Paula Gambra Mariné, Carlist Leader, Dies in Segovia

Paula Gambra Mariné, a prominent member of Spain’s Carlist movement and head of the Margaritas of the Comunión Tradicionalista, died in Segovia on August 25th, the Feast of St. Louis IX, King of France.

Born into a family deeply rooted in the Carlist tradition, Gambra Mariné devoted herself to the ideals and apostolate of the Comunión Tradicionalista. As leader of the Margaritas, she carried forward a tradition of Catholic faith, service, and fidelity that has long distinguished the movement.

We ask the faithful to offer prayers for the repose of her soul.

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

Farewell to Neapolitan Poet Luciano Somma

Luciano Somma overlooking
his beloved Bay of Naples

Neapolitan poet Luciano Somma, a familiar presence at literary salons and cultural events, died in Naples on 9 July 2026. His funeral was held at the Parish of Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore in the Vomero-Arenella neighborhood.

Born in the Quartieri Spagnoli on 18 March 1940, Somma began writing poetry in the Neapolitan language at the age of thirteen. While enjoying a successful career in commercial sales, he devoted his life to literature and to the promotion of the Neapolitan language and culture. He participated in numerous radio and television programs, mentored emerging recording artists, and wrote thousands of songs over the course of his lifetime.

His literary works are included in numerous anthologies and are studied at the University of Naples Federico II as examples of contemporary Neapolitan poetry. His poetry is also featured in the anthology Nati per la Vita, published by the Russian publisher Raduga, alongside such Italian literary figures as Salvatore Quasimodo, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Umberto Saba, and Eduardo De Filippo.

Somma received hundreds of literary awards and was twice honored with the Silver Medal of the President of the Italian Republic. He was also a prolific contributor to more than 150 newspapers, magazines, and literary periodicals, including Il Mattino di Napoli, La Nazione di Firenze, Men, Topolino, Intimità, Roma, Frate Indovino, La Disfida, Il Pungolo Verde, L’Eco del Popolo, Il Club degli Autori, Brontolo, Miscellanea, and Cronaca Filatelica. A member of the SIAE since 1967, more than 500 of his songs were published and recorded during his career.

Somma remained steadfastly proud of his native city, especially of his upbringing in the Quartieri Spagnoli. He embodied the napoletanità of the generation born during the Second World War—a generation that served as a bridge between the world of inherited traditions and the forces of modern globalization. Rather than merely preserving the past as folklore, he lived it and carried it into the twenty-first century.

His exploration of the challenges of urban life, Cristo Napulitano, was translated into English and presented in the United States at several academic events, including the Delirious Naples conference at Hofstra University in 2011. Several of his poems were published in the Journal of Italian Translation, Volume VI, Nos. 1–2 (Spring/Fall 2011).

Above all, however, Maestro Luciano Somma will be remembered by his family and friends for the deeply personal poems he composed for them throughout his life.

Among his principal published works are Ddoje voce ’e Napule (1968); La mia ricchezza (1971); Dimane (1977–1978); N’atu dimane (1982); ’E Ggranate (1990); Musica nova (1993); Momenti di versi (1997); Memorie d’Alba (1999); Brividi di ricordi (2000); Cristo Napulitano (2000); Il pianeta dei silenzi (2001); Ll’appuntamento (2001); and Immagini (2001).

~ By Cav. Charles Sant’Elia

A Farewell to Peppino di Capri

An old cassette tape that
belonged to my parents

Iconic Neapolitan singer, songwriter, and pianist Peppino di Capri died on July 11 at his home on his beloved native island of Capri. Born Giuseppe Faiella on July 27, 1939, into a family of musicians, he rose to fame in the 1950s by blending the emerging sounds of American rock ‘n’ roll and the twist with the rich melodic traditions of Neapolitan song. As Naples, the Amalfi Coast, and the islands of the Bay of Naples regained their international glamour from the 1960s onward, Peppino di Capri and his music became fixtures of both the international jet set and local social life.

