Vol. 54 ▪ No. 2 Washington D.C.
An Italian American Gazette of the Greater Washington D.C. Area
Sergio Mattarella Elected New President of the Republic of Italy by Francesco Isgrò
February 2015 $1.50
Piero di Cosimo: The Poetry of Renaissance Painting
A master’s captivating works are at the National Gallery
Members of the Italian Parliament and regional representatives elected Sergio Mattarella, a sitting Justice of the Constitutional Court, as the 12th President of the Italian Republic on January 31. He was sworn in three days later and in a wide-ranging speech before Parliament, Mattarella acknowledged the suffering that Italian people have endured during the lengthy economic downturn, a crisis, he said, that has “inflicted wounds on the social fabric” of the country. “We need to reverse this economic cycle,” he said. Mattarella called upon elected representatives to serve their country first and to look at politics as a service for the “common good.” He said that the fight against the mafia and corruption was an “absolute priority.” He decried the “unacceptable” level of corruption that has drained resources that could benefit citizens and that has favored cliques and penalized honest people. Mattarella said it was “alarming” how the various mafias have spread to new areas, comparing it to a “pervasive cancer” that destroys hopes and tramples rights. Mattarella also spoke about the challenge from international terrorism that threatens the “foundations of Continued on page 7
Piero di Cosimo, The Finding of Vulcan on Lemnos
President Sergio Mattarella
Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museo degli Innocenti and the Uffizi Galleries, both in Florence. Piero is considered one of the most innovative and intriguing artists of his time. He painted stunning portraits and conventional religious works, including the Adoration of the Child, the Incarnation of Christ with Saints, and the Visitation with Saints Nicholas and Anthony Abbot. Many of his religious works were done in the round, called “tondi” in Italian. An entire room of the exhibition, in fact, is devoted to his Continued on page 5
INSIDE
Piero di Cosimo may not be as familiar a name as his contemporaries Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli, yet in Renaissance Florence during his lifetime, Piero was considered practically their equal. For centuries, however, Piero has languished in relative obscurity. Now, with this unprecedented body of work on display at the National Gallery of Art, the first large retrospective of his art, Piero is finally getting due recognition. The exhibition includes 44 paintings lent by galleries from around the world, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The Harvard Art Museums, the Budapest
Archbishop Santo Marcianò 4
I Bersaglieri
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Donatus Buongiorno 7
Address service requested Voce Italiana Holy Rosary Church 595 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001-2703
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Washington D.C., February 2015
As We Observe the 70th Anniversary of the End of World War II
Thoughts from a young Holy Rosary parishioner by Matteo Marchi*
In the summer of 1944, with the Red Army deep inside Nazi territory, and the Allies pushing from the West, Heinrich Himmler (despite Hitler’s apparent irremovability) quickly realizes that the War is lost and starts dismantling concentration camps and moving prisoners around in the illusion of a possible negotiation with the Allies. On January 27, 1945, exactly 70 years ago, the Soviet Army enters the infamous Auschwitz Camp freeing a few thousand prisoners: children, and old and sick people unable to walk, whom the Nazis have left behind in complete abandonment. In 2015 the world remembers the end of the World War II and its tragic events. At my school we have dedicated a particular focus to studying the human loss, and the tragedy of those who survived. We have read many stories about concentration camps, and we have studied World War II and its consequences from many points of view. Concentration camps, beyond the Nazi rhetoric and propaganda, were in truth efficient Death Camps, evil machines and tools for the total racial
cleansing that was the real goal of NaziFascism. As an Italian, I don’t hide the fact that I felt ashamed when I learned about the official role of Italy during WWII, despite the fact that, at the end of the War, the Italian people did their best to rebel and remedy. I have been deeply touched by the personal stories of many innocent victims, and I am now more aware of how lucky we are to live in a period of
relative peace. My father’s uncle and my mother’s grandfather were interned in concentration camps and survived, although they were deeply injured in their body and spirit. Humans have a special power, the ability to forgive; however, we should not ever forget. *Matteo Marchi, 13, is an honor student at the T. Davis Middle School in Charles County, Maryland.
