Irpinia Stories

20/12/2022

The Italian tradition of the presepio (Nativity scene) is a passion for Donato Presepi of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi! Be sure to read all about him and his work in our latest post! 💚

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…

23/11/2022

And finally, this is the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Guardia Lombardi, which was damaged so badly as a result of the 1980 Irpinia Earthquake that it reopened in the late 1990s. On Sunday, one of the older ladies in the parish explained to us that the church was more beautiful before the quake, that the area around the altar was a beautiful sky blue, and the detail on the walls and ceilings was all painted gold. Sadly, she said, the artisans left after the quake or were possibly killed by it and no one could find anyone who could make it look the way it did. She said the current paint job looks like someone's house and not a church. I still think it is breathtaking in there and told her so. She said she was just happy that people came back to Guardia, that they came back home, because, for every Guardiese, the Chiesa Madre-- our mother church-- is just that, and maybe it isn't so bad that it looks like a house after all.

23/11/2022

One of the most special opportunities we had while in Guardia was to visit the "Chiesa del Miracolo" (Chiesa di San Vito), which is in Piazza della Vittoria. The miracle that is referred to in the church's name is that of November 23, 1980. As coincidence would have it, the entire town of Guardia was gathered inside to celebrate the church's reopening after a massive restoration project, helped by the American Guardiese community, that helped fortify the church's structure. The miracle took place when, at 7:35 PM, the Irpinia Earthquake hit... and because the entire town was gathered inside to celebrate, no Guardiese was killed. Had they not been inside, it could have been MUCH worse, as the epicenter was down the street in Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi.

23/11/2022

Today is the 42nd anniversary of the 1980 Irpinia Earthquake, which completely devastated Irpinia and its surrounding areas. These pictures were taken from Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, which was the epicenter of the quake. My dear friends Donato Chiusano and Ausonia Cetta (you will read about them in future posts) kindly took us around town on Monday and showed us the centro storico, which was completely ruined. What was the most striking was how they described the events. Ausonia mentioned that there was a lively commercial neighborhood before the quake in the area we walked in, with artisans and tradespeople, filled with life. Donato spoke of the before and after, of how new buildings sprung up from the ruins, and how the quake completely changed the face of Sant'Angelo dei Lombardi, as well as all of our beloved Irpinia, forever.
It was extremely moving to see how Irpinia commemorates this great tragedy. The monument you see above commemorates the first anniversary of the quake in 1981.
If you get a chance, please say a prayer for the roughly 2,500 people who were killed that fateful day, as well as for the people who were injured, who lost their homes, and who are still trying to rebuild in their own way. 💚 💚

08/09/2022

Today is the Feast of the Madonna di Montevergine, who is revered throughout Irpinia. This picture is of a shrine in her honor in the United States at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church - Newark, NJ. A large concentration of people from Irpinia settled in the Newark area and brought their devotion to the Madonna di Montevergine with them! 💚

03/09/2022

The third and final installment of our North End series at St. Anthony's Feast - Boston is live! Visit the link below to read and discover more!


https://irpiniastories.com/2022/09/03/celebrate-good-times-come-on-north-end-series-part-3/

St. Anthony’s Feast in Boston’s North End culminated with an explosion of Italian pride. While the Feast itself came to Boston by way of Montefalcione, there is no denying that this Feast has Beant…

02/09/2022

We are proud to present Part 2 of our three-part series on St. Anthony's Feast - Boston! In this post, we look at the faith aspect of this beautiful feast!

A streetside Mass provided one of the most moving moments of St. Anthony’s Feast in Boston for me this past weekend. The outdoor Mass in honor of St. Anthony is held the Saturday evening of St. Ant…

01/09/2022

Here is the first part of a three-part series on St. Anthony's Feast - Boston from this past weekend! We had an incredible time in visiting the and learning about their traditions! Buona lettura!
ProjectPaulie
https://irpiniastories.com/2022/09/01/finding-montefalcione-in-the-north-end-part-1/

It was a celebration not only of ties that bind, but of ties that could be created, then reinforced. This past weekend, Irpinia Stories had the chance to go on the road to Boston, Massachusetts, to…

31/08/2022

We had a wonderful time with our friends at St. Anthony's Feast - Boston this past weekend! Here's a little sample of some of what we saw... be sure to stay tuned for more photos and, of course, some stories!

