A Look at the Thirteenth Annual Battle of Bitonto Commemoration in New York City

A commemorative photo with the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies

Members and friends of the Fratelli della Santa Fede (Brothers of the Holy Faith), or Sanfedisti for short, gathered at Amunì Ristorante (7217 3rd Avenue) in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Tuesday evening for our Thirteenth Annual Battle of Bitonto Commemoration in memory of King Carlo di Borbone’s decisive victory over the Austrians in Apulia on May 25, 1734 and the founding of the Bourbon dynasty of Naples and Sicily (later the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies). As we are wont to do, we honored the fallen on both sides with prayers and toasts. We also celebrated the Feasts of San Gregorio VII, San Giuliano di Sora, and the Infant of Prague, as well as Padre Pio’s birthday.

La bandiere delle Due Sicilie and portrait of King Carlo di Borbone

(L) Carlo di Borbone. (R) Battle of Bitonto (c.1750) by Giovanni Luigi Rocco

Various portraits of His Majesty

A few stamps related to the evening's festivities were exhibited:
(L-R) Several stamps from Spain Depicting King Carlos III; Infant of Prague
and San Gregorio VII from the Vatican; and Padre Pio from Italy

Some information about the battle and the Neapolitan Bourbons was on hand 

A festive celebration of Duosiciliano faith, culture and history, revelers were treated to another delicious Sicilian meal by Chef Vincent Dardanello.

Caponata

Carciofi fritti

Arancini

Gamberetti fritti

Sfincione

Rigatoni con pesce spada e melanzane

Watermelon and blood oranges

Tartuffo

Photo of the Week: Votive Wall Shrine Dedicated to Our Lady Help of Christians in Piazza Bellini, Naples

Photo by Andrew Giordano

A Cause for Celebration: Holy Father Authorizes Seven Decrees for Sainthood Causes

Venerable Madre Colomba
di Gesù Ostia, ora pro nobis

VATICAN, May 22 — This morning the Holy Father declared seven new Servants of God, including two from Southern Italy for their heroic virtues: Venerable Madre Colomba di Gesù Ostia (June 15, 1914—August 13, 1969), Prioress of the Monastery of Santa Teresa delle Carmelitane Scalze di Marcianise in Caserta; and Venerable Don Felice Canelli (October 14, 1880—November 23, 1977), a diocesan priest from San Severo in Puglia.

Also approved during today’s audience, were the decrees of martyrdom of Venerable Maria Agostina Rivas López from Peru; the heroic virtues of Venerable Bernard of the Mother of Beautiful Love from Poland; the heroic virtues of Venerable Mariano Gazpio Ezcurra from Spain; the heroic virtues of Venerable Antonia Lesino from Milan; and the heroic virtues of Venerable Alessandro Bálint from Hungary.

Venerable Don Felice Canelli, ora pro nobis

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer I found for Venerable Don Felice Canelli in Italian. Venerable Servants of God, orate pro nobis.

PREGHIERA

O Trinità beata, noi ti lodiamo per il dono all'amata chiesa di San Severo di Don Felice, uom secondo il tuo cuore e le attese del tuo popolo santo. Se è Tua grazia, che sia glorificato in terra, accordaci per sua intercessione ciò, che umili Ti chiediamo come figli ... Egli è per noi immagin di Cristo, forma del suo cuore misericordioso, figlio amorevole della vergine Madre. Padre, fratello e amico, mai egli chiuse il suo cuore elargendo i doni che Tu gli avevi affidato. Maestro e sorriso per tutti, mano tesa- spirito infiammato, sia per noi testimone che ci aiuti nel cammino della santità. Amen

A Look at the Sons of the Two Sicilies Smoking Pipe Club Inaugural “Founders’ Night Dinner and Pipes”

A commemorative photo with the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Photos courtesy of the Sons of the Two Sicilies Smoking Pipe Club

Members and friends of the Sons of the Two Sicilies Smoking Pipe Club gathered at Amunì Ristorante (7217 3rd Avenue) in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Thursday evening for a puff and a bite at our inaugural "Founders' Night Dinner and Pipes."