L’Ambasciata d’Italia e i Consolati italiani negli USA celebrano la “Giornata della Memoria” L’Ambasciata d’Italia a Washington e la rete dei Consolati e degli Istituti italiani di cultura negli USA hanno onorato la “Giornata della Memoria” con una serie di conferenze, incontri, film e altri eventi nella capitale americana ma anche a Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Tampa e in altre località. La Giornata della Memoria è stata istituita in Italia con una legge del 2000 per ricordare la data del 27 gennaio del 1945, quando – settanta anni fa – le truppe
sovietiche liberarono AuschwitzBirkenau, il più grande campo di concentramento nazista. “Quella legge, che ha aperto la strada ad iniziative simili da parte delle Nazioni Unite e di altri Paesi, mira a mantenere viva la tragica memoria della Shoah e la comprensione della sua realtà storica a beneficio delle giovani generazioni, oltre che a scongiurare che tragedie del genere possano ripetersi”, ha commentato l’Ambasciatore d’Italia a Washington Claudio Bisogniero.
“The Secret of Joy” (Il secreto della gioia) Arriva in Italia “The Secret of Joy”, un progetto composto da un cortometraggio, un libro e una canzone, per aiutare la causa del cancro pediatrico. Il corto, girato a Los Angeles lo scorso Dicembre con un cast e una troupe di eccezione tra cui spiccano i nomi di Doris Roberts (vincitrice di 4 premi Emmy), Maria Conchita Alonso e Sofia Milos, sarà inviato ai maggiori festival internazionali e successivamente donato a ospedali e fondazioni che si occupano di cancro pediatrico in Italia, Spagna, Stati Uniti e Inghilterra. Nonostante il lavoro sia stato ideato e sviluppato dalla MaXaM Productions di Los Angeles, il progetto ha un cuore tutto italiano. Sono infatti italiane la coproduzione di Maria Rosaria Picardi e del New Laboratorium Teatro di Napoli,
fondato dall’attore Sergio Sivori, che del corto è produttore e protagonista, la regia e la sceneggiatura e il montaggio di
Max Bartoli, i costumi, le parrucche e le calzature disegnati da Andrea Sorrentino e gentilmente donate dalla Sartoria Teatrale Tirelli, da Rocchetti&Rocchetti e da Pompei Calzature, e la colonna sonora di Gianluca Cucchiara. In Italia sono stati finora siglati accordi con la Fondazione Santobono / Pausillipon di Napoli, il Gaslini di Genova e trattative sono in corso con il Meyer di Firenze. La notizia del progetto e degli accordi firmati con questi primi due ospedali ha convinto Rai 1 ad invitare produttori e regista in una delle trasmissioni nel pre-serale che anticiperà il Festival di San Remo (il contenitore mediatico si chiama “Casa San Remo”). Altri media italiani stanno facendo lo stesso. In Italia “The Secret of Joy” è stato già patrocinato dal Garante Per L’Infanzia, dai comuni di Napoli e Pompei, dalla Croce Rossa Italiana.
Noted Briefly... ►Complementing the outstanding exhibit of Piero di Cosimo paintings at the National Gallery of Art (see front page story) is an exhibit called From the Library: Florentine Publishing in the Renaissance, displaying a collection of texts from 1485 to 1637 by renowned printers in Florence. Highlights include: first editions of a Leon Battista Alberti treatise, and a book about Michelangelo's funeral by Vincenzo Borghini. The show runs until August 2, in the Gallery's West Wing. ►Francesco Rosi, an Italian director and screenwriter whose films took on corruption in post-war Italy, died in Rome at age 92. Rosi's innovative social commentaries won him numerous awards, including at the Venice and Cannes film festivals. His most famous works include, the 1963 film, "Hands Over the City," with Rod Steiger, and "The Mattei Affair," which won the Golden Palm in Cannes in 1972. ►Tony Verna, best known for inventing the instant replay, one the most important innovations in sports and broadcasting history, died in Palm Desert, Calif., at age 81. Verna was born in Philadelphia and got into the broadcasting business at 19. His father, an Italian immigrant, was a photographer. ►After nearly three years as head of the General Services Administration, Dan M. Tangherlini is leaving the position. A former Washington D.C. government official, Tangherlini took over the GSA job in the wake of a scandal involving the agency's conference spending and transitioned the agency into a more efficient and tech-savy machine. No word on what his next move will be.