A child prodigy, he began playing the piano at the age of four. During the Second World War, he performed for Allied soldiers while continuing his musical studies in Naples. By the age of fourteen, he was already singing and playing piano professionally in Capri and Ischia. In 1958, he formed the group Peppino di Capri e i Suoi Rockers, adopting the affectionate stage name that proudly proclaimed his Caprese origins. His early Neapolitan-language recordings, including Nun è Peccato and Malattia, quickly became popular successes.

Over the course of a remarkable career spanning more than six decades, he recorded beloved classics from the Neapolitan repertoire alongside numerous original compositions. Among his most enduring songs are Roberta, Champagne, Forever, and Saint Tropez Twist. His willingness to evolve musically allowed him to move seamlessly from the twist era into contemporary Italian popular music while remaining unmistakably Neapolitan in style.

In 1965, he opened for the Beatles during their Italian tour. He won the Sanremo Music Festival in 1973 with Un grande amore e niente più and again in 1976 with Non lo faccio più. In 1970, he founded his own record label, Splash, and in 1991 represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest with the Neapolitan song Comme è ddoce ’o mare.

His signature song, Champagne, released in 1973, became one of the defining love songs of modern Italian music. Reflecting the complexities of romance, marriage, and heartbreak, it established him as one of Italy’s great romantic interpreters and endeared him to successive generations of listeners.

In recognition of his extraordinary career, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sanremo Music Festival in 2023. He continued performing well into his later years and, in 2025, became the subject of the successful Rai 1 biographical film Champagne – Peppino di Capri.

After a long illness, Peppino di Capri passed away on the island that had shaped both his life and his artistic identity. He lay in state in Capri, and the day of his funeral was marked by official mourning, with businesses and shops across the island closing in his honor.

By embracing the Neapolitan language and musical tradition while continually renewing its appeal for modern audiences, Peppino di Capri helped pave the way for generations of twentieth- and twenty-first-century Neapolitan recording artists. He demonstrated that Neapolitan music could remain rooted in its own traditions while speaking to audiences around the world. His legacy endures not only in his unforgettable songs but also in the renewed prestige he brought to Neapolitan music on the international stage.

Peppino di Capri is survived by his son, Igor Faiella, from his first marriage to Roberta Stoppa, and by his sons, Edoardo and Dario Faiella, from his second marriage to Giuliana Gagliardi.

~ By Cav. Charles Sant'Elia

Remembering Amedeo Miceli di Serradileo and his Calabria

Baron Amedeo Miceli di Serradileo

Afficionados of history and all those who love Calabria mourn the loss of the doyen of Southern Italian history and culture, Baron Amedeo Miceli di Serradileo, who died on 11 April 2026 at the age of 77.

Baron Miceli was a refined scholar and connoisseur of all aspects of Southern Italy, particularly his native San Fili (prov. of Cosenza) and Calabria. He carried out extensive research in archives and in situ and presented his findings at numerous conferences and published widely as an independent researcher. He brought to life the complex events of the Kingdom of Naples and medieval and Renaissance Calabria, including foreign relations between the 13th and 16th centuries. He also assisted in curating and building museums.

Having taken a degree in political science at the LUISS in Rome, Baron Miceli worked in Geneva, Amsterdam, and Paris, conducting business for multinationals. He brought an amazing scope and vision to his vocation as a historian and carried out his work with continuity and systematic rigor.

Baron Miceli’s lifetime of research takes us deep into our past, exploring the Kingdom and the Calabria of Frederick II, as well as visits to numerous towns and cities, and their traditional economies, including the silk trade, and even with modesty, the palaces of his own family and the figures of ancestral bishops in the family. He also explored nuanced areas such as the concession of offices by Marie de Blois, the widow of King Louis of Anjou, Venetians in Calabria between the 12th and 14th centuries, inventories of Cosenza’s palaces in the Renaissance and Baroque eras, and the Spanish Viceroyalty as seen through diplomatic dispatches.

Baron Miceli most memorably contributed to the drafting of the well-known classic Settecento Calabrese with Franz von Lobstein. Among many places, his work appeared over the decades in the Rivista Araldica, Archivio Storico per la Calabria e la Lucania, Archivio Storico per le Province Napoletane, and is cited in numerous fascinating books, such as Collezionismo nella Calabria Vicereale, Borbonica e Postunitaria (Gangemi, 2012)

A generous patron and promoter of culture and the humanities, Baron Miceli sponsored the “Vincenzo Miceli” scholarship fund for the Scuola Secondaria Statale di San Fili, in memory of the constitutional lawyer and positivist philosopher Vincenzo Miceli (1858-1932). As a true patriot and Southern nobleman, he also generously donated documents of historic interest to the State Archives of Cosenza so as to pass the torch on to the next generation.

