To the Champion of Champions: Rocky Marciano the Undefeated

“The Brockton Blockbuster”

By Niccolò Graffio

“A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.” – Jack Dempsey

During the time our people have spent living here in America, a number of figures, both real and imagined, have risen from our ranks to achieve icon status. These figures in turn helped to inspire future generations, either for good or bad. Of all of them, one of the most popular and enduring is the fictional boxer Robert “Rocky” Balboa, created and portrayed by actor Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky series of movies (1976-2006).

The saga of “Rocky” Balboa (as told in the original movie, Rocky) is the story of a man of Italian heritage, born of humble origins in the slums of Philadelphia, PA, who through sheer force of will plus back-breaking labor (in the form of training) manages to rise up from his lowly background and find himself facing the champion of the world in the ring. Though he loses the climactic final match, in the process he earns accolades and respect from his peers, plus a begrudging respect from his superiors (personified by boxing champ Apollo Creed).

The first movie, which was my favorite of the franchise, in many ways is analogous to the experiences of Italian-Americans, especially Southerners (which very well could have been its intent). Like Rocky, we started at the bottom of the food chain, slowly working our way up by our wits and our backs. There were never any “affirmative action” programs for us! During the long, arduous process we faced many adversities, both from within and outside our ranks. Though we never reached the top (prejudice against our people still fairly permeates American society) we have carved out a respectable niche for ourselves in this tossed salad called the United States of America.

Though it earned critical approval and made money at the box office, I was less impressed with the second movie, which I felt cheapened the message of the first. Stallone, like so many others, fell victim to the unfortunate disease known as “sequel fever”. After Rocky II the Rocky saga fell into the buffoonery of such memorable flicks as Rocky III, IV & V. There was some redemption (critically speaking) with the (hopefully) final installment, Rocky Balboa. Unfortunately, by that time the original message had long been lost in the name of box office lucre.

Sylvester Stallone admitted he was inspired to create the character of Rocky Balboa by legendary boxer Rocky Marciano plus the famous boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner in 1975. It seems unfortunate, if not unjust, that the biography of a true boxing great has been eclipsed by that of a fictional creation based in part on him. Here’s to reality!

Rocco Francis Marchegiano was born in Brockton, Massachusetts on September 1st, 1923. His father, Pierino Marchegiano, was born in the town of Repa Teatina, Abruzzo, Italy. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1912. Marciano’s mother, Pasqualena Pacciuto, was born in San Bartolomeo in Galdo, Campania, Italy. Marciano was one of six children, three boys and three girls. At birth he weighed 12 lbs.

Rocky Balboa
Outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

At the age of 18 months “bambino Rocco” developed pneumonia, which almost killed him. His doctor told Rocco’s parents it was his remarkably strong constitution that saved him from death.

Growing up, he was known as the toughest kid in his neighborhood, though he was not considered any more pugnacious than anyone else. A star athlete in school, as a youth he had a dream to eventually become a major league baseball catcher. He did not do well in school, and dropped out at the age of 16 when a baseball coach barred him from playing on the school team. He then became a manual laborer while playing on local semi-professional baseball teams, all the time vowing not to follow in his father’s footsteps by winding up working in a shoe factory. In the meantime he worked out vigorously on homemade weightlifting equipment, so that by the time he reached young adulthood his 5’101/4” frame was well-muscled.

In March of 1943, Marciano was drafted into the Army, which stationed him in Swansea, Wales, where he helped ferry supplies to American forces across the English Channel at Normandy. While in the Army he got his first taste of the boxing ring when he won the 1946 amateur Armed Forces boxing tournament, representing Army. Laughably, he had taken up boxing in the Army mainly to avoid KP duty!

Discharged from the Army in March, 1947, he continued to fight in amateur competitions until March 17th, 1947, when he fought his first professional match against Lee Epperson, whom he knocked out in three rounds. One might think after this he would continue to box professionally, but instead Marciano returned to amateur boxing matches. He fought in the Golden Gloves All-East Championship Tournament in March, 1948, where he was beaten by Coley Wallace. He competed in the AAU Olympic tryouts in the Boston Garden, where he knocked out George McInnis. Unfortunately, he hurt his hands and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. He ended his amateur boxing career with an 8-4 record. That would be the last time he would experience a loss in the boxing arena.

Even before he was finished with amateur boxing, he continued to pursue his dream of eventually becoming a major league baseball catcher. In late March, 1947 he and a group of friends traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina to try out for the Fayetteville Cubs, a farm team for the Chicago Cubs MLB team. After three weeks he was cut from the team, mainly due to the fact he could not throw from home plate to second base with any degree of accuracy. Unable to find any other team willing to give him a chance, he realized his dream of a career in major league baseball had come to an end.