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SPONSORED BY THE LIDO CIVIC CLUB
Lido Civic Club thanks its sponsors, advertisers and silent auction donors for their support of its 85th Anniversary Past Presidents’ Night Gala Dinner GOLD DONORS and GALA EVENT CO-SPONSORS GIUSEPPE AND MERCEDES CECCHI NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (NIAF) CASSIDY TURLEY - COMMERCIAL R/E SERVICES LUCIA RAPAZZO - RE/MAX DISTINCTIVE DALLARA
SILVER SPONSORS FORUM PROPERTIES, INC - Paul E. Biciocchi ORDER OF SONS OF ITALY IN AMERICA THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP GANNETT CO., INC. CALIBRE SYSTEMS, INC TAPSEC CONSULTING, LLC - Thomas Stallone GALAXY CONTROL SYSTEMS WINE WAVE – Importers of Fine Wines - Dennis Copertino
SILENT AUCTION DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS
Pino Argiolas Nick & Darlene DiBattista Paul & Lea Biciocchi Mary Bogdanovic/La Tomate Franco Nuschese/Café Milano Pino Cicala Go Sports /Darrin Wilson Rich DiPippo Brain R. Della Rocca Francesco Marra Phil Finelli Christian Vinazzani Giovanni Cesaratto/ Assaggi Osteria John Marino Fr. Ezio Marchetto/Casa Italiana Phillie & Tom Stallone Joe Lamari Sons of Italy in America Lori Opczynski
National Italian American Foundation Angelo Puglisi Lou and Pat Scalfari Andrea Urciolo Jerry Truman & Jamie Knight Marc Miranian/Grinoges & Mariachis Enzo Fragomeni/ The Rich Look Salon/ Carmela Fragomeni Tracy Hirsch Mgsr. Edward Filardi Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barbuto Vincent Trassati/ East West Lincoln Mercury Joe Bruno Francesco Isgrò Anthony Cantalupo Michael Galway & Anto Clarke/ Irish Restaurant Co. Ridgewells Catering
SAVE THE DATE
The 42nd Italian American Open Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 15, 2015 at the Manor Country Club in Rockville, Md. This event promises to be fun with great golf, food and comradery. The event benefits Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center in Washington, D.C. and the Lido Civic Club’s scholarship and charity funds. SAVE THE DATE! For more information on foursomes and sponsorships, please visit-www.ItalianAmericanOpen.com
Photos courtesy of William Guptill at http://celebpix.instaproofs.com/store/
ADVERTISERS Takoma Metro Shopping Center - John R. Urciolo New York Life Insurance Co. - Rose S. Gentile, CLTC B2B CFO Partners, LLC - Paul Zambrotta Rocky DelMonaco and Eileen Parise Ciao Media Group, LLC - Francesco Isgrò Kuwamura Della Rocca Law Group, P.A. - Brian R. Della Rocca, Esq. Orion Management, LLC The DeZinno Family - Patty, John, Mary, Lauren, Michael, Dylan and Myles The Aleethia Foundation - Supporting Those Who Serve The Meltzer Group - Financial & Insurance Solutions - Rich DiPippo CPS Professional Services - Phil and Elizabeth Panzarella Voce Italiana - The Italian American Gazette for the Washington Area UBS - The Truman Cleary Group - Investments - Jerry Truman The Mitre Corporation Alfio’s La Trattoria Restaurant - Chevy Chase, MD AMICO - American Italian Communications - Pino Cicala Santos Postal & Company, P.C. - CPA’s – Joseph Scolaro
About the Lido Civic Club of Washington, DC The Lido Civic Club of Washington, DC was established in 1929. For 85 years it has brought together Washington area Italian American businessmen and professionals to enjoy not only their shared business interests but also their Italian American culture. The Club normally meets every third Thursday at Alfio’s Restaurant in Chevy Chase, Md. If you would like to be our guest one evening, contact our membership chairman at: membership@lidocivicclub.com or email the President at president@lidocivicclub.com
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Arcivescovo Ordinario Militare per l’Italia Santo Marcianò Visits Holy Rosary Church and Celebrates Mass
Don Santo Battaglia, Archbishop Santo Marcianò, Fr. Ezio Marchetto
Archbishop Monsignor Santo Marcianò, Chief of the Roman Catholic Church for Military Service, Fr. Ezio Marchetto and Don Santo Battaglia, the Archbishop’s Secretary, recently celebrated Mass at Holy Rosary Church. Uniformed military personnel from the Italian Embassy, headed by Gen. Giovanni Fantuzzi, attended the Mass, along with parishioners. In his homily, the Archbishop explained his role as Archbishop of the Italian military stationed in Italy and around the world. He mentioned in particular that, havAntonio Cossu, Arch Santo Marciano, Francesco Fontana, General Giovanni Fantuzzi
ing visited most of the military installations in Italy, he was saddened to meet many individuals who live at the poverty level, and noted the “scandalous” disparity in remuneration between the military and other public employees. Prior to his appointment, Don Santo, as he prefers to be called, served for seven years as Archbishop of RossanoCariati, in Calabria, Italy. He is a graduate of the University of Messina and the Pontifical Lateran University, and obtained a doctorate from the Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm.