After his funeral in Rome, Baron Miceli was laid to rest in his family tomb in San Fili.

~ By Cav. Charles Sant’Elia

A Request for Prayers

Earlier today, March 5th, a young member of my extended family passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was only fifteen years old.

He leaves behind his loving parents and two brothers, who cared for him with great devotion throughout his illness. Though his life was far too short, he brought joy and strength to those who knew him.

I ask for your prayers—for the repose of his soul, and for comfort and peace for his family in the difficult days ahead.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

In Loving Memory of Achille “Artie” Pirro

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Achille “Artie” Pirro, who passed away on February 24 after a courageous battle with stage 4 small-cell lung cancer.

Artie was a devoted member of the Third Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and proudly served as District Warden of the Knights of Columbus. He was also a dedicated member of the San Rocco Society. Deeply rooted in his faith and heritage, Artie faithfully participated each year in the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy, New York, as well as the Feasts of San Paolino and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

He will be remembered for his unwavering devotion to his church, his community, and the traditions he cherished.

Artie is survived by his beloved wife, Alana Clark Pirro.

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

Naples Mourns the Great Angela Luce

Famed Neapolitan singer and actress Angela Luce died of heart failure in Naples on February 20, 2026. She was 87. Born Angela Savino on December 3, 1938, to a family of artisans who crafted shoes, silk flowers, and fashion accessories, she remained a daughter of Naples in spirit and in art throughout her life.

A luminous presence in Neapolitan-language theatre, Luce appeared in more than 80 films following her 1956 debut in Ricordati di Napoli. Over the course of her career, she recorded 18 albums between 1972 and 2009. Her musical journey began at just 14, when she performed the iconic Zì Carmilì at the Piedigrotta Bideri festival, marking the start of a career that would span seven decades.

Her accolades were numerous. She won the David di Donatello for her performance in L’amore molesto, directed by Mario Martone, a film that earned international recognition at Cannes. On screen, she shared roles with some of Italy’s greatest actors, including Marcello Mastroianni, Vittorio Gassman, Nino Manfredi, Alberto Sordi, Ugo Tognazzi, Vittorio De Sica, and Totò, among others.

Luce became a living bridge between the classic Neapolitan musical tradition—rooted in café-chantant—and the evolving cultural landscape of the 20th century. For younger generations, she was the voice that reintroduced them to two centuries of Neapolitan repertoire. Her signature interpretations included Raffaele Viviani’s So’ Bammenella ’e copp’ ’e Quartiere, featured in Napoli Notte e Giorno directed by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi and presented at the Spoleto Festival; Ipocrisia by Pino Giordano and Eduardo Alfieri, which placed second at the Sanremo Music Festival in 1975; and Voglia, her own composition with Angelo Fiore, which won the 1984 UNICEF Award.

On stage, Luce performed in the works of Eduardo Scarpetta and frequently collaborated with Eduardo De Filippo, appearing with him in theatre and on television. Her performances carried Neapolitan drama far beyond Italy—to the Wiesbaden Festival in Germany, the Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt in Paris, The Old Vic in London, the Mark Hellinger Theatre in New York, and the Teatro Coliseo in Buenos Aires.

Deeply devoted to her faith and her city, Luce volunteered from 2011 onward at the annual September 10 Serenata alla Madonna, honoring Our Lady of Piedigrotta. Private by nature, she chose never to marry, dedicating her life entirely to her art. She spoke candidly, however, of a tormented relationship with singer Peppino Gagliardi and of a profound love for a man outside the entertainment world, Amedeo, who died tragically in 1974.

Just days before her passing, Luce recorded a message of encouragement to the owners and staff of Naples’ historic Teatro Sannazzaro, which suffered severe damage in a February 2026 fire—a final gesture of solidarity with the theatrical community she cherished.

