It is the place that Virgil described more than 2,000 years ago when he wrote, “Est locus Italiae medio sub montibus altis, nobilis et fame multis memoratus in oris, Amsancti valles” or, in English, “There is a place in the middle of Italy beneath high mountains, noble and celebrated for fame in many places, the…
Tag: Avellino
Roger II, the Assizes of Ariano and the Kingdom of Sicily
Before the Unification of Italy in 1861 following the Risorgimento, the Italian peninsula was divided into several nation-states, the largest and most important of which was the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies was formed when the Kingdom of Sicily merged with the Kingdom of Naples in 1816. Founded by…
La Pigna di Pasqua: An Avellinese Easter Treat
Throughout Southern Italy, especially in the Campania Region, Easter food traditions are dominated by Pizza Chiena (Also known as “Easter Pizza,” “Pizza Rustica,” “Pizza Gain,” etc.) and Pastiera (a citrusy grain or rice pie). While both of these dishes are beloved staples of the Irpinian Easter table, there are a few more dishes that grace…
Who Was Saint William of Vercelli?
On June 25, Irpinians all celebrated the Feast Day of Saint William of Vercelli, also known as William of Montevergine. While I’ve mentioned him before in Irpinia: The Land of the Wolf and in our list of the Top 10 Places to Visit in Irpinia, I thought it would be fun to dive a little…
A Helping Hand for Criscuoli Hospital
While all of Italy is still reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak, Irpinia is also seeing its share of cases. As of this post, there are 369 cases of COVID-19 in Irpinia, with the region’s hotspots being Ariano Irpino and Lauro. To date, there have been 128,948 confirmed cases in Italy, which…
Irpinia Comes Together Over Coronavirus
It’s a simple, yet profound, image that has been widely shared on social media outlets throughout Irpinia. Don Rino Morra, pastor of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Morra De Sanctis (AV), is seen consecrating a host during a Mass on Friday, March 13, yet he is the only one in the church, his solitary…
Folk Tales from Irpinia
It has been quite hectic on my end lately and, unfortunately, I haven’t been able to dedicate as much time as I had wanted to this blog. The most positive happening over the past few months was that I got my dream job with the Italian American Podcast (seriously, check them out!) and have been…
Italian American Responses to the 1980 Irpinia Earthquake
My mother was pregnant with me on November 23, 1980. By this time, my Nonno Joe had been dead for seven, going on eight, years. She remembers hearing the news that an earthquake hit Italy, but did not put two and two together that the quake had hit her father’s home region. The 1980 Irpinia…
Preserving Cultural Heritage for All
Tradition flows through Irpinia like the waters of the Ufita or the Ofanto— it is just as much a part of the area’s history as its own natural landscape. For Valentina Taccone and Nunzio Gaeta, preserving that cultural heritage in a way to reach modern audiences has become a passion. Their latest project, Etn.ia, plays…
‘Crystel’ Blue Persuasion
A young director originally from Guardia Lombardi has taken the cinematic world by storm with his latest short film. Giuseppe Rossi’s 2018 work, “Blue Crystel,” tells the story of Crystel, who lives in a science-fiction world populated mostly by women. Crystel must find the legendary Blue Crystal in order to break the curse on men…
Irpinia Stories 