New Library Opens at Casa Italiana
Carmelo Cicala nuovo Coordinatore Intercomites Carmelo Cicala, presidente del Comites di Washington DC, è il nuovo coordinatore dell’InterComites USA. Il presidente Cicala, che precedentemente ha coordinato l’Intercomites per due mandati, coprirà questa carica fino al rinnovo dei Comites con le annunziate elezioni per il prossimo aprile. Rivolgendo ai colleghi presidenti l’augurio di un “proficuo 2015″, il neo coordinatore ha rivolto agli stessi un primo appello esortandoli a stimolare i concittadini residenti all’estero ed iscritti all’AIRE a registrarsi nelle liste
degli elettori presso i relativi Consolati. Senza questa iscrizione, infatti, i cittadini residenti all’estero non potranno votare ed esprimere le loro preferenze per il rinnovo dei Comites in aprile. (aise)
A new library for adults officially opened at Casa Italiana at the end of January. The library contains more than one thousand volumes, all in Italian. Patrons can borrow the books on Mondays from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and on Sundays from 10:00-12:00 a.m.
Washington D.C., February 2015
Joe Novello
A Spotlight on the Celebrated “Bersaglieri” at Casa Italiana
Above, left, Major Elio Manes with his family. Above, right: Elio Manes, Lucio D'Andrea, Maria D'Andrea, Rodolfo Scanga, Massimo Salvamini
5 COMMUNITY NEWS
Major Elio Manes, a Commander of the Bersaglieri, the prestigious high-mobility infantry unit of the Italian army, recently gave a presentation called Bersaglieri: From 1836 to 2014, A Run Across Two Centuries. The Bersaglieri are noted for their plumed hats and for jogging instead of walking in parades. Today, the Bersaglieri participate in peacekeeping missions in places like Lebanon, Somalia and Iraq. The event was held at Casa Italiana and sponsored by the Abruzzo and Molise Heritage Society.
Continued from page 1
exquisite and dramatic tondi. But what set Piero apart from his contemporaries are several characteristics: his unbridled imagination, a fascination with mythology, and an uncanny attention to minute, whimsical details. Those elements can be found mainly in his mythological and allegorical works, such as The Liberation of Andromeda, which depicts Perseus rescuing a maiden from a huge sea creature, and the Discovery of Honey, populated by nymphs and creatures that are part human and part animal. Not much is known about the life of Piero. The son of a goldsmith, he was born in Florence in 1462, making him younger than Leonardo and older than Raphael. His birth name was Piero di Lorenzo but after studying under artist Cosimo Roselli, he adopted the surname di Cosimo. At age 20 he traveled with Roselli to Rome to help paint the landscape background of The Sermon on the Mount fresco in the Sistine Chapel.