Angela Luce’s beauty, generosity of spirit, and intimate rapport with her audiences were legendary. With her passing, Naples loses not only a star, but a guardian of its voice.

~ By Antonio Isernia

The Passing of Antonino Zichichi and Franco Torpino di Santasilia

In the span of a day, two figures of cultivated Italian life passed from the scene — Antonino Zichichi in Sicily and Franco Torpino di Santasilia of Naples — leaving behind distinct yet complementary legacies of intellect and tradition.

Antonino Zichichi

Professor Antonino Zichichi, nuclear physicist and founder of the Centro Ettore Majorana in Erice, died on February 9, 2026. He was 96.

Born in Trapani, Sicily, on October 15, 1929, Zichichi studied at the University of Palermo before embarking on a distinguished international career. In the 1960s, he conducted significant research at Fermilab in Chicago and at CERN in Geneva, contributing to the development of subnuclear physics during a decisive era.

In 1963, he founded the Centro Ettore Majorana in Erice, naming it for the Sicilian theoretical physicist from Catania. The center became home to the International School of Subnuclear Physics and a meeting place for scientists from around the world. Zichichi later served as president of the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, president of the European Physical Society, and president of the World Federation of Scientists. In 1973, he co-founded World Lab with the American physicist Isidor Isaac Rabi, an organization supporting scientific development in emerging nations.

In later years, Zichichi was among those physicists who publicly affirmed belief in God as Creator, writing several works addressed to a broad readership, including Scienza ed emergenze planetarie (1993), Perché io credo in Colui che ha fatto il mondo (1999), and L’irresistibile fascino del Tempo (2000).

Asteroid 3951 bears his name.

Franco Torpino di Santasilia

Franco Torpino di Santasilia, Neapolitan Marquess, engineer, and devoted custodian of aristocratic culinary tradition, died February 10, 2026, in Marrakesh following complications from a fall. He was 91.

Born in Naples on January 18, 1935, Torpino graduated in physics from the University of Naples in 1960 and worked as a thermal nuclear engineer at the Centrale Elettronucleare del Garigliano for ENEL and General Electric between 1964 and 1971. He later held executive positions at Gruppo Piaggio and Gruppo Giglio.

Inspired by his mother, Duchess Leopoldina Caracciolo di Castagneto, he cultivated a lifelong devotion to the aristocratic cuisine of Naples. In his homes in Naples, Rome, and Morocco, he became known for gatherings that celebrated the ceremonial depth of southern Italian hospitality. His tables welcomed figures from the Italian and international establishment, including members of the Agnelli and Marzotto families, alongside diplomats and public officials.

In 1988, he published La Cucina Aristocratica Napoletana, later republished in 2017, and I primi: 35 ricette ispirate alla Cucina Napoletana di Corte, works that framed cuisine not merely as gastronomy but as inheritance, identity, and culture. He was a member of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, the American Institute for Food and Wine, and the International Association for Culinary Professionals, and organized numerous conferences dedicated to Neapolitan culinary history.

~ By Antonio Isernia

Sal Buscema, 1936–2026

Sal Buscema (born Silvio Buscema), one of the great craftsmen of American comic art, passed away on January 24, 2026, two days before his 90th birthday. A first-generation Sicilian American from Brooklyn, Sal was part of a wave of New York–based artists who helped define the visual language of Marvel Comics during its formative years.

He was the younger brother of the legendary John Buscema (1927–2002), and together they formed one of the most influential sibling pairs in comics history. While John was often celebrated for his grandeur and classical power, Sal’s work was marked by clarity, discipline, and an almost architectural command of sequential storytelling. His long runs—especially on The Spectacular Spider-Man—taught generations of readers how comics were meant to flow.

I read their comics as a kid and admired the work for many years. Looking back, it’s clear that what they shared was not just talent, but a seriousness about the craft.

Sal Buscema leaves behind a formidable body of work, defined by strength, discipline, and a mastery of visual composition that helped shape the medium itself. He is survived by his wife and three sons.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli

In Memoriam: Rocco B. Commisso

Rocco B. Commisso passed away peacefully, leaving behind a life defined by quiet strength, steadfast loyalty, and devotion to family, faith, and work. Born on November 25, 1949, in Marina di Gioiosa Ionica (Reggio Calabria) into a family shaped by sacrifice and perseverance, he carried forward the values of his parents with dignity: discipline, responsibility, and an unspoken belief that a man is measured less by what he says than by what he provides and protects.

