Basilica vs Cathedral in Italy: what’s the difference?
If you’re looking to buy property in Italy, chances are you’ll come across stunning churches and historic buildings in towns and cities nearby. Italy’s rich religious architecture is a big part of its charm, but terms like basilica, cathedral, and duomo can be confusing. What do they mean? And why does it matter? In this guide, we’ll explain the di...
West Virginia author says her Italian cookbook is about way more than food
West Virginian Italian American author Rosalyn Queen recently shared a few secrets and memories with WBOY. Queen sat down with 304 Today host Lauren Winans ahead of the 46th West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival in Clarksburg. Queen wrote and published “Arrivederci: Recipes and Customs Every Italian Girl Takes from Home” 20 years ago as a way to...
Catacombs of Saints Marcellino and Pietro: inside Rome’s forgotten catacombs few travelers ever see
A short distance from the urban chaos of Rome, ten meters below the street level, there still exists an ancient and mysterious world: the Catacombs of San Marcellino and Pietro, which are not only an archaeological site but an immersive experience that combines primitive Christian art and faith. When thinking of Rome, the Colosseum, the Vatican, t...
Spotlight On Maryland-Society of Italian American Businessmen (SIAB)
This week on Spotlight On Maryland, Gina Crash was joined in studio by Joe Papa, President, Society of Italian American Businessmen, (SIAB), & Maryland Italian Festival Co-Chair, to talk about their mission and largest fundraiser of the year- the Maryland Italian Festival, coming up Friday, September 26th-Sunday, September 28th at the Ripken Stadiu...
Meeting the Italian American Pope describing what we do for these wonderful community
Standing before the new Pope, what strikes you right away is his ability to create a familiar, almost intimate atmosphere in just a few seconds. Speaking about peace - his pontificate’s absolute priority - he quoted the words of Mother Cabrini: “Begin the mission, and the means will come.” An invitation to act, he said, that applies just as much to...
Honoring soldier with 13th annual memorial 5K
Runners hit the streets of Scranton on Saturday, honoring the memory of a soldier and carrying on a legacy of community giving. Runners in the 13th Annual Captain James R. Minicozzi Memorial 5K raced through the downtown to help start day two of La Festa Italiana. More than 200 runners and walkers took off through center city, bibs pinned and crowd...
Below the Clouds review – a ghostly yet luminous cinematic mosaic of Naples crowns a superb trio
Gianfranco Rosi has made a movie that could be thought of as the last of a conceptual trilogy about normal life and spiritual life in Italy: the first was his Sacro GRA from 2013 about Rome, for which Rosi won the Venice Golden Lion; the next was Fire at Sea about the migration crisis as experienced in Lampedusa in Sicily. Now there is Below the Cl...
Vandalism reported at Columbus monument in Waltham Common
The Christopher Columbus monument on Waltham Common was defaced with red paint sometime between Thursday night and early Friday morning. The Italian American Alliance reported the incident, noting that the statue has been vandalized multiple times since 2018. Erected in 1992 to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s arrival in the New World, the...
Pantelleria’s fiery lake sheds light on life’s origins - with a martian twist
On the volcanic island of Pantelleria, southwest of Sicily, a small alkaline lake tucked inside an ancient crater is revealing secrets about how life might have begun - both on Earth and possibly on Mars. Known locally as "Bagno dell’Acqua" or “Lago di Venere,” this thermal basin bubbles with heated, mineral-rich waters - creating a natural lab whe...
Italy’s foreign ministry gets a modern makeover: here’s what it means for Italians abroad
Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched a sweeping reform that will revamp its structure, priorities, and daily operations. The goal is to turn the ministry - historically rooted in diplomatic traditions - into a modern, streamlined, and outward-facing institution. This shift is particularly important for the millions of Italians living ab...
Italy’s digital ID overhaul: from paper and passwords to smart cards
Italy is preparing for a sweeping shift in its digital identity infrastructure, marking the end of traditional paper IDs and universal login credentials in favor of a more secure, streamlined system centered around the Electronic Identity Card (CIE). From August 3, 2026, the classic paper identity card will no longer be valid for international trav...
Amalfi Coast’s ancient agricultural terraces garner global prestige
Nestled along Italy’s breathtaking Amalfi Coast, a living testament to centuries of human ingenuity and natural beauty has achieved a momentous honor: its terraced landscapes - host to lemons, olives, and vineyards - have been named a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization. This distinction...