www.romereborn.virginia. edu. Ghiberti’s panels make rare trip to U.S. A visit to Florence, Italy isn’t complete without visiting famed Renaissance sculp-

tor Lorenzo Ghiberti’s “The Gates of Paradise,” the bronze doors to the Baptistery in Piazza del Duomo. Many unsuspecting tourists don’t know that the doors on display are copies due to a restoration process begun in 1980. Portions of the original work are being prepared for a cross-continental trip where, for the first time, they will be on display outside of Italy. The exhibit will show case three panels from the left door depicting the stories of Adam and Eve, Jacob and Esau, and Saul and David. It will also feature two standing prophets and two idealized heads from the doors’ frame. Beyond their beauty, the doors are remarkable for a number of reasons, including

the lost-wax technique which Ghiberti employed. The panels and sculptures were sent in oxygen-free cases on separate planes because, “they are simply too precious to fly together,” says Annamaria Giusti, the director of the Museum of the Opifico delle Pietre Dure. After the trip they will be hermetically-sealed, never to leave the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo in Florence again. The Ghiberti’s panels were in the High Museum of Art in Atlanta from April 28 to July 15; The Art Institute of Chicago from July 28 to October 13. They have been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York since October 30 and will remain there until January 13, 2008

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V E N E TO A region of ‘two different worlds’

Veneto is a region of “two different worlds” on the northeastern coast of Italy -- water and mountains. The land area includes a piece of the Po Valley on the east and the Dolomites of Cadore in the north. The region is split into the seven provinces of Belluno, Padova, Rovigno, Treviso, Venezia, Verona and Vicenza. Veneto produces many fine wines, such as Soave and Valpolicella and is the origin of Asiago cheese. Benetton and Marzotto, two wellknown fashion labels, also call the region home. Venice, Veneto’s regional capital, is like no other place on earth. This “Bride of the Sea,” where for many years the Doge dropped rings symbolizing the marriage of Venice to the sea, is a maze of 118 tiny islands connected by hundreds of bridges. Founded in the fifth and sixth centuries, this place of unparalleled beauty continues to float on its waterways and sometimes flood and struggle to defend itself from the sea. For all of its magic and charm, Venice has enchanted

and fascinated the world for hundreds and hundreds of years. Aside from beauty and romance, Venice is a world leader in the production of lace and hand blown Murano glass, which perfection and beauty has no equal in the marketplace. Veneto is also a thriving wine exporter, textile producer and agricultural center. The beauty of The Basilica of San Marco, the Clock Tower and the Piazza San Marco, Grand Canal and the Doges Palace are but a few of the treasures among the monuments and buildings of La Serenissima (the most serene). Venice has not only served as the bridge between east and west, but it is also the ideal setting for love and marriage. One of the most enduring symbols is the gondola and gondolier. H.V. Morten wrote, “To appreciate a gondola a man must be twenty and in love, to travel in one alone and in later life may be restful but it cannot be romantic.” Though there may be much truth to this, it fails to appreciate the visual

pleasure of gliding through the canals, especially at night when the gondolas are lit by small lamps that illuminate bridges, balconies and peeling ancient walls. It may not be romantic but it certainly is magical. Venice is a most extraordinary collection of architectural styles in Europe. It is one living museum after another with galleries and scores of churches and palaces containing some of the finest painting masterpieces anywhere produced by such artists as Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, Tiepolo, Canaletto and Tintoretto. Verona is the setting for Shakespeare’s characters, Romeo and Juliet, and the romance remains in the air as millions come each year to Via Capello and the Casa di Giulietta to recall and embrace the Englishman’s poetic tragedy. The Casa di Romeo is but a few streets away. Verona is also better known as Piccola Roma, “Little Rome,” because it was an important town during Roman times. Vicenza is the city of

Andrea Palladio, a stonemason who became not only the most influential architect of his time, but also recognized till this day, the Father of Architecture. His masterpieces are all around Vicenza. There’s the monumental basilica he adapted to a town hall, the Teatro Olimpico, the Loggia del Capitaniato, the Palazzo Valmarana Braga and his elegant buildings that flank the Piazza dei Signori and the two-tier colonnades of the 16th century Basilica built around the old Palazzo della Ragione. The province of Padua is highly regarded as the central market for the region of Veneto due to its established economy and industry. The province is home to corn and saw mills, distilleries, chemical factories, breweries and foundries, just to name a few. The city of Padua, which claims to be the oldest city in north Italy, is a university town rich in art and architecture and home to the University of Padua. The University is one of the oldest in Europe