With one professional match already under his belt, Marciano decided instead to pursue a career as a professional boxer. Even here, however, he faced some disadvantages early on. At 24 years of age, standing slightly over 5’10” tall, weighing 190 lbs, experts considered him too old, short and light to pursue a career as a heavyweight boxer. A noted fight trainer of the time, Goody Petronelli, caught one of his early fights and later recalled for Sports Illustrated, “I never thought he'd make it. He was too old, almost 25. He was too short, he was too light. He had no reach. Rough and tough, but no finesse.”

Undaunted, he auditioned in New York with fight manager Al Weill and trainer Charley Goldman. Though they didn’t consider him ready to be a top contender, they liked his heart and his strong punch. He entered the ring on July 12th, 1948 against Harry Bilizarian, whom he knocked out before the fifth round. He would go on to win 15 more fights, all by knockout, and all before the fifth round. Nine of them would be wins before the first round was over!

Rocco Francis Marchegiano, the high school dropout who failed in his attempt at an MLB career, who was told he’d never make it as a professional boxer, had found his niche! Family, friends, neighbors, etc from back home in Brockton swarmed to his matches in Providence, RI (where he fought most of his matches), yelling out the famous “Timmmmmmmmberrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr” when it was obvious his opponent was about to taste Suzie Q (his pet name for his devastating right-hand punch) for the last time.

Early on in his new career he was confronted with a problem many of our people have faced in this country…his name. The ring announcer in Providence, RI could not pronounce his surname, so Al Weill suggested a pseudonym, “Rocky Mack” which Marchegiano immediately rejected. To his everlasting credit, he settled on the more Italian-sounding “Marciano” instead.

Pounding his opponent into submission

Photo courtesy of rockymarciano.com

Charley Goldman worked closely with Marciano, teaching him to compensate for his shortcomings as a fighter. To overcome his short stature (for a boxer), Goldman taught Marciano to fight from a crouching position. Angelo Dundee, who was Goldman’s assistant, later recalled, "Charley taught the technique that if you are short, you make yourself smaller. Charley let him bend his knees to a deep knee squat. He was able to punch from that position, come straight up from the bag and hit a heck of a shot ... It was just bang-bang-bang-bang-BANG and get him outta there. And he was the best-conditioned athlete out there."

While boxing was the most important aspect of Marciano’s life, it wasn’t the only one. In 1950 he married Barbara Cousins, with whom they would have one child, and then later adopted another. Their relationship was strained, sadly. She was a homebody. He, on the other hand, took readily to the limelight. He constantly traveled, making personal appearances, putting together business deals…and meeting beautiful women.

His success in the ring did not carry over in his business dealings. In fact, he was a poor businessman. On one occasion, for example, he purchased a large tract of land in Florida for a potential real estate development. It turned out to be swampland.

In addition, Marciano had always been fascinated by life in the fast lane. This fascination would put him in contact with a number of unscrupulous types, including mobsters such as Vito Genovese. A blemish on his reputation is the fact he was believed to have invested sizable sums of money with loan sharks. Since nothing was ever written down, the amounts, if any, can never be known with certainty. It is believed though by many that at the time of his death he had over $2 million loaned out or stashed away in secret locations that has never been found.

Though he enjoyed high living, Marciano was notoriously frugal! He never picked up a check, preferring to let friends and acquaintances do it, instead. These same people would also frequently give him spending money and even buy his clothes. It’s good to be the champ!

By the fall of 1951 Marciano had racked up 37 wins (32 by knockout). On October 26th he faced his greatest opponent up until that time – Joe Louis. Louis had come out of retirement because he needed the money to pay off debts to the IRS. Unfortunately, he was past his prime, though he was slightly favored to win. Louis received 45% of the purse while Marciano received only 15%. Marciano knocked him out in the eighth round, forcing him back into retirement permanently.

Incredibly, the crowd did not appreciate the up-and-coming “Brockton Blockbuster” knocking out the legendary “Brown Bomber”! After knocking him out, Marciano went over to console him, and noticed the only people cheering him were his faithful fans from Brockton, Massachusetts.

Marciano, however, had mixed feelings about beating a man he regarded as a personal hero, especially when that man was down on his luck. In fact, when he visited Louis in his dressing room after the fight, he broke down in tears at the sight of the former champ. After his retirement from boxing, he would say his fight with Joe Louis was his toughest match.

Nevertheless, Marciano’s victory cemented his reputation as a marquee fighter in the heavyweight division, and guaranteed him a shot at the championship title.