Little else is known about his life – his birth date was only established in 2000. His paintings are not signed or dated and not many documents exist that establish the facts of his life, according to the exhibition’s curator, Gretchen Hirschauer. Giorgio Vasari, the biographer of Renaissance artists, gives us some insights into Piero, the man. Vasari refers to the “strangeness of Piero’s brain,” noting the unusual details that figure in his art, but also his odd habits, such as subsisting only on hard-boiled eggs, and refusing to clean his home, studio and himself. Piero became a recluse, says Vasari, “so odd and whimsical that nothing could be done with him.” Piero died in 1522. This long-awaited and unprecedented exhibition will be at the National Gallery through May 3. It will then move to the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, where it will remain from June 23 until September 27, 2015. --Voce Italiana
Museo degli Innocenti, Florence
Rare Exhibition of Piero di Cosimo Masterpieces at National Gallery of Art
Piero di Cosimo, Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints Elizabeth of Hungary, Catherine of Alexandria, Peter, and John the Evangelist, with Angels
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Founded in 1960 An Italian American Gazette of the Greater Washington D.C. Area 595 Third Street NW, Washington, DC 20001
Editor-in-Chief: Fr. Ezio Marchetto, C.S. Executive Editor: Francesco Isgrò Advertising: Lucia Portanova 202-638-0165 Circulation: Maria Fresco 202-638-0165
Voce Italiana
Formula F: Family, Food, Fashion, Ferrari! It seems that whenever there is a reference to Italians and Italian Americans, the topics at the center of the picture are the familiar Formula F. Television ads dwell on the subjects, and even when we are among friends, we rarely diverge from these topics. Not long ago I was at a reception with prominent Italian business people. What was the main topic of discussion? How to make the best eggplant Parmigiana. It's sad to reduce being Italian only to Formula F. It's sad when at funerals, eulogies about deceased older Italian men invariably center on their wine-making or their vegetable gardens. For women, the eulogies focus on their cooking, and invitations to “mangia, mangia.” Is this all that Italians and Italian traditions have to offer? It's easy to blame stereotypes and old formulas, but I believe we need to take a serious look at our behavior. For example, when we organize a gettogether, do we schedule a visit to an Italian art exhibit, or do we simply go to a restaurant? Do we take guests to see the Brumidi paintings, or do we prepare a lavish dinner for them? Or, maybe, do we at least combine the two? Here at Casa Italiana our dinner dances sell out quickly, but attendance is questionable when we hold cultural events like concerts, operas or art shows. It is up to us to change this attitude. First, we must inform ourselves. For example, at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, there is a wonderful
exhibit of mostly Italian artists' works on the Madonna. At the National Gallery of Art, as we see in the front page article, there is a fascinating display of works by Piero di Cosimo. There is an upcoming screening and discussion of the new film, “The Italian Americans.” Last Sunday we opened an Italian library at Casa Italiana. I ask myself, how many people are aware of all the cultural possibilities around us? After informing ourselves, let us make an effort to participate. Culture is an acquired taste. The more we expose ourselves to such events, the more we appreciate them and look forward to the next one. We will move from music to art and from art to shows and discussions, and our lives will be greatly enriched. Finally, we must become messengers. The events are numerous, organized by different organizations, clubs and societies. Let's talk about them, let's go together with friends and family. When I visit a museum I love to see families with young children. The parents are introducing the younger generations to the richness of all aspects of culture. We Italians and Italian Americans are blessed with an incredible and multifaceted culture. It up to us to be informed, to participate, to become messengers and to transmit to younger generations all that Italy and the Italian culture has to offer. Formula F is wonderful, but we have more to offer and it is up to us to embrace, celebrate and share the richness of our culture.
‟It is up to us to embrace, celebrate and share the richness of the Italian culture.”
March for Life begins at Holy Rosary Church for Groups from Missouri and Miami
On January 22, 2015, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the United States traveled to Washington for the 42nd Annual March for Life. They walked peacefully from the National Mall to the U.S. Supreme Court to protest the 1973 Roe v. Wade court decision that legalized abortion. Holy Rosary was again this year, the starting point for two groups, one from St. Louis, Missouri, and the other from Miami, Florida.
Pope Francis to Visit Washington, D.C. In his first visit to the United States since he was elected Pope two years ago, Pope Francis will visit New York City and Washington, D.C., in addition to Philadelphia. His trip will run from September 22 to September 27. The Vatican last year announced the Pope's intention to visit Philadelphia for the 2015 World Meeting of Families, a religious conference on family life. The Mass is expected to draw at least one million people to the city. The exact dates of the Pope's visits to New York and Washington are yet to been confirmed. The pontiff told reporters that he wished he could enter the United States through the Mexican border, "as a sign of brotherhood and of
help to the immigrants." But, he added, he will probably fly directly to the East Coast. "Later, there will be time to go to Mexico," he said. A full itinerary has not yet been released but there is talk of an appearance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and, in Washington, a ceremony at the White House, and a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, where he will canonize American missionary Junipero Serra, who brought Christianity to the western United States. It's too early to tell if the Pope will accept the invitation of Representatives John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi, both Catholics, to address Congress.