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The Origins of the Nativity Scene - continued Continued from Page 1 tion of secular elements and were linked to the reality of the time. The golden era for the Neapolitan nativity scene started between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The materials used initially were wood and stone. Metal and clay were later introduced. During the baroque period, statues were brought to life through the addition of clothes and jewels, thanks to the skill of sculptors who created mobile joints, and therefore different theatrical positions. Between the end of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the crèche became a genuine art form. The classical figures were enriched with realistic elements taken from daily life, as

fountains, markets and taverns, but also real characters. The scenery assumed more and more importance. The distinction between an historic crèche is religious, whereas the popular crèche is more secular. During the eighteenth century, the custom of building crèche spread from churches to noble houses. The richest families were in competition to see who could produce the most spectacular making of this a worldly ritual. In the century of the enlightenment, the

trend spread and there was a progressive reduction of the size to smaller statues that became accessible to all. The custom of updating the figures of the crèche with characters taken from current events continues today in Naples. While walking through the narrow streets around the church of San Gregorio Armeno, visitors can admire numerous workshops that sell Christmas statuettes. Among shepherds, in miniatures of eighteenth century palaces, lights and biblical scenarios representing contemporary and famous figures are also available.

Veneto: A region of ‘two different worlds’ - continued Continued from Page 4 and counts Gallileo Gallilei, Giotto and Donatello among its alumni and is world renowned for its achievements in medicine. Orto Botanico di Padova, the University’s botanical garden, was founded in 1545 and is the oldest botanical garden in the world. It still houses an important collection of rare plants. Padua is also a pilgrimage city. Millions of visitors go to Padua each year to visit the Basilica di Sant’ Antonio, located in the southern part of the city, where the grave of Sant’ Antonio is located. The other popular tourist destination in Padua is the magnificent Cappella degli Scrovegni, which is famous

for Giotto’s frescoes from the life of Christ. The duomo was built in 1552 to plans partly by Michelangelo. Beside it stands a domed baptistery with its interior decorated with frescoes by Giusto de’Menabuio depicting episodes from the Bible, including scenes of the Creation, the Miracles, the Passion, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Christ. Treviso is lined with balconied houses beside canals. Calmaggiore is the street that links the duomo with the Palazzo dei Trecento. Inside the duomo is Titian’s Annunciation (1570) and Pordenone’s Adoration of the Magi. Conegliano lies among Prosecco-producing

vineyards and many of the winemakers of Italy learn their skills at the famous Conegliano wine school. The most famous work of art is in the duomo and painted by local artist Cima da Conegliano depicting the Virgin and Child with Saints (1493). Belluno is the link between the two different parts of Veneto, the flat plains to the south and the Dolomites peaks to the north. Spectacular are the bell tower of the duomo and the nearby baptistery, which the font cover of the figure of John the Baptist carved by Andrea Brustolon whose masterpieces are in nearby churches on Piazza del Duomo and on Via San Pietro.

Italy’s most famous ski resort, Cortino d’Ampezzo, is a favorite among the Milanese and Torino communities. Cortina is set amid the dramatic scenery of the Dolomites, which was the backdrop for the 1956 Winter Olympics. During the summertime, Cortina is perfect for hikers and guided walks. Lake Garda is the largest and easternmost of the Italian lakes and borders on three regions, Trentino, Lombardy and Veneto. Numerous sports facilities and sights to explore help make the lake a favorite summer playground. The lake is named after the town and nearby is Bardolino, which gives it names to the wellknown red wine.

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Buon Natale - The Rich History And Tradition Of Christmas In Italy

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he very roots of our modern Christmas were born in Italy. Christmas, the Feast of the Nativity, was decreed by Emperor Aurelian in A.D. 274 to take place on December 25th of each year. Although many biblical historians believe that the actually birth of Jesus took place some time in the Spring, early Roman Christian’s felt it important to create a feast day that coincided with the many pagan celebrations had always taken place during the winter solstice. The celebration of the birth of the sun soon became the celebration of the birth of the Son. The nativity scene, a popular symbol of Christmas throughout the world, also has its roots in early Italian history. The first nativity scene, the presepio, was created by artist Giovanni Vellita in the village of Greccio in the year 1224. The piece was created at the request of none other than St. Francis Of Assisi. The presepio quickly became embraced as a holy symbol of Christmas when St. Francis said mass in front of Vellita’s creation the first time. The season of Christmas begins 8

