Passing of Fr. Lydio F. Tomasi, C.S.
It is with sadness that the Center for Migration Studies (CMS) announces the passing of Fr. Lydio F. Tomasi, C.S., on February 1, 2024, at the St. Raphael House in Bassano del Grappa, Italy. Fr. Lydio entered the Missionaries of Saint Charles-Scalabrinians in 1957 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1962. After the founding of the Center for Migr...
Sketch Attributed To Michelangelo To Be Auctioned In New York
A simple square scribbled on a yellowed piece of paper believed to have been drawn by Renaissance genius Michelangelo will go on sale in April in New York, auction house Christie's announced on Friday. The company's experts were examining a drawing by another artist of the same period for a forthcoming sale when they saw, stuck to the back of the f...
Magazzino Names New Director
Magazzino Italian Art, the Philipstown museum, has named Filippo Fossati as its new director. He succeeds Vittorio Calabrese, the founding director, who left last month after nine years in the position. Fossati, who was born in Turin and lives in New York City, is a curator and consultant who, most recently, worked with the New York School of the A...
Eagle Food Editor tells Columbus Citizens Foundation how Italian food became his muse
On Jan. 25, Brooklyn Eagle food columnist and Editor-in-Chief of the “Good Food” newsletter, Andrew Cotto, presented his lecture “Italian Food as a Muse” at the Columbus Citizens Foundation (CCF), a non-profit organization that fosters appreciation of ItalianAmerican heritage and achievement. The event took place at the CCF townhouse, an opulent ma...
Richard 'Richie' Ciavolino: 'Once you become a drummer, the beat will be inside of you'
Richie Ciavolino was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1960. His father, Bob “Chevy” Ciavolino, was a drummer in Italian street bands in New York and had a great singing voice. The elder Ciavolino performed and booked acts for the Italian Feast of San Gennaro, Mayor Ed Koch’s birthday, weddings and many other gigs. Richie says his dad was one of the la...
Giuseppe Garibaldi and the Italians of New York: a Statue, a Story
A new episode of “Nuova York: Hidden in Plain Sight” tells the story of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian patriot whose statue by Giuseppe Turini stands in Washington Square Park, a few steps away from New York University. Stefano Albertini from NYU explains how Garibaldi played a fundamental role in the reunification of Italy, how he also fought in...
Calabria in NYC: History, Culture and Cuisine at Javits Center
In a bold effort to capture the attention of American travelers, Calabria is currently taking center stage at the Javits Center in New York. This cultural event offers a glimpse into the numerous attractions that Calabria has to offer, positioning itself as a must-visit destination for travelers from the United States. Despite its relatively small...
From Rome To New York: The Angel Of The Waters
In the heart of Central Park there is an angel. It is the Angel of the Waters statue, which appeared on the Bethesda Fountain on May 31, 1873. It has since earned a place among the city’s icons — a deserved place for its classical beauty, although not everyone knows that it is much more: a symbol of love, harmony, healing, and rebirth, as the histo...
Tom Suozzi Blasts Mazi Pilip Campaign’s Usage of Anti-Italian Slur
Former Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Italian-American advocacy groups have criticized Nassau County Legislator Mazi Pilip’s campaign for referring to Suozzi as the “godfather of the border crisis.” The phrase “godfather,” particularly in usage against Italian-Americans, carries a negative stereotype of association with the Mafia, as a result of...
Life is twice as sweet for these 90-year-old twins
There were no sonograms in 1933. So one could imagine Nunziata Pierro’s surprise when, 15 minutes after giving birth to her son, there were suddenly two bundles of joy to hold. Those twins — Giuseppe “Joe” and Nicola “Nick” Pierro — celebrated their 90th birthday, on Dec. 27, in East Rockaway. Between the two of them exists 180 years of life, 130 y...
John Doldo Jr., pillar of neighborhood and community, fondly recalled
John Doldo Jr., who died Thursday at the age of 93, was a pillar of the community, both in business and in his volunteer service to it. But if building a better community has roots at the neighborhood level, he also excelled there. “I grew up six houses down from John Doldo on Coffeen Street, right there in the Sand Flats,” said James P. Scordo, re...
Archdiocese Ends Merger of Historic Little Italy Parish; But Is it Saved or Nearing the End?
Italian-Americans are wondering if the 120-year-old church that houses the statue San Gennaro that is at the center of one of the longest running street fairs in the United States has been saved–or if the final death toll will sound. In a rare move, the Archdiocese of New York on Jan. 1 rescinded the merger of Most Precious Blood into the parish of...