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FACES IN HISTORY
Donatus Buongiorno: Artist, Painter of Catholic Churches
Artist painted commissioned murals in Italian-American Catholic churches By Janice Carapellucci* Donatus Buongiorno was a late19th- and early-20th-century Italian and American artist, who split his time between Naples and New York. Born in 1865 in Solofra, Avellino, he moved to Naples in the 1800s to attend the Accademia di Belle Arti di Napoli (formerly known as the Royal Academy of Fine Arts), from which he graduated, and where he later taught. In 1892, he emigrated to New York, which became his base for the next 27 years and where he became a naturalized American citizen in 1895. In 1919 he returned to Italy to live full-time, although he continued to travel to the United States for work until 1931. Regardless of which country was home at any given time, he traveled between the two countries every few years for months-long work stints. In New York in the 1890s, he worked as a designer in a wallpaper
factory. In the early 1900s, he painted commissioned murals in ItalianAmerican Catholic churches. Donatus Buongiorno painted murals and other decorations in eight churches in three cities in the northeast United States from 1911–1919: New York, Boston, and Brattleboro, Vermont. The churches were all Roman Catholic with Italian and ItalianAmerican parishioners, including many Neapolitan Italian immigrants like Buongiorno himself. The churches were housed in both newly constructed and reused buildings. In the churches run by Franciscan orders, the murals include images of, or scenes from the lives of early Franciscans—St. Francis of Assisi, St. Anthony of Padua and St. Clare of Assisi. In churches run by Scalabrinian fathers, the murals often include images of the Scalabrinians’ patron saint, Charles Borromeo. In Italy, in 1908, he worked on the
Avellino—La Collegiata di San Michele Arcangelo—and held an exhibition of paintings. Throughout his life, he made easel paintings that he sold out of his studios in New York and Naples. He also imported paintings from Italy, which he sold in New York, San Francisco and elsewhere, acting as a dealer for other artists. Buongiorno died in 1935 in Casalnuovo di Napoli, a town near Naples.
Donatus Buongiorno, Man Lighting a Pipe
restoration of an important 17th-century church in his hometown of Solofra,
*Donatus Buongiorno was my great-grandmother’s brother, and I am researching his life and career. For additional information about him, please go to: www.carapelluccidesign. com/buongiorno. I would love to hear from you if you know anything about him or his work. Janice Carapellucci, janice@carapelluccidesign.com, or 718 852-7205.
Constitutional Court Justice Sergio Mattarella, Elected New President of Italy
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liberty, of democracy, of tolerance, and coexistence.” This is a global threat that requires a global response, he said. He praised the efforts of Italy in its generous commitment to the increasing influx of refugees and noted that this humanitarian emergency requires the “attention, commitment and solidarity from the European Union.” Mattarella’s speech was interrupted by much applause and many standing ovations, a testament to the popularity of the new President and guarantor of the Italian Constitution. He is generally considered a man of high moral integrity, qualified to restore confidence in Italian politics. Mattarella was first elected to Parliament in 1983 and later served as Minister of Education before being named Minister of Defense in 1999. In 2011, he was elected by Parliament to Italy's Constitutional Court . Born in Palermo, Sicily in 1941, Mat-
tarella was a member of Azione Cattolica, a prominent Catholic lay association, during his youth. He graduated with a law degree from the University La Sapienza in Rome and later taught Parliamentary procedure at the University of Palermo. The Mattarellas are a prominent Sicilian family. His father Bernardo, who died in 1971, was a member and a founder of the Christian Democratic Party, which dominated the Italian political scene for nearly fifty years. The party collapsed in the 1990s after corruption probes. Sergio Mattarella was Email: Jplamari@msn.com Web: AttorneyLamari.com
JOSEPH P. LAMARI ATTORNEY AT LAW 414 HUNGERFORD DRIVE