That shot would come five fights later on September 23rd, 1952 when he faced defending champion “Jersey Joe” Walcott in Philadelphia, PA. Walcott, no slouch either, dropped Marciano to the matt in the first round. Marciano, however, was able to summon his seemingly unlimited endurance to pull himself to his feet and come out swinging!

Though he was way behind on points and struggling offensively all night, in the 13th round he pulled an upset by giving Walcott a short, overhand right to the jaw, which knocked him unconscious. Rocco Francis Marchegiano, aka “Rocky” Marciano, was now the undisputed, undefeated, heavyweight boxing champion of the world!

The heavyweight champ

Photo courtesy of top-10-list.org

His first defense of the belt came a year later in a rematch against Walcott. This time, Marciano laid him out in the first round. Next on the hit parade was Roland La Starza, whom Marciano defeated by a TKO in the 11th round.

His next two fights would be against former heavyweight champ Ezzard Charles, who in the first bout became the only man ever to last 15 rounds against Marciano. Marciano won by decision. In their second bout, Charles wound up kissing the canvas in the eighth round.

Rocky Marciano’s last fight was against Archie Moore on September 21st, 1955. The fight had originally been scheduled a day earlier but had to be delayed due to a hurricane warning. Moore knocked Marciano down for a four-count in the second round. Marciano was able to recover and went on to defeat Moore by knockout in round 9. After the fight Moore told reporters, "Marciano is far and away the strongest man I've ever encountered in almost twenty years of fighting." For this fight Marciano earned his largest purse of $468,374.

On April 27th, 1956 Rocky Marciano officially announced his retirement from boxing. Reportedly, he had lost his zeal for boxing. He also accused Al Weill, whose contract called for him to receive half of Marciano’s earnings in and out of the ring, of cheating him.

On June 26th, 1959 Ingemar Johansson of Sweden defeated Floyd Patterson to become heavyweight champion of the world. Marciano toyed with the idea of coming out of retirement. However, after training for a month, he decided against it and never seriously considered coming out of retirement again.

After his retirement from boxing, Rocky Marciano began a new career as a TV personality. He first appeared in the Combat! episode entitled “Masquerade”. Afterwards, he hosted a weekly boxing show on TV in 1961. In addition, he worked as a referee and boxing commentator in boxing matches for years afterwards. He also made a memorable appearance as a celebrity contestant on Groucho Marx’s quiz show You Bet Your Life.

Marciano also became involved in charity work, raising quite a bit of money for research into finding treatments for muscular dystrophy.

In late July, 1969 Marciano agreed to participate in the filming of the fight fantasy The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali. Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali were filmed sparring, and then the film was edited to match a computer simulation of a hypothetical fight between the two heavyweights when they were in their prime. It aired on January 20th, 1970. North American theatres gave Marciano the victory in round 13 by a knockout. European theatres gave the victory to Ali.

The film triggered a controversy that has lasted to this day. Who would have won a fight between the two boxing legends? Everyone has their own opinion, but who is correct? Truthfully, we’ll never know. I must confess, though, I liked boxer Joe Frazier’s take on the matter.

“Joe Louis is the greatest heavyweight champion of all time. Rocky Marciano is second only to Louis. Where do I rate Ali? Somewhere below me. I beat him, and if I could beat him, no doubt Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano certainly could have beaten him.”

On August 31st, 1969 (the eve of his 46th birthday) Rocky Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane headed to Des Moines, Iowa. It was nighttime and bad weather had set in. The pilot, Glenn Belz, was inexperienced in flying under these conditions. Belz tried to land the plane on a small airfield outside Newton, Iowa but hit a tree two miles short of the runway, killing all on board. Marciano was on his way to give a speech in support of a friend’s son and had hoped to make it home in time for his birthday. Unbeknownst to him, his family and friends were planning a surprise party.

His wife Barbara died five years later at age 46. She is interred next to him in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. His father died in 1972; his mother in January, 1986.

In 1990, 21 years after his death, Rocky Marciano was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Though far from perfect, Marciano left a legacy larger than his life. While most boxing analysts do not list him as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time, his record of 49 consecutive wins (with an 88% knockout percentile, no less) still stands. He is also the only professional heavyweight boxing champion to retire undefeated. His ability to compensate for his shortcomings, plus his tenacity in the face of unrelenting punishment, has served as inspiration for many, in and out of the boxing ring. Though in large part overshadowed by the fictitious Rocky Balboa, he nonetheless remains an icon to many Italian-Americans as well as the folks back home who to this day have fond memories of “The Brockton Blockbuster”.

