When the Hunter’s Moon Rises

My jack-o’-lantern illuminated from within, its mischievous grin piercing the darkness beneath the Hunter’s Moon

I drew her down on me
I drew her with a smile
~ PJ Harvey, "Yuri-G"

While stargazing with a friend late Sunday night, I had the pleasure of witnessing the magnificent Hunter’s Moon, traditionally associated with the height of the autumn hunting season. Enormous and luminous, it dominated the heavens, with Saturn shining nearby.

Over a bottle of Aglianico del Vulture, our conversation turned to Halloween and my plans to attend a party. My companion seemed surprised by my enthusiasm for the holiday, having assumed that my faith would make me opposed to such festivities.

Quite the contrary. I have little patience for puritanical gatekeepers who regard drinking, dancing, music, art, and other earthly pleasures with suspicion. There is a place for fasting, penance, and reparation, all of which I practice, just as there is a place for rejoicing in God’s gifts. Halloween, after all, belongs to the ancient Christian observance of Hallowtide, when the Church remembers the saints and our dearly departed.

Nor do I dismiss the things that haunt the darkness. I believe in demons, witches, ghosts, and magic. As for goblins and zombies, I encounter them on the subway almost daily. My ancestral Irpinian blood and peculiar affinity for La Bella Luna leave me equally convinced that werewolves still prowl beneath her pale light.

And every year, as All Hallows’ Eve approaches and the veil between the living and the dead grows thin, I hear my late mother’s voice calling my name in the black of night. Strangely, I never hear my father’s.

Of course, there are those who profane and corrupt the occasion, but what human endeavor is immune to such abuses? The corruption of a tradition is no reason to abandon it.

So when All Hallows’ Eve descends and wandering souls draw near, I shall greet the trick-or-treaters with cheer and candy before enjoying my ossa dei morti and amaro while the waning moon keeps watch. Happy Halloween!

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 26th, Feast of San Gaudioso di Salerno

Fiore Marro Honored for His Lifelong Dedication to Southern Italy's Heritage and Future

Premio Eccellenze 2026 awarded to Fiore Marro

On October 22, 2026, Fiore Marro, National President of the Comitati delle Due Sicilie (CDS), received a prestigious recognition at Montecitorio in Rome for his decades-long efforts to preserve and promote the historical and cultural heritage of Southern Italy. Throughout his life, Marro, a businessman and journalist, has conducted research, published books, and organized conferences and heritage trips to promote a fuller understanding of the history of the regions that once constituted the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

Hailing from Cervinara, in Irpinia, President Marro founded and continues to lead the Comitati delle Due Sicilie, an organization that unites those seeking to deepen their knowledge of Southern Italy, its history, people, traditions, and place in the broader European and global context. He has helped transform the CDS into an institution capable of bringing historical research from public and private archives, as well as family memories, to a wider audience, creating opportunities for dialogue, cultural exchange, and collective growth.

Fiore Marro receiving his award from
Deputy Cav. Alessandro Caramiello

President Marro is affectionately known as “Mister” by the many young people he has mentored through his years coaching youth soccer leagues in the province of Avellino. His colleagues and readers also refer to him as “Vate,” a title suggesting a visionary or prophetic figure, in recognition of his ability to inspire a collective vision for the South’s future.

He is also the director of Belvedere News and Inviato News, as well as the author of numerous articles and books on Southern history and historical fiction. His published works include Un’anima divisa in due (Giuseppe Vozza Editore, 2007), Uomini del Sud, visti da vicino (Editore Tramontano, 2022), La fine dei vinti (Edizioni L’Aperia), and Briganti e Brigantesse (Capasso Massimo Editore).

President Marro’s strength lies in his unwavering vision for the future and his commitment to academic rigor in the pursuit of historical truth, avoiding mere counterpropaganda, nostalgia, and appeals to victimhood or special concessions. Instead, he invites us to rediscover the immense treasures of our documented history, preserved in the living memory of the people, in local and foreign archives, and in the monuments and buildings that still stand throughout the territory. The South, he maintains, should be understood as any nation would be, with all its complexities, particularities, and contradictions, as well as its remarkable men and women who have distinguished themselves in every field.

The Honorable Alessandro Caramiello, a deputy from Naples, engineer, consultant, and knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (SMOCSG), is fiercely proud of his Southern heritage. During the XIX Legislature, he founded the Parliamentary Intergroup for the Development of the South, Fragile Areas, and Lesser Islands. Now comprising 50 members from across the political spectrum, the intergroup also includes a technical committee dedicated to supporting businesses and fostering conditions for sustainable economic growth throughout the regions.