He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a pillar of his family and community. His love was expressed through constancy—valuing order, respect, and the rituals that give life structure: Sunday meals, familiar stories, and the steady rhythms of family life.

He emigrated with his family to the Bronx, New York, in 1961 at the age of twelve. As his entrepreneurial family expanded in the food and entertainment businesses, he worked alongside his father and siblings. He graduated from Mount Saint Michael’s Academy and went on in the 1970s to study industrial engineering at Columbia University on a full scholarship, later earning his MBA.

After professional roles at Pfizer, JP Morgan Chase, and the Royal Bank of Canada, he founded Mediacom Communications, which grew to become the fifth-largest cable provider in the United States, operating across twenty-two states and offering high-speed data and mobile services.

An accomplished athlete, he played soccer for Columbia University, earning three All-Ivy League honors and an invitation to try out for the 1972 Olympic team. His lifelong love of the sport later led him to invest in soccer ownership. In 2017, he purchased a majority stake in the New York Cosmos, and in 2019, acquired ACF Fiorentina in Florence. In recognition of his achievements, Columbia University named its soccer stadium in his honor.

A man of deep cultural roots, he remained closely tied to his Calabrese heritage. He understood identity not as performance, but as inheritance—carried forward through habits, food, faith, and memory. His charitable work was generous and quiet, and he used his creativity and business acumen to add lasting value to Calabria, as well as to his adopted communities in New York and Florence.

Rocco B. Commisso died on January 19, 2026. His funeral was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. A memorial Mass is planned at the Duomo of Florence on January 26. Among numerous business and civic honors, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the NIAF Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame.

Those who knew him remember a man who did not seek attention, yet commanded respect—unassuming despite immense success, measured in judgment, and reassuring in presence. In a restless age, he represented continuity and decency.

He is survived by his loving family, who carry forward his name, his values, and the quiet example he set. He will be deeply missed, fondly remembered, and enduringly honored—not only for the life he lived, but for the foundation he left behind in both the United States and Italy.

~ By Antonio Isernia

Correction—A Prayer for Minneapolis, Minnesota

Martyrs of Minneapolis, orate pro nobis

As Father V, Tradical, and others on X have reminded us, we must correct our earlier post A Prayer for Minneapolis, Minnesota. We mistakenly offered prayers for 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, who—as Father V has made clear—were killed in odium fidei, out of hatred for the Catholic Faith. Their deaths are true martyrdom.

Martyrs, having shed their blood for Christ, are already crowned in glory. Thus, as St. Augustine teaches, it is not fitting to pray for them, but rather to commend ourselves to their prayers. As Tradical put it well: “We should pray for the families and friends of the children killed, and for the injured, but not for those killed. As St. Augustine says, it is wrong to pray for a martyr, to whose prayers we ought ourselves to be commended.”

Therefore, we now pray with greater clarity: for the wounded, for the grieving families, and for the faithful of Annunciation Parish in Minneapolis. We also pray for the conversion of those who scorned prayer and sought to twist this tragedy to serve their demonic ideology and politics. And with confidence, we invoke the intercession of the two child martyrs, Fletcher and Harper, who now reign with Christ and will not forget those who turn to them for strength.

Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski, martyrs—pray for us.

In Loving Memory of Rita, Devoted Daughter of San Rocco

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Rita Silvestri, a beloved member of our community and a faithful devotee of San Rocco, during this 136th Annual Feast of San Rocco in Little Italy, New York.

Rita’s kindness and generosity were well known to all who had the blessing of knowing her. She opened her heart and her home, often inviting me for dinner or sending me off with her home-cooked meals, a gesture of love that reflected her warm spirit.