Further reading:

 • Skehan, Everett, M.: Undefeated – Rocky Marciano, the Fighter Who Refused to Lose; Rounder Books (2005)

 • http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=rockymarciano

Feast of Santa Patrizia di Costantinopoli

Santa Patrizia, ora pro nobis
Pocket reliquary with second-class relic

August 25th is the feast of Santa Patrizia di Costantinopoli, Virgin, Nun and one of the 52 co-patrons of Naples. Each year the faithful gather at the Chiesa di San Gregorio Armeno to venerate the saint and view the miraculous liquefaction of her coagulated blood. The church, believed to have been built on the site of the Roman Temple of Ceres by St. Helen of the Cross (c. 246-330 AD), underwent several significant renovations over the centuries and is the latest resting place of Santa Patrizia’s relics.

Interestingly, the popular legend of Santa Patrizia has become conflated with that of Siren Parthenope (the mythical founder of Naples) in what has been described as a Christian "refounding" of the city. In Virgil's Golden Egg and other Neapolitan Miracles (Transaction Publishers, 2011) Michael A. Ledeen writes:

The creative genius of Neapolitan chaos juxtaposes and merges the two female archetypes, and tosses in an element of ancient sorcery for piquancy. Both Parthenope and Saint Patrizia are virgins and have noble ancestry. Both have power to control natural elements. Both came from the East and died on the shores of the Gulf of Naples. Patrizia landed on the island of Megaride, where Virgil cast his saving spell on the Castel dell'Ovo, where the ancient Cumans built the first Neapolitan buildings, and where they believed Parthenope arrived, dead or dying. And in the seventeenth century, at the height of the Baroque, the body of Saint Patrizia was carried to a monastery atop the hill of Caponapoli, where, centuries earlier, the tomb of Parthenope was located. Patrizia was proclaimed a patron saint of Naples from Parthenope's old temple. (p. 38-39)

It should be noted that Parthenope herself is a synthesis of the ancient Greek myth about the deadly enchantress who failed to seduce Odysseus (Ulysses) and the charming medieval love story between Cimone and the chaste princess from Greece, whose "finite brow of a goddess" and "huge black eyes" were said to resemble the vigorous beauty of Juno and Minerva. The tale is eloquently retold in Matilde Serao's Leggende napoletane (Neapolitan legends).

Fontana della Sirena (Fountain of the Siren)
Piazza Sannazaro, Napoli

Although less known than the miracle of San Gennaro, the liquefaction of Santa Patrizia's blood is no less important. As John A. Marino pointed out in his Becoming Neapolitan (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011):

Saints bodies in life and after death were considered to have efficacious healing powers, and their blood was believed to be able to transmit grace and virtue, a symbolism that connected aristocratic values and noble blood to the religious fervor of saintly virtue. (p. 204-205) 

This ancient cult of the blood is peculiarly Neapolitan and still resonates with the devoted people of Naples today.

According to tradition, Santa Patrizia was born in the mid-seventh century. She was the niece of Emperor Constans II (630-668 AD) and was educated at the Imperial Court of Constantinople. Extremely pious, the Byzantine princess dedicated her life to God, taking a vow of celibacy. Ordained a nun, Patrizia was invested with the veil of virginity. Her father had other ideas and arranged for her to marry a powerful nobleman. With the help of Aglaia, her loyal maidservant, the young maiden fled to Rome seeking refuge from the unwanted nuptials.

Coat-of-Arms, Naples

An alternate tradition puts her birth around 340 AD and claims she was the niece of Constantine the Great (272-337 AD). Further complicating things, she is sometimes included in the story of the Emperor's visit to Naples in 324 AD. Caught in a storm, Constantine and his daughter Constance vowed to build a church if their endangered ship reached safely to port. In gratitude for answering their prayers they founded the Chiesa di San Giovanni Maggiore in honor of St. John and St. Lucy. As a side note, the gold and red coat-of-arms of Naples is said (by some) to originate from the standards used to welcome the Imperial family to the city.

In 668 AD Mezezius the usurper assassinated Constans II in Syracuse for attempting to relocate the Empire’s capital to Sicily. Learning of her uncle's murder Patrizia returned to Constantinople to renounce her temporal titles and worldly possessions. Distributing her inheritance to the poor, she inspired other noblewomen to do the same. Before returning to Rome she made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, visiting many sacred sites. It is said she possessed a fragment of the True Cross, hair and milk of the Virgin, skin and blood of St. Bartholomew, and a blood-stained nail from the Crucifixion, which she wore on her right sleeve and reportedly turned blood red every Good Friday. The sacred relics were passed down from St. Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine.

On her journey back to the Eternal City a violent storm shipwrecked her vessel off the coast of Megaride, an islet in the Bay of Naples. Patrizia and her retinue were given shelter by the island's monks, but after a brief stay in the Neapolitan Duchy the virgin grew ill and died. She was buried at Castrum Lucullanum, an old Roman villa converted into a Basilian monastery and site of the modern-day Castel dell'Ovo (Castle of the egg).