Deeply attentive to his native Campania and the South as a whole, Deputy Caramiello had followed President Marro’s tireless efforts and promptly nominated him for this recognition. He presented the honor during the Eccellenze 2026 conference before an audience of CDS members and citizens from across Southern Italy and the islands who had traveled to Rome for the occasion. Their presence made the ceremony itself a historic moment in the halls of Parliament.

The occasion was a tangible celebration of the unity shared by those who love their ancestral homeland and an important acknowledgment of the need to confront both the positive and negative aspects of their shared history and present circumstances.

President Marro and the Honorable Caramiello spoke about what it means today to provocatively declare oneself Borbonico and embrace the challenge of not only defending one’s true historical identity but also transforming that pride, knowledge, and determination into meaningful action toward future economic and cultural achievement.

All too often, discussions of the South remain trapped in tired stereotypes of criminality, poverty, and emigration, narratives shaped in part by the occupation and forcible annexation of the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies into the emerging Italian state. Such portrayals overlook the region’s complex history and extraordinary cultural inheritance. Marro’s work has challenged these narratives, offering a broader and more dignified understanding of the South and its people.

The CDS, together with supporters of the Two Sicilies community and its diaspora, extends its heartfelt gratitude to Fiore Marro for leading by example, dedicating his time and personal resources to preserving the memory of our homeland, and continually fostering a sense of shared belonging.

Through his tireless efforts, he has demonstrated how we can remain firmly rooted in our heritage while building a stronger future for generations to come. Above all, he reminds us that the South is not merely a land of nostalgia, folklore, and tourism, but a vibrant homeland of excellence and achievement in every field, capable of continuing to make its mark on the world stage.

~ By Cav. Charles Sant’Elia

Photo of the Week: Roman Statue of "Lycurgus or Lysias," Vatican Museum

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

All Souls' Day at St. Mary's Church in Norwalk, Connecticut

Il Portastendardo di Civitella del Tronto (n. 64 - Ottobre 2026)

New Music: Neapolitan Organ Works Of The 19th and 20th Century

New music that may interest our readers.

• Neapolitan Organ Works Of The 19th and 20th Century performed by Giuseppe Rigliaco

Label: Da Vinci
Release Date: September 28, 2026
Audio CD: $27.99
Number of Discs: 1

Available at Amazon.com

Read description

XIV Convegno di Studi Mitteleuropei

Making Up for Missing Comic-Con

This year, my trip to Italy meant missing New York Comic Con. While there is nowhere I would rather be than Italy, I must admit I missed the thrill of hunting for long-sought fetish properties, admiring the elaborate cosplay costumes, and perhaps finally acquiring an original Frank Thorne Red Sonja illustration, one I still regret passing up last year.

To “console” myself, I paid a visit to my local comic book shop and treated myself to a few elusive pieces for my modest hoard. Among my finds were Kull the Destroyer #11, finally completing my collection of the original Kull series (Vol. 1); Conan the Barbarian: Red Nails #1, the giant-size, ad-free special issue published in 1983; and King Conan #1, illustrated by the great John Buscema.

It wasn’t quite the same as wandering the aisles of Comic Con, but there is something immensely satisfying about filling those long-standing gaps. As for that elusive drawing of the She-Devil with a Sword, the hunt will hopefully continue at next year’s convention.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 22nd, Feast of San Simmaco di Capua.

XXIX Commemorazione dei soldati del Regno delle Due Sicilie caduti nella battaglia del Volturno

Caravaggio’s Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy: A Masterpiece of Suffering and Divine Rapture

La Maddalena in estasi, c. 1610, oil on canvas,
Michelangelo Merisi, known as Caravaggio

The Italian Cultural Institute in New York is offering a rare opportunity to admire one of Caravaggio’s most haunting and emotionally powerful paintings, Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy (c. 1610).

Having long held a deep personal devotion to Mary Magdalene, I found this exhibition especially meaningful. Painted near the end of the artist’s turbulent life, the work captures the Magdalene suspended between earthly suffering and divine transcendence. Her head falls backward, her eyes nearly closed, tears streaming down her cheeks. Emerging from the surrounding darkness, her illuminated figure conveys an extraordinary mixture of anguish, repentance, sensuality, and spiritual surrender.

What makes the painting so compelling is Caravaggio’s remarkable ability to transform a profoundly religious subject into an intensely human experience. There is nothing distant or idealized about his Magdalene. Her suffering is palpable, her ecstasy mysterious, and her beauty inseparable from her sorrow.

The painting’s dramatic history, including its disappearance from public view for centuries and eventual rediscovery, adds another layer of fascination to an already extraordinary work.