Grilled vegetables with mushrooms and olives

Arancini

Carciofi fritti

Sfincione

Pasta al forno

Pasta alla Norma

Braciola di maiale al forno

Spada alla griglia

Pollo alla Milanese

Profiterole and cannoli

Nero d'Avola wine with dinner and some Gran Duque d'Alba brandy afterward in honor of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples

(Above & below) After our delicious Sicilian repast,
we enjoyed a leisurely smoke and more than a few laughs

A variety of pipes from Southern Italy were on hand

La bandiere delle Due Sicilie

New Book — Ancient Naples: A Documentary History, Origins to c. 350 CE

New title that may be of interest to our readers. Available at Amazon.com

• Ancient Naples: A Documentary History Origins, to c. 350 CE (A Documentary History of Naples) by Rabun M. Taylor

Publisher: Italica Press

Publication Date: March 31, 2021

Hardcover: $55.00

Paperback: $30.00

Language: English

Pages: 470

Read description

Click here to see more books

Listing does not imply endorsement

Our Philatelic Pursuits

Dark blue & olive brown Ferdinando II, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, 1859

The king of hobbies or the 'Hobby of Kings', as one might say, stamp collecting is indeed an art by itself. ~ Saronyo Lal Mukherjee

For those inquiring about our nascent philatelic club, I’m sorry to say it is not an actual membership club with dues, insignia or bylaws. Like most of our cultural and social endeavors, it pretty much entails a handful of us getting together semi-regularly to partake in said activities. For peace of mind, our gatherings are usually limited to friends and trusted associates.

Juan Donoso Cortés,
block of 4, Spain, 1965

Upon discovering that a few of us share similar interest in the “Hobby of Kings,” we thought it would be fun to meetup and show off our respective collections or attend stamp shows, auctions and exhibits together. Needless to say, the COVID lockdowns have thus far kept our group from meeting in person, but we still speak on the phone and share images virtually. However, like all art forms, it’s not the same as viewing them in person. 

Having said that, I’m still going to post some photos from my own modest collection as a courtesy to those who have asked.

For the record, none of us are experts or dealers, we are simply collectors and amateur enthusiasts. As of yet, I’ve never had any of my stamps appraised or graded and, for the most part, I don’t believe they are worth all that much. Due to finite capital, I chose mine based on themes (geography, history, culture) and aesthetics rather than their rarity or monetary value. 

Still, the collection is invaluable to me because of the time and effort spent putting it together as well as the joy I have sharing it with friends and family. Unlike my small and equally insubstantial comic collection, which I have safely sealed and stored away, I find stamp collecting to be a more sociable pastime and thus more worthwhile. All I have to do is pull out an album and magnifying glass and the conversations begin.

~ Giovanni di Napoli, May 18th, Feast of St. Venantius of Camerino

Maria Santissima Incaldana, Sanctuario di Mondragone, Italy, 2006
San Gennaro, detail of block of four, Italy, 2009

32nd Anniversary of the Death of Salvo d'Acquisto, Italy, 1975

Gabriele D'Annunzio, Italy, 1963 & block of 4 Vincenzo Gemito, Italy, 1952

San Carlo Teatro with coat of arms of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, Italy, 1987 & Ponte Real Ferdinando (first iron suspension bridge in Italy) Italy, 2014

Coronation Mantle of Roger II of Sicily, Lichtenstein, 1975

Set of 2 Norman Art in Sicily, Italy, 1974

René D'Anjou, King of Naples, France, 2009

St. Pope Pius X, Vatican, 1954

Belgium-Spain joint issue single sheet commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the birth of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, Spain, 2000

Emperor Charlemagne first day cover, France, 1966

King Charles III of Spain first day cover, Spain, 1977

(L) Emperor Carlo V, Vatican, 1946. (R) Page dedicated to Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I with first day maxicard, Austria, 2017; King Arthur from the Emperor's tomb, Austria, 1974; set of two—stamp & blackprint—500th Anniversary of the death of Maximilian I, Austria, 2019; & Gothic Armor of the Emperor, Austria, 1969

St. Edith Stein, Germany, 1983 and St. Maximilian Kolbe, Germany, 1973

Detail of block of four 500th Anniversary of the death of John Hunyadi, Romania, 1956 and Vlad Tepes the Impaler (Dracula), Romania, 1976

Ernst Jünger, Germany, 1998

Afonso Henriques, Portugal, 1940

400th Anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto, Monaco, 1971

Gualdim Paes, Portugal, 1928 and Gonçalo Mendes da Maia, Portugal, 1927

Recently acquired, possibly a cinderella stamp (still researching),

Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen (the Red Baron) from Austria