Italian American Digest Winter Digest 2018 | Page 15

Italian American Digest
PAGE 15
WINTER 2018
Nevertheless,
several local girls
became romantically
involved with Italian
POWs. At least 11
of those girls would
eventually marry
POWs, including
four Battaglia sisters,
and their cousin, Fe-
A group of POWs at Jackson Barracks, with Lorenzo Nuzzolillo on
licia D’Anna. When
the far right.
the war ended, the men
were repatriated to Italy,
where they were soon joined by their Mamie Lore, Eugenio Chierici/Conc-
fidanzate. After weddings in Italy, the etta “Tini” Battaglia, Mario Marranto/
brides brought their husbands back to Marguerite Graffanini, and Giovanni
New Orleans to start new American
Manfrin/Anna Mae Cassesi (who
families.
was at Camp Leroy Johnson, on the
Mr. Serio and I are trying to track
Lakefront).
down the families of these POWs
If you have information, photos,
who married local New Orleans girls. artifacts, and especially stories, we
So far, we know of the families of
want to hear from you! Please con-
Giuseppe Faroldi/Felicia D’Anna,
tact: Salvadore Serio, sserio@jpli-
Lorenzo Nuzzolillo/Eleanor “Noni”
brary.net, [phone] x2505 or
Battaglia, the Giovanni DiStephano/
Elisa Speranza, elisamariesperanza@
Virgie Battaglia, Loreto DiGregorio/
gmail.com, 504-390-2741.
Traditional Sicilian Christmas
by Alessandro Steinhaus
Christmas in Catania / photo courtesy of Leandro Neumann Ciuffo
H
ow do people celebrate
Christmas in Sicily? All over
Italy the Christmas season of-
ficially starts with the Day of the
Immaculate Conception of Mary
on December 8th. From this day
up to December 26th, the holi-
day atmosphere gets bigger and
bigger as the days go on. In the
main streets, decorations and huge
Christmas trees are displayed, pre-
sepi (Nativity scenes) are placed
and zampognari (bagpipe players)
play merry songs.
Christmas day and Christmas
Eve (Vigilia di Natale) are ob-
served in different ways all over
the country, including in Sicily.
Many Sicilian villages are famous
for their living Nativity scenes
where you can see not only the
main characters of the Bibli-
cal story but also a lot of actors
dressed in ancient costumes or
representing tradesmen nowadays
almost extinguished. During the
representation, you can also taste
delicious traditional wine and
food. Visiting one of these vil-
lages allows you to feel absorbed
into an authentic atmosphere, as
if you were inside a movie set.
This tradition probably started
in the 13th century thanks to St.
Francis of Assisi, who authorized
by Pope Honorius III recreated in
the village of Greccio (located in
the Lazio area) the Nativity scene
he had seen in Bethlehem. The
Custonaci representation (a town
in North-Western Sicily, in the
Trapani area) is one of the most
famous all over Italy. Inside the
natural grotto Grotta Mangiapane
you can admire more than 160
people taking part in the scene.
You will have a chance not only
to observe traditional trades and
handicrafts, but also to assist in a
pupi siciliani show (i.e. traditional
Sicilian puppets) and of course
taste genuine local food.
Another important tradition is
the one on December 13th, when
many Sicilian cities celebrate the
Feast of Saint Lucy (Santa Lucia),
the patron saint of eyes and sight.
In almost every Sicilian neighbor-
hood you can find cuccia, a dish
typically made with wheat berries,
ricotta, and sugar. This tradition
honoring Santa Lucia started
after the end of a famine in Sicily
several centuries ago when a ship
arrived in Palermo bearing wheat
on Santa Lucia’s Day; therefore,
on December 13th, cuccia is tradi-
tionally the only wheat eaten and
no bread is consumed.
Also in Sicily, like all over Italy,
you can nowadays find many
Christmas markets, selling every-
thing from local food specialties
to decorations and candles. Just to
name one of them, the Valley of
the Temples in Agrigento becomes
every year a Christmas village
where you can find typical sweets
and products.
Christmas in Sicily is just magi-
cal...but this land, as much as all
of Italy, can impress not only
during the winter but also during
the summer. Do you want to see it
yourself? Join the American Ital-
ian Cultural Center in its upcom-
ing group trips to Sicily (from
May 18th to May 25th, 2019) and
to the Amalfi Coast (from May
25th to June 1st, 2019). More
details on pages 16 & 17.
Buon Natale e felice anno nuovo
ai nostri lettori! Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year to all our
readers!