Italian American Digest JT DIGEST Summer 2018 June First (1) | Page 13

SUMMER 2018
I TALIAN A MERICAN D IGEST
CLUB NEWS
PAGE 13
Two Generations Trace
Contessa and Schiro History
Emperor by Pope Honorius.
In 1250, Pope Clement IV formed
an
alliance with the communes and
n 1886, a group of Arabreshe men
conferred the crown of Sicily to
founded the Società Italiana di
Charles I, brother of Louis IX of
Beneficenza Contessa Entellina, a
France. Sicilians were not satisfied
mutual aid and fraternal organiza-
with French lords after the capital
tion—the first Italian society formed
was transferred from Palermo to
in New Orleans.
Naples. It became known as the “two
Sources for our history are from
Sicilies.” In the struggle, Sicilians
Leita Spoto, our genealogist; Nino
were aided by Peter III, King of Ara-
Schiro, a Contessa-born resident;
gon of Spain. For more than a cen-
Brett Clesi, historian of the Contessa
tury,
Naples and Sicily were united.
Entellina Society in New Orleans;
In 1806, Napoleon appointed his
Gasper J. Schiro; and his father, Jo-
brother
Joseph king of Naples while
seph Schiro, who published the story
Ferdinand IV was relegated to Sicily.
in the Dixie magazine of the Times-
The congress of Vienna restored the
Picayune on October 16, 1983.
Bourbons to the two Sicilies.
The title of the article was “The
In 1860, volunteers from Piedmont
Stalwart Sons of Contessa Entellina,”
written by Dalt Wonk. Photos includ- under Garibaldi sailed from Geneva
ed the town of Contessa, the Contessa to assist insurgents gaining victories
as they swelled in numbers at Cal-
Entellina Society tomb on Avenue B
in old Metairie Cemetery, the Society atafimi, driving Neapolitan troops
from Sicily. Garibaldi met with little
in front of St. Louis Cathedral, and
resistance, and the kingdom of the
the Contessa band (featuring Luke
two Sicilies ceased to exist. Parlia-
Schiro with his clarinet).
ment
made it part of Italy in 1961.
There is also a photo, on the So-
There are three lines of Schiros not
ciety’s 40th Anniversary in 1926, of
related
by blood. Nino Schiro is of
Joseph and Anthony Tortorich with
the Inzolia line. The third Schiro line
the Arbreshe coat of arms in their
was traced to about 1645 in Contessa.
restaurant, Royal House.
The town of Contessa Entellina
Katherine Nicolosi Vindigni had
was
settled from 1469 to 1521 by ref-
a copy of her family history. The
story was told by Katherine’s mother, ugees from Caradona and other pure
emigrant families of the Peloponnese,
Angelica Nicolosi. A nephew, Peter
the Corone nobility. Albania fell to
Milone, recorded the story from the
the Turks, and Islam was introduced.
interview and probably did the re-
In Italy, Alfonso offered refuge to
search on history as follows:
thousands of Albanians. In decades to
Sicily lies almost in the center of
follow, refugees arrived in southern
the Mediterranean Sea, with Catania
Italy, mainly in Calabria. A few were
to the east separated from Calabria
nobles and some had been soldiers;
and the Strait of Messina by 2 miles.
After the fall of the Roman Empire in others were clergy, farmers or crafts-
476 A.D., Sicily and Italy came under men, all in search of a better life and
one rule by the Greeks. For 200 years, freedom from Turkish oppression. In
1480, the Turks attacked the Italian
Germans, Greeks and Arabs were in
coast and briefly occupied the city of
constant warfare.
Otranto. Over the next two decades,
By 1000 A.D., Sicily was the cen-
one Albanian town after another fell
ter of Arabic civilization. Frederick
to Turkish control.
II established his capital in Palermo,
and in 1220 was made Holy Roman
Contessa cont. on page 24
by Gasper Schiro, Joyce Schiro,
and Vincenzo Salemo
I
Contessa Entellina Society Names
New Secretary, Toasts Tricentennial
A
by Gasper Schiro
t its recent May meeting the
Contessa Entellina Society
elected Justin Genovese, 28, its new
secretary. A champagne and cannoli
reception followed.
The 131-year-old society was in-
vited to join the tricentennial proces-
sion at St. Louis Cathedral with the
large Blessed Mother Society banner
leading Archbishop Gregory Aymond
into the Cathedral.
The society represented the Ital-
ians, Greeks, and Albanians of New
Orleans.
In February the society had its an-
nual “Day at the Races,” which was
a well-attended and fun event.
Finally, the society announced
plans for its 132nd annual anniver-
sary, when its new members will be
presented.
The banquet will be held at the
Chateau Country Club on Sunday,
September 2. The Christmas cham-
pagne buffet will be on Sunday,
December 16.