16/08/2022

Tantissimi auguri a tutti per la Festa di San Rocco!
Read below to discover more about the Irpinian devotion to this incredible saint!
https://irpiniastories.com/2020/05/09/a-saint-for-these-times/

During these times of COVID-19, many people are turning to Saint Rocco for protection. He is one of the most venerated saints in Irpinia— a quarter of the towns in the Province of Avellino have som…

13/08/2022

We had a wonderful time tonight at the Feast of St. Rocco in Dunmore's Bunker Hill!

11/08/2022

One of the most important celebrations of Guardiese culture and heritage outside of Guardia Lombardi will take place this weekend in Dunmore, Pennsylvania-- read more about it in this post!

More than one hundred years ago, a group of Italian immigrants arrived in what is now known as the “Bunker Hill” section of Dunmore, Lackawanna County. These immigrants came from the small Southern…

10/08/2022

St. Anthony's Feast - Boston is the largest Italian Feast in New England and quite possibly the largest Irpinian feast in the United States! Join us as we discover this incredible celebration of Montefalcionesi heritage in our latest story!

More than 100 years ago, immigrants from Montefalcione brought Saint Anthony’s Feast to Boston’s North End, continuing their hometown’s veneration that dates to the 14th century. This year’s feast …

29/06/2022

Irpinia Stories received an Honorable Mention at the 2022 National Federation of Press Women Awards this past weekend in Fargo, North Dakota! What an incredible experience! To know that the little blog we created just to make sure people know about Irpinia has become a national award winner is the thrill of a lifetime! Thank you to everyone who supported us along the way! 💚

07/05/2022

Zì Vicienzo of Bonito is the subject of popular veneration in Irpinia... check out our latest post to discover his story!
https://irpiniastories.com/2022/05/07/zi-vicienzo-bonitos-resident-mummy/

“I am Vincenzo Camuso,” with these words, the soul belonging to Bonito’s resident mummy has revealed his identity to the living in dreams. For more than 200 years, “Zì Vicienzo” (Uncle Vincenzo) ha…

06/05/2022

We are now on Patreon! Check out out page and stay tuned for special patron benefits!
https://www.patreon.com/irpiniastories

Become a patron of Irpinia Stories today: Get access to exclusive content and experiences on the world’s largest membership platform for artists and creators.

29/04/2022

Discover the music of Luciano Bruno in our latest post!

For Luciano Bruno, music isn’t just something he does, it is the soundtrack of his life. Luciano was born in Naples, but lives in Grottaminarda, working to promote the region’s heritage and culture…

23/11/2021

Today is the 41st anniversary of the 1980 Irpinia Earthquake, which devastated our area, killing nearly 3,000 people.
I've done research on the quake since I was an undergrad, and every time I learn more, my heart breaks more for Irpinia. Innocent lives lost so cruelly and so tragically was one thing, but then the failed reconstruction efforts and the issues that went on behind the scenes were even worse.
Still, there were glimmers of hope. For example, our Guardiese community here in the USA-- including Scranton and Dunmore-- helped by taking up a collection to restore the Chiesa Madre, Santa Maria delle Grazie, in Guardia, which was particularly ruined by the quake. Other Irpinian American communities did the same.
Every single Irpinian I've come into contact with who lived through the quake has a story to tell, all of them are sad. All of them are worth telling. All of them are worth remembering.
So today, we pause to remember. We pray for the lives lost and the lives forever changed by those fateful 90 seconds. And we pray for Irpinia, that she continues to rise from the ruins. 💚💚

18/10/2021

This week's story was an exciting one to write as we got to hear the voices of immigrants who came over from Irpinia to Boston's North End, thanks to our friends Bob Sorrentino and Anthony Vincent Riccio! We hope you enjoy!
https://irpiniastories.com/2021/10/18/in-their-own-words/

For many people, just to hear the voice of a loved one again is worth more than gold itself. When historian and author Anthony V. Riccio set out to record Italian immigrant stories in Boston’s Nort…

26/09/2021

We're back with a post about Irpinia's Mefite-- discover the mythology surrounding the cult to this poisonous goddess and see how her myth has shaped today's Irpinia!