Castel dell'Ovo, Megaride

It is said that Patrizia visited Aglaia in a dream to reveal the site of a underground spring in the gardens of the Chiesa dei Santi Nicandro e Marciano (Church of Saints Nicandro and Marciano), an ancient house of worship believed to have been built on the temple and tomb of the siren Parthenope. A well was excavated, bringing much needed relief to the arid district. With the support of the grateful Duke of Naples, Aglaia and her retainers founded a monastery in honor of their mistress.

During the ninth century, fear of Saracen raids forced the Neapolitans to move the treasures of Megaride inland to safer locations. The train of oxen pulling Patrizia's hearse through the city streets instinctively stopped outside the Chiesa dei Santi Nicandro e Marciano and would go no further. It was decided she would be interred there. The monastery has since been commonly known as the Chiesa di Santa Patrizia (Church of Saint Patricia).

The miracle of the blood is said to be over twelve-hundred-years-old, but the oldest record of the phenomenon dates back 'only' to the sixteenth-century (1570). As the story goes, a sick nobleman was miraculously healed while praying at her shrine. Desiring a personal relic, the greedy pilgrim pulled a tooth from her skull causing blood to flow from the empty cavity. Collected in two ampullae the blood is said to liquefy on her feast day (August 25th) and every Tuesday morning. In 1626 she was declared a patron saint of Naples to help ward off calamities. In 1864, a few years after the conquest of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, her reliquary was translated to the Church of St. Gregory of Armenia after the convent church of Saint Patricia was closed down and confiscated by the new Italian government.

In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to Santa Patrizia in Italian. Evviva Santa Patrizia!

Preghiera a Santa Patrizia

O prodigiosa Vergine Santa Patrizia, mia avvocata e protettrice, che negli ultimi momenti della vostra vita otteneste da Gesù consiglio e divina protezione a tutti coloro che a voi si rivolgessero per aiuto, ottenetemi da Dio la salute dell’anima e del corpo, la vittoria sul Demonio e sulle passioni; allontanate le avversità che mi circondano, consolatemi nelle presenti tribolazioni. Ottenetemi il perdono dei peccati e l’ingresso nel regno del Cielo. Siate porto di salvezza ai naviganti e tutela alla nostra città. Diffondete speciale patrocinio sopra di me e su tutti i vostri devoti, affinché il nome santo di Dio sia benedetto, glorificato, esaltato e lodato da tutti nei secoli dei secoli. Così sia

~ Giovanni di Napoli, August 24th, Feast of Sant’Audeno (updated 2021)

Bibliography:
• Naples From Roman Town To City-State by Paul Arthur, The British School at Rome, 2002
• Virgil's Golden Egg and other Neapolitan Miracles by Michael A. Ledeen, Transaction Publishers, 2011
• Leggende napoletane (Neapolitan legends) by Matilde Serao (translated by Jo Di Martino), Lettere Italiane Guida, 2003
• Becoming Neapolitan by John A. Marino, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2011
• The Cronica di Partenope by Samantha Kelly, Brill, 2011
• The Matter of Miracles: Neapolitan Baroque Architecture and Sanctity by Helen Hills, Manchester University Press, 2016

A look at the 122nd Feast of Saint Rocco

Viva San Rocco! Stephen S. LaRocca (right),

President of Saint Rocco Society of Potenza, Inc.

Standard bearer leads the procession

Members of the Associazione Culturale Pugliese Figli Maria S.S. Addolorata (above)

and St Joseph's Society from Lodi New Jersey (below) joined in the celebration

The procession makes its way from the Church of St. Joseph

(5 Monroe Street, Manhattan) towards Little Italy

Devotees carry votive candles during the celebration

The original society statue now stands inside the Church of St. Joseph

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Honoring the Great Caruso at the IAM

Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi at the IAM

Believe me when I tell you, if you are a music lover and were unable to attend the "Life and Times of Enrico Caruso" lecture at the Italian American Museum last Thursday (Aug. 11, 2011), you missed one heck of an evening.

First we were treated to a live performance by tenor Christopher Macchio, who sang the irresistibly romantic love-song, "Because." Published in 1903, the song was immortalized on RCA Victor by Caruso in 1913. I've been fortunate to hear Mr. Macchio sing before (I believe it was at the Mario Lanza lecture earlier this year at the IAM) and knew we were in for something special. Unsurprisingly, he did not disappoint. The packed audience gave the rising young talent a well-deserved standing ovation.

