Story of a Friendship with Luigi Caricato

by Sossio Giametta, Philosopher

Ihave been friends with Luigi Caricato since 2005, as we will see. Our friendship was blessed from the start by Saint Joseph of Cupertino. Indeed, that year, Luigi published L’olio della conversione (Besa), a fictionalised life of the “patron saint of flights”, who hailed from the same region as him. Written in plain, fluent, yet inspired language, the novel was quite a success at the time. It recounted the troubled life of this 17th-century saint, who, in a period full of turmoil, abuse and killings, made a miraculous recovery and conversion and embarked on the path to the priesthood.

But, considered by many an idiot and surrounded by incomprehension, envy, intolerance and plots to assassinate him, he was opposed even by the Church (as also happened to Saint Thomas), until he caused a sensation with his levitations, or “flights”, and became legendary. Finally, amid torments and struggles with the devil, prostration and ecstasy, his body succumbed and he breathed his last, although not before having been accepted by the Church.

I enjoyed the novel and tried, with my meagre means, to get it reviewed. Luigi told me that this selfless act had impressed him and prompted his friendship with me. It was a great blessing for me because Luigi, infinitely younger than I am, is unique among my friends. He is kind, courteous, generous and above all inventive. And he deals with something that is foreign to me, but which he has managed to make me passionate about: olive oil culture. The more I got to know him, the more his creativity surprised and amazed me, and I can say that I have never met a more inventive person than him. His path is fraught with difficulties.

The state and local authorities ignore his outstanding but costly ventures to promote the culture, protection and diffusion of olive oil, one of the greatest assets of Italian agriculture, in whose international organization he plays a prominent role. He has nonetheless managed to launch a grand event, the Olio Officina Festival, held every year in Palazzo delle Stelline in Milan, which is attended not only by the many professionals (and non-professionals) interested in olive oil, but also by numerous others whose interests are simply cultural. Indeed, the festival also features a variety of shows and cultural events: dance performances (I personally witnessed a stunning modern dance display by two amazing dancers), exhibitions of painting and sculpture, book presentations and the celebration of poetry by the literary critic and poet Daniela Marcheschi. Luigi also writes about olive oil in the Corriere della Sera and his friends include writers, journalists and famous personalities in various fields. He has produced books on oil of great artistic merit and has created and edits a magazine, Olio Officina, which is published online weekly and is also available in a print edition with additional content, full of interesting cultural things in addition to news about olive oil and other branches of agriculture.

Luigi also has a strong penchant for publishing – I believe a true vocation – and has already published numerous books, including mine: Capricci napoletani, for which I have received more compliments and congratulations than for any of my other books, and