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…

17/06/2021

We are proud to announce that our story, "Saint Rocco: A Saint for These Times," has won Honorable Mention in the National Federation of Press Women's 2021 contest! Grazie mille!

30/05/2021

Did you know that one of the most important series of laws was set forth at Ar**no Irpino? In our latest piece, we discuss the groundbreaking Assizes of Ar**no with historians Louis Mendola and Jacqueline Alio!

https://irpiniastories.com/2021/05/30/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 …

16/04/2021

Irpinian American friends in the Boston area-- read on! :-)

Join us on Sunday, April 25th, 2021 for our annual Mass and Procession to honor our Blessed Mother, Maria SS. Incoronata. All participants must practice social distancing and wear a mask. We look forward to seeing you there!

14/04/2021

Not even the earthquake was able to stop them: IRPINI! 💚

Oì pecché so' tuosti...

13/04/2021

The Chiesa Madre-- Santa Maria delle Grazie-- in Guardia Lombardi!

Con la rubrica “I Luoghi del Cuore” Carmasius, in sinergia con l’Ufficio per la Pastorale del Tempo Libero, Turismo e Sport, dell’Arcidiocesi di Sant’Angelo dei Lombardi-Conza-Nusco-Bisaccia, rendere omaggio ai paesi dell’Irpinia e non che fanno parte della suddetta Arcidiocesi.

Una carrellata di posti meravigliosi e di piatti della tradizione che appartengono alla nostra cultura contadina, quella di cui le nostre nonne erano splendide portavoce. Carmasius, nella sua mission di promozione del territorio del turismo di prossimità, della sostenibilità ambientale e del senso di responsabilità, si augura, attraverso questa rubrica di contribuire ad evocare la gioia, l’amore e il conforto di cui abbiamo bisogno e di cui noi irpini siamo capaci.

Di seguito, graficamente illustrata, la Chiesa di S. Maria delle Grazie ubicata nel centro storico di Guardia Lombardi, il secondo paese più alto dell’Irpinia.
Costruita nel 1315, l’impianto originario a croce greca fu ampliato nel 1563 assumendo una conformazione longitudinale a tre navate. Al suo interno è possibile ammirare un pregevole coro ligneo, altari in marmi policromi, statue lignee e alcune tele di scuola napoletana del 1600.

12/04/2021

Irpinia Stories has won both a first place and a second place award in the Pennsylvania Press Club's 2021 Communications Contest in the Web and Social Media/Blogs category.
This blog began to teach American/English-speaking audiences about Irpinia. Italy isn't just the large touristy places or the more famous locales. Italy's charm, to me, resides in its small towns. Hopefully Irpinia Stories shows that charm to its readers and will continue to do so for years to come!
The article below was the first place winner!
https://irpiniastories.com/2020/05/09/a-saint-for-these-times/?fbclid=IwAR1UIjvJF2lXoUaVMkzLewfkIlAuf1OcR_iwdlt7e0dRs9pBa2-G8FDPEZo

During these times of COVID-19, many people are turning to Saint Rocco for protection. He is one of the most venerated saints in Irpinia— a quarter of the towns in the Province of Avellino have som…

07/04/2021

Check out the spring snow in Irpinia!

✍️...e fuori nevica!

04/04/2021

Besides Pizza Chiena and Pastiera, there's a few other Irpinian Easter treats everyone should try! This year, we tried our hand at a Pigna di Pasqua... learn more about it at the link below!

My very first Pigna di Pasqua… and it won’t be my last! Throughout Southern Italy, especially in the Campania Region, Easter food traditions are dominated by Pizza Chiena (Also known as…

02/04/2021

Have you heard of the Good Friday procession in Vallata? Check out one of our archived posts for the story behind this special event!
https://irpiniastories.com/2019/04/13/a-holy-week-tradition-in-vallata/

On April 18 and 19 in the town of Vallata (AV), a Holy Week tradition will take place as it has done for nearly 500 years. The Via Crucis, or Holy Procession, representing the Passion and Death of …

20/03/2021

We recently spoke to historian and professor Stefano Ventura about his latest book chronicling the "before" and the "after" of the 1980 Irpinia Earthquake... click below to read this special interview!

As previously mentioned on this blog, the November 23, 1980 Earthquake decisively split Irpinia into a “before” and an “after.” (Click here and here for two related articles…