On view through November 6th, this intimate exhibition offers a wonderful opportunity to encounter Caravaggio's genius firsthand. Admission is free, making it all the more worthwhile for anyone who appreciates the enduring beauty and spiritual intensity of the Baroque master's art.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 21st, Feast of Blessed Karl I of Austria

A Farewell to the Eternal City

Mattino a Ponte Sisto (Morning at Ponte Sisto), 1955, oil on canvas, Francesco Trombadori (1886-1961). Perhaps it was fortuitous that I inadvertently omitted this painting from my earlier post about visiting Rome’s Galleria d’Arte Moderna. Depicting a tranquil view of the Tiber and Ponte Sisto, it seems a fitting addition to this final installment of my Italian travelogue

Previous: The Splendor of Parma Cathedral

The final evening and morning of my Italian sojourn were spent in Rome, a fitting conclusion to my travels.

After visiting the Galleria d’Arte Moderna, I met up with a friend for dinner at a contemporary Roman osteria, where we enjoyed a wonderful selection of seasonal dishes, including zucca in saor, terrina di lingua di vitello scottata, patate sfogliate croccanti, and medaglioni di coda al sugo.

After dinner, we walked off our meal with a romantic passeggiata through the Eternal City. We first made our way to the Spanish Steps and the Church of Santissima Trinità dei Monti, where we attended Mass, before continuing on to admire the illuminated Column of Marcus Aurelius, Trajan’s Column, and the Colosseum. As I had during my previous visit to the Eternal City, I made it a point to drink from the nasoni, Rome’s distinctive public drinking fountains.

The following morning, we attended Mass at the Basilica del Sacro Cuore di Gesù for the Feast of Our Lady of Victory and the Most Holy Rosary. Afterward, we lingered in my hotel courtyard over caffè and cornetti, and I read her some Rilke.

With the morning slipping away, it was time to say a reluctant goodbye. My journey had come to an end, but as always, leaving Italy was easier said than done.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 20th, Feast of St. John Cantius

Le Giornate Medievali di Brindisi di Montagna: Un Fine Settimana con il Due Sicilie Camper Club

A Prayer for Europe

L'Arcangelo Michele by Paolo de Matteis

In light of the troubling reports of escalating violence and destruction across Europe, our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims of the unrest. May St. Benedict of Nursia, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joan of Arc, and St. Andrew Corsini, traditionally invoked against civil disturbances and riots, intercede on their behalf and watch over the peoples of Europe.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Remembering Emmanuel Dufournel

The Death of Emmanuel Dufournel

"I am happy to see these 14 wounds flowing with all my blood for the glory of the church. The Fourteenth is my way of the cross!" *

In memory of 2nd Lieutenant Emmanuel Dufournel (b. Poligny 22 February, 1840 — d. Valentano 20 October 1867), Papal Zouave who died fighting the Garibaldini at the battle of Farnese, we pray for the happy repose of his soul.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen 

* Quoted from Papal Zouave History

Photo of the Week: Roman Statue of "Lycurgus or Lysias" in the Vatican

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Our Lady of Champion at the Shrine Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament in Raritan, New Jersey

Remembering Marie Antoinette, Queen of France

Marie Antoinette, Queen of France (2 Nov. 1755–16 Oct. 1793)

On Friday, October 16th, a small group of friends gathered for our annual dinner in memory of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France and Navarre. Ordinarily, I would have organized a larger affair, but recent travels, work, family obligations, and preparations for an upcoming trip to Napoli had occupied much of my attention. As the occasion fell on a Friday, we eschewed meat in favor of an assortment of eggplant dishes, a veritable Sagra della Melanzana. Though modest in scale, the evening was no less meaningful, as guests raised their glasses in tribute to the martyred queen, whose grace, dignity, and courage continue to inspire devotion more than two centuries after her death. Viva ’a Reggina!

Caponata

Melanzane sott'olio

Polpette di milinciani

Pasta alla Norma

The Splendor of Parma Cathedral

Previous: The Splendor of Santa Maria della Steccata

Among the most impressive places I visited during my stay in Parma was the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, better known as Parma Cathedral, a magnificent example of Romanesque architecture.

Consecrated in 1106, the cathedral's greatest artistic treasure is undoubtedly Correggio’s extraordinary fresco of the Assumption of the Virgin, which transforms the cathedral’s dome into a breathtaking vision of heaven.

Looking upward, it is easy to understand why Correggio’s masterpiece has inspired wonder for nearly five centuries.

Next: A Farewell to the Eternal City

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, October 18th, Feast of San Luca Evangelista