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This weekend marks exactly a year since the first, tentative lockdown in Italy. The closures were only in certain regions (such as Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna), and in specific sectors (such as schools), but the drastic measures still shocked the world. The country had recorded only 152 cases of, and three deaths from, Covid-19, so it all seemed li...

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One expects Gennaro Arma to be dignified, eloquent, and eminently professional. His handling of the COVID-19 outbreak as the Captain of the cruise ship Diamond Princess garnered him international recognition and praise for his level headed, calm demeanor in the face of a rapidly unfolding crisis. One does not, however, expect him to be funny. But h...

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Italy delivered the first shocking confirmation of locally transmitted coronavirus infections outside of Asia a year ago Sunday, with back-to-back revelations of cases nearly 100 miles apart in the country's north. First, a 38-year-old man in Codogno, an industrial town in the Lombardy region, tested positive for COVID-19, sending panicked resident...

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Red, orange and yellow. These colors have become symbols of the restrictions on life in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among many things it has entailed — from closed shops to restrictions on movement, the tricolor system of epidemiological measures introduced in November has closed cultural institutions across the country. And that has includ...

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Italy’s small towns and villages have been hemorrhaging residents for decades as dire job opportunities have pushed inhabitants to move to cities or even abroad. The boom in working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, could mean a reversal of this trend. Small towns are seeing an influx of new residents and homeowners looking to tak...

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The Basilica of Saint Benedict, in the central Italian town of Norcia, was almost destroyed during a powerful earthquake in 2016. The coronavirus pandemic brought locals more hardship, but eorts are now underway to bring the basilica – and the symbol of unity it stands for – back to its former glory. Christian devotees believe Saint Benedict, who l...

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The divorce rate in Italy increased by 60% in 2020, according to Italy’s National Divorce Association. “The requests for separation have increased a lot, mainly due to forced coexistence,” the association’s president, family laywer Matteo Santini told Sky TG 24. “Forced coexistence” — that’s COVID-19, of course. In our strange reality, we react to...

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While traveling across the pond remains, at least for the moment, still a dream, dreaming and planning aren’t forbidden and, certainly, they aren’t dangerous. On the contrary, busying our minds with something pleasant and oriented towards a virus-free future, may be a healthy and   relaxing way to spend some time.  For many Italophiles, moving to t...

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My eyes follow the server in his crisp white shirt, black apron, and face shield, holding a tray as he moves along the line of weary, masked passengers. It’s December 23, and we have just arrived in the Rome airport on one of Delta’s first COVID-tested flights from Atlanta. Most of the passengers are too tired, anxious, or distracted to take him up...

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The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every facet of life and the return of “normalcy” is still off in the distance. Individuals, families, institutions and businesses have all been affected to some degree. Organizations of all types have also faced challenges. Yet, they have stepped up to pursue opportunities. The Scranton Chapter of UNICO National,...

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