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not implicated in the controversy. His older brother, Piersanti Mattarella, also a Christian Democrat, became President of Sicily in 1978 and sought to reform the Sicilian regional government and its bureaucracy. In 1980, he was assassinated by the Cosa Nostra. Shortly after his brother's assassination, Mattarella entered politics, attaining increasingly powerful positions. In 2007, he was one of the founders of the Democratic Party, a center-left party created by merging several leftist and centrist parties. In October 2011, he was sworn in as a judge in the Constitutional Court,
where he has served until his election as President. A widower, (his wife died in 2012), with three adult children, Sergio Mattarella replaces Giorgio Napolitano, who was President of Italy for nine years, the longest term in Italy's history. Mattarella will serve a seven-year term.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR PROROGA DEL TERMINE DI ISCRIZIONE NELL’ELENCO ELETTORALE AL 18 MARZO 2015 E DI RINVIO DELLE ELEZIONI COMITES AL 17 APRILE 2015 I cittadini italiani residenti nel Distretto di Columbia, nelle contee di Montgomery e Prince George's (Maryland) e nelle contee di Arlington e Fairfax (Virginia) che intendano partecipare all’elezione dei COMITES sono invitati a far pervenire apposita richiesta secondo le seguenti modalità: a) Preferibilmente, va compilato in ogni sua parte il formulario scaricabile a questo link. In alternativa, è possibile anche presentare una domanda redatta in forma libera, debitamente firmata, purchè riporti nome, cognome, data di nascita e indirizzo aggiornato del richiedente. Tale domanda deve esprimere chiaramente l'intenzione del richiedente di votare per le elezioni 2014 del COMITES. b) Una volta compilato, il formulario o la domanda in forma libera vanno inviati, allegando una copia di un documento di identità ancora valido (con foto e firma), secondo una tra le seguenti opzioni: 1) per posta ordinaria, all’indirizzo: Ambasciata d’Italia in Washington - Sezione Consolare - Ufficio Elezioni Comites - 3000, Whitehaven Street N.W. - Washington D.C. 20008 2) per posta elettronica, all’indirizzo: washington.comites@esteri.it 3) per fax, al numero: +1 202.518. 2142 Per ulteriori informazioni o chiarimenti contattate il vostro rappresentante al Comites, o il presidente, linea diretta: 202 468 6356 o per email: comitesdc@aol.com
February 8, 2014. Carnevale celebration sponsored by Holy Rosary Church/Casa Italiana, at Casa Italiana Sociocultural Center. 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Live music by the I-Talians. February 14, 2014. Carnevale-Valentine's Day celebration co-sponsored by Lucchesi nel Mondo/Tuscany Club and AMHS. For information, contact Patricia Maltagliati at triciamalt@yahoo.com February 17 & 24, 2015. Not to be missed: the PBS film, Italian Americans by John Maggio and narrated by Stanley Tucci. Check local listings for times.
March 8, 2015. Father De Carlo breakfast at Casa Italiana. March 15, 2015. Festa della Vendemmia hosted by the Washington Winemakers at Casa Italiana. May 21, 2015. The Sons of Italy Foundation's 27th Annual National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala. March 22, 2015. 54th Annual Lasagna Dinner and Spring Bazaar at Casa Italiana to benefit Holy Rosary Church.
COMITES DI WASHINGTON D.C. Melo Cicala, Presidente
The Lido Civic Club of Washington D.C. 1929-2015 Our 86th Year
Metropolitan Washington’s Premier Italian-American Business and Professional Men’s Organization
Brian R. DellaRocca Esq., President Thomas F. Regnante, Vice President Arthur J. Del Buono, Treasurer Vincenzo Fragomeni, Secretary Rocco DelMonaco Jr., Public Affairs Jack Derrico, Sergeant at Arms “To the end that American citizens of Italian descent or origin and their families may find a welcome and ready entrance into the social, civil and community life of Washington, D.C., and thus be helped in forming acquaintances and taking part in the activities of community life which leads to contentment and tends to make the new member more valuable to himself, his employer and his community; to perpetuate the bond of friendship and good will which has always existed between the American and Italian peoples....” (From the Preamble to the 1929 Lido Club Constitution)
www.lidocivicclub.com