days before Christmas on December 17th and lasts until the Epiphany (also known as “Little Christmas”) on January 6th. The eight days before Christmas are known as the Novena and are often marked by children going door to door singing and giving recitations. Unlike the posadas common in Latin American cultures that symbolize the journey of Mary and Joseph in search of shelter, the Italian pastorals honor the journey of the shepherds to the manger. Although dietary restrictions no longer play a central role in Catholic faith, many Italians still observe a strict fast from sundown on December 23rd to sundown on December 24th,. During the twilight hours of December 24th, candles or the traditional Yule log (which must burn through New Year’s day), are lit and prayers are said around the family manger scene (the presepio) and a delicious feast is enjoyed before midnight mass. Because the regions of Italy are so diverse, it is difficult to identify one traditional Italian Christmas feast, but certain foods remain common. Fish remains a common ingredient, as older church doctrine limited the eating of meat on certain holy days. Most Christmas sweets contain nuts and honey, said to honor the fertility of the earth and make for a sweet new year. Panettone is a sponge cake studded with candied fruit, a much lighter than the dense fruitcake concoctions that common in other countries! Nougat candies (torrone) and a rich gingerbread (panforte) are also very popular. La Befana is Italy’s answer to Santa Claus, although she arrives on the eve of the Epiphany instead of Christmas Eve. Legend has it that the Three Wise Men had stopped at La Befana’s home asking for directions to the manger where the Christ child had been born. La Befana had no idea who they were in search of, and suspiciously declined to accompany them when the offered to let her join them. Rethinking their offer after they left, she decided to join them but became lost. She stopped every child who crossed her path and gave them treats in the possibility that one of them was the baby Jesus the three strangers had spoke of. And every year she continues her search for the Christ child she missed seeing, and she continues to leave treats for good children along the way! Article courtesy of Faith Harper, www.lifeinitaly.com

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... A LETTER FROM ONE OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTs ... Dear members of the Dante Alighieri Society, My name is Ryan Freedle, and this year your Society generously granted me a scholarship to attend a study abroad program in Perugia and facilitated some self guided study and travel throughout the wonderful country of Italy. Thanks to your generous gift, I was able to see some of the most beautiful things I have ever seen and most likely will ever see. I found a more profound connection to my roots and to myself, and my Italian education was significantly enhanced. It was truly transformational and incredibly valuable to me. I would like to share two stories with all of you that I hope will give a small glimpse of the wonderful things your money did. Both take place in the Abruzzese town of L’Aquila, from which my family came in the 1900s. During this stage of my journey I had the opportunity to show my mother all that I had learned in a month and a half of study because, through her work, she had the opportunity to visit me for a week. After a long journey by car from Rome we were very hungry and when we arrived in town we decided to get something to eat. Fortunately it was dinner time, so there were restaurants open. We strolled through a few alleys near the Duomo at the heart of the city of 99 churches and found a delightful place to have a bite. Although her father is Italian, my mother does not speak Italian, due to the political environment of the early 1900s in the United States, so I ordered a traditional Italian meal from “antipasto” to “dolce”. Using what I had learned during my time there, for our “primo” I decided on “maccheroni alla chitarra”, which I knew to be a specialty of the region. When it arrived I saw my mother had a large grin and was almost in tears so I asked her why. She told me that these square noodles had been served to her with an identical sauce by her grandmother when she was a little girl and had never been seen by her since then. At this point in time I knew that everything I had done was worthwhile. The next day we went in search of my grand-mother’s birth certificate. After locating city hall I talked to the officials at the desk and got directions to the court house where the certificates were kept. When we arrived, however, we found that it was closed. Disappointed, we decided to visit a famous fountain in town with 99 spouts, which was on our list of things to see. While there we decided to visit a nearby gift shop. I struck up a conversation with the shop-keeper who eventually asked why were there. I told her about our ancestry, and she got very excited and asked me if we knew any of for my mother who then informed me that we did not. The shopour relatives who still lived there. I translated her the surname of our family was Cocciolone. She keeper then asked us our last name, and I told in the phone book and through information then proceeded to call all of the Cocciolones others on the phone we discovered from my mother and information from the Cocciolones in that that there were two branches of unrelated woman town, and eventually we found and old who had married one of the Cocciolones in the other family, and the names of relatives who had moved to the United States matched the information that my mother had. So after closing shop the woman behind the counter took us to find this woman, and we exchanged hugs and addresses (for Christmas cards) with the old woman (who looked very much like my great grandmother according to my mother and who did share many of our family features). Thank you all once again for giving me the opportunity to experience these things. Sincerely,