Not to be outdone, guest speaker Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi, founder and curator of the Enrico Caruso Museum of America, gave an entertaining talk about his idol, Enrico Caruso. I've attended many lectures at the IAM and this one easily ranks high up there among my favorites. Cav. Mancusi is obviously a man who loves his job; his knowledge and expertise on Caruso is staggering and the scholar’s passion for the maestro is infectious—I wanted to hear more! One gets the feeling that if he was allowed, Mancusi would have went on for hours regaling us with his fascinating stories about the "worlds greatest tenor."

Cavaliere Ufficiale Aldo Mancusi holding photo of Caruso's wife and daughter, Dorothy and Gloria

There was too much information to recap in a casual post (Caruso will eventually be featured in our Titans of the South) so I'll only share a couple of the more interesting anecdotes.

Born in Naples on February 25, 1873, he worked with his father at the local steel foundry. His gift for singing was discovered during choir practice. Fast-forwarding, he debuted at the Metropolitan Opera House in 1903, where he would appear an impressive 863 times. Extremely successful, he was equally munificent. Examples of Caruso’s generosity were a common thread throughout Mancusi's presentation. Apparently, Caruso never forgot where he came from and spread his wealth around, always helping those less fortunate than himself. According to Mancusi, over 130 members of his family and friends back in Naples were on his payroll.

Caruso was injured during a performance of Samson and Delilah when a stage prop fell on him. Misdiagnosed with intercostal neuralgia by his physician, Philip Horowitz, his health seriously deteriorated. Towards the end of his life, and after several operations, Caruso needed a blood transfusion. Afterward, finding out the donor was an Irishman (Everett Wilkinson) from Meriden, Connecticut, he jokingly complained to his doctor he was no longer a full-blooded Italian.

The infection would eventually take his life. Enrico Caruso died on August 2, 1921. He was only 48-years-old.

Cav. Uff. Mancusi also exhibited several old photos, caricatures and a sculpture carved by Caruso himself, who was an accomplished artist as well as a singer. We watched video footage of Caruso's great-great grandson, Enrico Caruso IV (an accomplished tenor in his own right), who performed at a gala event honoring the Neapolitan tenor. Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani awarded a City Proclamation to the Enrico Caruso Museum at the same event.

Bust of Caruso and Victrola

We also listened to an original 1902 recording of "Vesti la giubba" from Leoncavallo's Pagliacci performed by Caruso on a 1906 victrola. Technology has obviously come a long way in improving the sound quality of music, but there is something to be said about listening to vinyl on an old-fashioned phonograph instead of mp3s. I'm not sure if it’s just nostalgia, but I find evoking memories of the past very rewarding.

Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa (President and Founder of the Italian American Museum) and his staff deserve special praise for hosting this event. Their hard work and dedication in serving our community does not go unnoticed.

Christopher Macchio closed the evening with an outstanding a cappella rendition of the Neapolitan tearjerker, Core N'grato. It was a near-perfect ending to an extremely enjoyable night. Arguably, the pièce de résistance was the cannoli and espresso we enjoyed at Café Palermo afterwards.

Christopher Macchio, Tenor

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

A look at the Feast of the Giglio di Sant’Antonio in East Harlem (2011)

A large crowd was on hand to view the dancing of the giglio

and partake in the festivities

The capo commences the lifting.

"Lets show the boys from Brooklyn how we do it in Manhattan."

Viva Sant’Antonio!

Proud Bruscianese! The rain didn't dampen any spirits

The inclement weather was no match for these beauties.

The "Giglio Girls" kept the party rolling

Dancing the giglio. Lifters flaunt their stamina by swaying the towering spire back and forth in time with the music

Mass was held at the historic Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

The 'Little Monk' – Exploring ‘O Munaciello and His Many Variations

The Nightmare by Johann Heinrich Füssli

By Lucian

Of the many ghosts and spirits of Naples, two in particular are more prominent than the rest. The first is the bella ‘Mbriana, who is generally seen as benevolent. The other is the Munaciello, a more malignant and complex spirit that has several counterparts in other regions of Southern Italy.

It is usually better to start at the beginning, so before I describe the behavior of ‘O Munaciello and related spirits, I’ll recount the two generally accepted Neapolitan hypothesis about his origins. One was connected to the mysterious underground city of Naples, it claims that ‘O Munaciello was actually the “pozzari” (well workers) who would use the many passageways to enter people’s homes at night, play tricks on them or try to collect on unpaid bills. The other occurs in the mid 1400s during the reign of the Aragonese. Caterinella Frezza, daughter of a wealthy merchant fell in love with Stephen Mariconda, a laborer. Their families opposed the relationship and one night assailants murdered Stephen in the lover’s secret meeting place. After this Caterinella was sent to a convent, where she bore a strange child. The nuns made him cloths similar to a monk’s and adopted him after his mother’s death. He never grew bigger than the size of a six year old and had a strange enlarged head on which he wore a black hat and hid within the cowl of his monk’s hood. People came to fear him and began to blame “The Little Monk” for all their misfortunes, except when he wore a red cap, which was seen as good luck. Unfortunately for the child, he wore the red hat only infrequently. One day the child disappeared, and it was assumed that he was murdered.