As we reflect on this year’s Feast, we hold her in our prayers and entrust her to the care of San Rocco, to whom she was ever so devoted. Rita’s memory will remain a light among us, reminding us of the charity and devotion she so gracefully embodied.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O LORD, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

In Loving Memory of My Aunt and Uncle

Madonna and Child with the Poor and Forgotten
Souls in Purgatory by Luca Giordano

This week, our family said goodbye to two extraordinary people. My Aunt Angie and Uncle Joey passed away just days apart, both after courageous battles with cancer. Surrounded by family and loved ones, they left this world together—and we believe, they entered the next together too—to receive their eternal reward after death.

Their loss comes just a week after the passing of our dear friend Anna. It has been a time of deep sorrow, reflection, and remembrance.

We kindly ask you to keep them in your prayers.

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

In Loving Memory of Anna Louise Mavrianos

Anna Louise Mavrianos, a beloved wife, devoted mother, and cherished member of her community, passed away peacefully on June 5th, 2025, surrounded by family. A woman of deep Catholic faith, Anna lived her life in service to others, guided always by love, humility, and compassion.

As a dedicated teacher, she touched countless lives with her wisdom, patience, and unwavering belief in the potential of every child. Her devotion extended beyond the classroom—Anna was a pillar of the St. Rocco Society of Potenza and a tireless force behind the Homeless Food Walk at Transfiguration Church, a mission close to her heart and carried out in partnership with the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George.

Anna’s legacy is one of kindness, generosity, and steadfast faith. Her absence leaves a profound void in the hearts of all who knew her. She will be dearly missed, remembered always for her gentle strength and the light she brought into the world.

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

Farewell to Maestro Roberto De Simone

Maestro Roberto De Simone

Noted Neapolitan scholar and maestro Roberto De Simone died in his home in Naples on 6 April 2025 at the age of 91. De Simone was born in Naples on 25 August 1933 and studied piano and composition at the famous San Pietro a Majella Conservatory. Beginning in 1957 he performed on piano and harpsichord, including in the Domenico Scarlatti Orchestra. He conducted intense activities in the field of ethnomusical studies and completed significant research in the Neapolitan, Campanian, and Southern Italian folk traditions, with emphasis on music and songs performed at seasonal and religious feasts and funerals. He also specialized in 18th-century Neapolitan composed music. In the 1960s he co-founded the Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare group which performed and recorded a significant repertoire of the Neapolitan folk song tradition. He brought to life for modern audiences many songs such as Jesce Sole, Canto dei Sanfedisti, Canto delle Lavandaie, Cicerenella, Lo Guarracino, La Canzona de Zeza, Quanno Nascette Ninno, Vurria Ca Fosse Ciaola, Si Tu Nenna M’Amave N’Autro Anno, Pastorella Siciliana, as well as arrangements of Di Giacomo and other’s songs.

Among De Simone’s memorable groundbreaking works was his famous 1976 La Gatta Cenerentola (based on the folktale famously preserved in its Neapolitan telling by Giambattista Basile), which he wrote, composed and directed, and which was acclaimed in Italy and abroad. He taught music history at the Accademia di Belli Arti di Napoli and served as artistic director at the San Carlo Opera House. De Simone also composed music scores for films.

A mentor for many musicians and ethnomusicologists, De Simone also published many important works, including Immagini della Madonna dell'Arco, with A. Rossi (1973); Chi è devoto, feste popolari in Campania (1974); Testo verbale e strutture musicali nei canti popolari, in L'etnomusicologia in Italia (1975); Carnevale si chiamava Vincenzo, with A. Rossi (1977); Canti e tradizioni popolari in Campania (1979); Racconti e storie per i 12 giorni di Natale (1987); Il mito del S. Carlo nel costume napoletano (1987); Il Pentamerone di G. B. Basile tradotto da R. De Simone in napoletano moderno (1989).

De Simone was a visible living icon in Naples and well-known to the public. Watching his performances and collaborations was a part of life for the last three generations. Naples mayor Gaetano Manfredi issued a statement saying, “We are profoundly saddened by the death of Roberto De Simone. Naples lost a cultural reference point that brought our city around the world over decades, marrying ancient traditions with an extraordinarily innovative attitude. We were closely linked to De Simone, conscious of his artistic greatness: for his 90th birthday, during the New Year’s celebrations in San Domenico Maggiore, we dedicated an homage to him in the context of the “Naples City of Music” project. The “Christmas at the Court of Charles of Bourbon” concert by La Nuova Polifonia orchestra directed by Alessandro De Simone together with the Ensemble Vocale di Napoli choir- represented a very emotional moment. Naples and the Municipal Administration will remember De Simone as he deserves, for his contribution to Italian and international culture. For the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of Naples, we had already planned an exhibition commemorating his productions at the San Carlo.”

