For Donato Chiusano of Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi, creating beautiful presepi (Italian manger scenes) is more than a passion—it is a way to give glory to Christ all year long. I first met Donato last December when I saw one of his beautiful creations on a Facebook group, “Irpinia Terra di Mille Tradizioni.” I was struck…
Tag: Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi
The Voice of My Past
Every October, the more than 15.7 million Americans of Italian descent celebrate National Italian American Heritage Month. For every single one of those Italian Americans, there is a story as to why they are proud of their heritage and what their ethnic origins mean to them. I’m no different from my Italian American brothers and…
90 Seconds: An Interview with Giuseppe Rossi
Ninety seconds on November 23, 1980 split Irpinia into a “before” and an “after.” Now, 40 years later, documentary film maker Giuseppe Rossi is commemorating that life-changing event in a newly-released documentary. Rossi, who is originally from Guardia Lombardi (AV), has been passionate about films and cartoons since his youth. While in high school, he…
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…
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…
‘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…
Top 10 Places To Visit in Irpinia
This past week, the Region of Campania released its new tourist map, highlighting must-see locales for visitors— including such well-known sites as Naples, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, Paestum, and others. What was striking, as seen below, was that the map excluded must-see locations in Avellino Province. I have been told that this map highlights…
Hazelnuts from Irpinia May Be In Your Easter Candy
Known for iconic brands like Nutella, Tic Tac, and Ferrero Rocher, among others, Ferrero has a manufacturing facility in Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi (AV). Because Irpinia is known for its hazelnuts, Ferrero recently announced a new marketing initiative designed to celebrate the region by showcasing one of its best-tasting exports.
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