As author Matilde Serao stated in her book Neapolitan Legends:

“The tale of ‘O Munaciello does not end with his death. On the contrary, it begins.”… “It is not the gnome dancing on the soft grass of the meadows, nor the elf that sings on the shores of the river, it is the evil imp of the old houses of Naples. It is ‘o munaciello.”

Inhabiting the middle-class districts where he wandered in life, the spirit returns to interfere with the living. Sometimes he engages in harmless tricks, other times he breaks things or causes hardship. He’s been blamed for causing nightmares, depression and immoral temptations. It was said that he is unpredictable and capable of anything.

“It is the imp that makes old maids hysterical and causes them to fall down the stairs in convulsions. It is ‘o munaciello who turns the house topsy turvy, puts the furniture in disarray, disturbs the heart, confuses the mind and fills it with fear. It is he, the tormented and tormenting spirit who brings chaos in his black habit, ruin in his black hood.”…“But truthful history also tells us, good reader that when ‘o munaciello wore his red hood, his presence brought good luck. And because of this strange mixture of good and evil, of malice and goodness, ‘o munaciello is respected, feared and loved.” Matilde Serao Neapolitan Legends p.128-132

The spirit is known for his lascivious behavior toward young and beautiful women, but is also known to take young girls under his protection when they are in love. He is known to cause misfortune, then to comfort the victims of his actions. He leaves money for people with the understanding that they will be silent about his misdeeds, and punishes them if they do not honor the bargain. The esoteric version of ‘O Munaciello claims that his gifts of money were attempts to buy the souls of the living, and that he was an agent or avatar of the devil. Yet despite all this he is very popular in Naples and the people love him. Perhaps he is a devil, but if so he is their devil and as such is forever part of them.

Some storytellers attempt to rehabilitate ’O Munaciello. Author Geraldine McCaughrean wrote a children’s book based on him called Monacello - The Little Monk. While I find the creature much more foreboding than she does, I must admit that exploring our ancestral legends for children’s books is a very positive idea and sounds like a lot of fun. My only reservation is that they will become too distorted or politically correct and lose their meanings.

In the case of Munaciello, his bad behavior is such a part of his personality that even Ms. McCaughrean could only do so much. The author made the following comment about her book:

“I visited a friend in Naples, and she showed me the city’s best secret – its Undercity: a gloomy, buried world of ruined houses and streets. Then I found out Naples has a secret inhabitant too – part-good, part-bad; a bringer of good luck and trouble; a boy with a sad history of his own. Legends like Monacello’s date from a time when stories were not just for children; when they hovered in everyone’s brain, somewhere between made-up and true. I never cared much for wicked villains or superheroes. Monacello is a mixture of sun and shadow – like we all are. My sort of hero.”

Monacello - The Little Monk

Despite such modern revisions of the legend, and the Neapolitans fondness for the “Little Monk,” the overall character of this being only gets worse as I research more about him. Other regions of the South have their own versions of Munaciello. Some claim it is the same being; others disagree. Either way, the similarities are impossible to ignore and suggest a common origin to the various legends. Munaciello has several names in Naples alone, and his variants have many more outside of the region. Often the names refer to a type of creature as opposed to a unique one. Most are associated with house spirits. For the sake of expediency I’m going to list only a few along with their particular variations of the legend.

The Monachiccio of the Basilicata region are described as gnomes about the size of a six-year-old child. They sometimes interfere with people’s sleep by sitting on them, tickling their feet, pulling their hair, pinching them or making noise. They always wear red hats, which they cannot be without. If their hat is taken they will cease their activities and beg for it back, making bargains in order to get it. Their character varies throughout the region. For example, in Matera they make mischief, but do not cause real problems or serious damage, but in Maratea they are considered pure evil and their actions range from little pranks to propositions, which can result the loss of your soul or cause your death. Carlo Levi’s famous book Christ Stopped at Eboli contains a chapter describing the monachicchi (literally "little monks") and their exploits.

The Mamucca of Messina is described as an annoying fairy that concealed objects and teased people, and appears much as Munaciello. The name Mamucca originally was connected to a pirate attack in the area in 541 A.D., which was repelled but famous for its atrocities. Many innocent people, including several monks, were extensively tortured and mutilated by the raiders.