By Erasmo Russo

In Memoriam Uff. Nob. Nicola D'Elia

It is with much sorrow that we ask you in your charity to pray for the repose of the soul of our Confratello, Uff. Nob. Nicola D'Elia, who passed away on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at the age of 91. Uff. Nob. D'Elia is the father of our Confratello, Cav. Nob. Paolo D'Elia.

We extend our deepest condolences to the entire D'Elia Family.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

IHSV

In Memoriam Louis Infante

Photo courtesy of @CarlismoGalicia

Il Regno deeply regrets the loss of Don Luis Infante de Amorín, director of la Agencia FARO and member of la Secretaría Política de S.A.R. Don Sixto Enrique de Borbón. We pray for the happy repose of his soul. Requiescat in pace.

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.

Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, RIP

It is with much sorrow that we ask you in your charity to pray for the repose of the soul of Her Royal Highness, Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George, who died in São Paulo at the age of 90, on November 18th.

Princess Maria Cristina was the wife of H.R.H. Prince Casimiro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and was the daughter of Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta, and Princess Anne of Orléans.

We extend our condolences to Don Casimiro, his children, and their families, and to the Royal House.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O LORD, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.

In Memoriam Charles Salvo

Liber esse, scientiam acquirere, veritatem loqui *

In honor of the prolific and multi-disciplined writer, we translated his Sonnet to the Knight into literary Neapolitan. Requiescat in pace.

Sonnet to the Knight

Born in ignorance, and tempted by sin
Aroused by beauty and to passions bound
Love and adventure, the knight has found,
Not in the world for the struggle’s within.

The greater battle is by far the best;
In Napoli he lay dying in bed
Ere his journey to the home of the dead
Ridwan assures that he has passed the test.

A glowing torch in the moonlighted sky
Guides the knight on the path to the river
Howling hounds tell him the goddess is nigh

Hecate assuages his hidden fear.
At the crossroads she will him deliver,
There she will whisper his poem in God’s ear.

Sonietto a lo Cavaliere

Nato int'a la gnuranza, tentato da lo peccato
Scetato da la bellezza e a li passione alliato
Ammore e ventura, lo cavaliere ha trovato,
Non int'a lo munno, ca la lotta dinto stace.

La cchiù grossa battaglia e' certo la cchiù mmeglio;
A Nápole isso int'a lo lietto moreva
Primma de lo viaggio mmerz'a la casa de li muorte
Riduane sta sicuro ca ha appassato la sfida.

Na ntorcia sbrennente int'a lo cielo allummato da la luna
Guida lo cavaliere a la via a lo sciummo
Cane abbajanno lle díceno ca la dea sta vicino

Ecate addorca la paura soja annascosa.
A la crocevia ll'ha dda libberà,
Lloco essa nce suspirarrà la poesia soja int'a la recchia de Dio.

* Live free, acquire knowledge, speak the truth

Death of Count Sixto De La Rochefoucauld, Nephew of Sixto Enrique De Borbón

Photo courtesy of Agencia FARO @Agencia_FARO

On Tuesday, May 16, a funeral mass was celebrated for Count Sixto de La Rochefoucauld, second nephew of H.R.H. Don Sixto Enrique de Borbon.

Sixto de la Rochefoucauld, who died in Paris at the age of 77 on May 10, 2023, was the son of Isabel de Borbón Parma and La Rochefoucauld-Doudeauville, cousin and godmother of Don Sixto Enrique, who died in 2015; He is the grandson of the Infante Don Sixto Fernando de Borbón y Braganza.

Another funeral mass will be celebrated on Friday, May 19, at the church of Saint-Médard in Verteuil-sur-Charente at 2:30 p.m., after which the remains of Count Sixtus de La Rochefoucauld will receive a Christian burial.

The now deceased is survived by his widow, four children and five grandchildren.

R.I.P.

Source: www.faroagencia.wordpress.com