Ryan Leonard Freedle

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The Five Fs - Family, Friends, Faith, Food and Felice

he four most important words to Italian Americans all begin with f: family, friends, faith and food.One way we pay tribute to all four is with annual festas, and in some cities the celebrations have been institutions for decades. The biggest is held every September in New York’s Little Italy in honor of San Gennaro, the martyred patron saint of Naples. The first feast of San Gennaro in the United States was held in New York City on September 19, 1926 by newly-arrived Neapolitan immigrants who retained the customary observance from the old country. Other longstanding festas include Cleveland’s feast of the Assumption, Boston’s St. Anthony and Chicago’s Our

By Steven Cordetti

Lady of Mount Carmel. A lesser-known festa is observed every year in Columbus, OH, and Toronto, Canada. Their honoree is San Felice da Cantalice, and the history of the celebration is rooted in Cerreto, a village of about fifty people at the base of the Apennine Mountains in Italy’s Molise region. The village has a church and chapel dedicated to San Felice, and people return to the village annually from throughout Europe and North America to celebrate La Festa di San Felice. The feast day is observed with a morning Mass and street procession with parishioners carrying statues and crucifixes, followed by a community meal, live music, dancing and fireworks. San Felice was born in Cantalice, a small town northeast of Roma. Christian art usually represents him as holding the baby Jesus in his arms because of a vision he once had when the Virgin Mary appeared to Felice and placed the divine child in his arms. Felice was the third of

five sons born of Sante Porri and Santa Nobili. Although the family was exemplary in living out the Christian life, they lived very poor. Still a child, Felice was given charge of the family sheep. As a young shepherd, he would be seen in the solitude of the woods kneeling in prayer. Because the Porri family was not able to support five sons, at age nine, Felice was hired out to a farmer in a nearby town with whom he remained for over twenty years, first as a shepherd and later as a farm laborer. From his earliest years, Felice showed signs of great holiness, spending his leisure time in prayer. After seeking light in prayer, he decided to ask for admission to the Capuchin order. Felice re-

ceived the Franciscan habit in 1543 and made his religious profession as a Capuchin lay brother the next year. After several brief assignments, he was sent to Roma to beg alms for the monastery in that city. Felice’s personal holiness and cheerful spirit endeared him to the people of Roma. He was admired by nobles, theologians and Popes. He had no education and could not even read; yet learned theologians came to consult with him on the science of the spiritual life and the Scriptures. Felice’s special apostolate was among the children of Roma with whom his childlike simplicity made him a special favorite. His method was to gather them together in bands and set them to sing

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Continued from Page 9 songs of his own composing by which he taught them the beauty of a good life and the ugliness of sin. During the famine of 1580, the directors of the city’s charities asked Felice’s superiors to place him at their disposal to collect alms for the starving. Many cures and miracles have been attributed to the intercession of the saint. Felice died in 1587 and his remains are enshrined in the Capuchin Church of the Immaculate Conception on Via Veneto in Roma. He was beatified in 1625 and canonized in 1712. Cerreto’s population reached its peak at about 300 a century ago. The terrain is rocky and mountainous, making it difficult to grow crops, although livestock can be raised. These challenging conditions caused many residents to move to large Italian cities or immigrate to North America in search of a better way of life. This immigration began in the 1870s and continued through the 1960s. They brought with them their sense of hard work, commitment to family and a deepseated Catholic heritage. An integral part of the

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religious life of people born in the village was devotion to San Felice, who lived a peasant life just like the Cerreto people. Immigrants in the early years related how they were “shadowed” by a Capuchin friar on their way to the port of Napoli. They were convinced that San Felice accompanied them as they began their long journey to Columbus, Toronto and Denver. Though we cannot

prove this to be an historical fact, it tells us that the emigrants faced the uncertainties of life under the protection of their patron saint. The observance of San Felice day in Columbus and Toronto includes just residents originally from Cerreto and their descendants. It is not an event advertised to the public for profit or the benefit of any charity. Yet hundreds turn out each year for the festivities, which include Mass, a procession and singing of the hymn to the saint, dinner catered by a local restaurant, dancing, live music and a wealth of camaraderie. Each

household brings a dozen homemade cookies to share. The attendees have come to look at the event as an annual reunion. My maternal grandmother emigrated from Cerreto in 1916 and settled in Columbus. La Festa di San Felice is satisfying on another level, for letting me see my cousins annually at an event that’s not a wedding or funeral, which sadly are becoming the only venues for family gatherings these days. Above all, we can thank San Felice da Cantalice for drawing us together. We might say that he is calling us to a renewal of faith and family values.

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The Year in Review...

... A look back at some pictures of the Dante’s events in 2007.





Picnic













Symposium







Fall Bocce Bash







Christmas Party

~ Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo! ~