The Scazzamurrieddhru of Salento plays tricks and sometimes trades favors. It has a special relationship with pets and horses, helping to care for them but sometimes irritating them or braiding their hair. It wears a hat, which if taken, can be ransomed back for a reward. It is considered the protector of young women who are battered by stepmothers or their masters. Also known as Scazzamurril (Foggia) or lu Laùru, the spirit is best known for spoiling sleep by sitting on the victim’s chest, causing paralysis, shortness of breath, or nightmares. For this reason it is also called the Carcaluru (from "Limestone", "put pressure"). If you enter a cemetery at night, the spirit may punish you by jumping on your chest and causing uncontrollable laughter until it kills you. The name Laùru may be connected to Lares, an ancient Roman house spirit, but the worst behavior of the creature probably originates with the incubus or nightmare spirit described by Petronius Arbiter, Pliny (the Elder), and Augustine, among others.

The Spirit of Nightmare was most likely an ancient explanation for a modern condition known as sleep paralysis or night terrors. People who suffer from this sleep disorder can experience paralysis, loss of speech and shortness of breath. The attacks cause extreme fear and often are accompanied by realistic hallucinations in which the afflicted perceive an evil presence in the room or sitting on their chest. Sometimes the hallucination is also perceived as a sexual assault, which explains the ancient and medieval stories of the incubus.

Some parts of Northern Italy have their variations of Munaciello or Scazzamurrieddhru, such as the Mazapegol of Romagna. Sort of a cross between the gnome and an incubus, they are hairy, monkey-like imps that wear red caps and sneak into the beds of young attractive women, sitting on their stomachs and causing nightmares. It is said that the women can banish them by doing something disgusting that upsets the creatures.

My overall impression of ‘O Munaciello and his counterparts is not easily described. Perhaps the best way to put it is that it was intellectually thought provoking, but at the same time reached out to the darker corners of the mind.

Garden gnome, Capri 

In life Munaciello was not treated well, in death he returns to meddle in the affairs of the people who mistreated him, often in a negative way. Is this a consequence of their attitude towards him or a vindication of it? Either interpretation can be argued. Being an abused underdog is certainly a cause for sympathy, but does not automatically make the victim a good person or trustworthy. Some psychologists say it actually makes a person more prone to abuse others; although I personally don’t think enough credit is given to the many people who overcome a difficult past. It is interesting that the story of the Munaciello clearly illustrates such a situation long before modern studies were done on this topic.

Although sometimes acting as a protector or benefactor, the negative things that are done by this being are hardly compensated for by receiving some money in your shoe, and even that comes with possible consequences. Aside from the few harmless variations of the legend, the only component of the tales that allow people to get the upper hand is stealing his red cap and negotiating with the creature for its return. The rest of the time the spirit (or gnome) is in control, regardless if it is providing protection or making trouble. When my editor was reviewing my notes he playfully asked me: “Knowing what he’s capable of, would you steal his cap?” To which I could only respond “No my friend, I don’t believe I would.”

The Munaciello and similar beliefs are still popular in Southern Italy; there was even a song dedicated to the Scazzamurrieddhru by Domenico Modugno in 1954. I’m certain that there was some demonizing of the figure, as has been the case with most of the old beliefs, so I’ve tried to be fair and include the more positive aspects of the legends. However, even some of the nicest descriptions of this complex spirit contain something bad, and the possible connection to the spirit of nightmare is not at all flattering. When examined in depth, the stories give us a lot to think about. Perhaps the most important part is the possibility of losing your soul, because with something that important, should a chance be taken?

When ‘O Munaciello or his fellows pay for your silence, the possible consequences must be considered, and the warnings of the legend are just as valid in the modern world. The combination of corporate greed and cosmopolitan social engineering is marginalizing and eliminating our people and our culture. The most obscene aspect of this modern cultural leveling is that it encourages the participation of the very people it is destroying by promising short-term profit or an imaginary “utopian paradise.” Sadly, Southern Italy has seen the same promises before, from the architects of the Risorgimento. Once again, we are being asked to sell not only our soul, but also the soul of our people, for a handful of silver pieces and empty promises.

Munaciello references:

Leggende napoletane/Neapolitan Legends by Matilde Serao, translated by Jo Di Martino, Alfredo Guida Editore, 2003, ISBN 88-7188-670-4

Siren land by Norman Douglas, Dodo Press 2008, ISBN 978-1-4099-4192-7

Monacello - The Little Monk (Modern children’s story adaptation) by Geraldine McCaughrean, Illustrator: Jana Diemberger, Phoenix Yard Books, 2011, 978-1907912030

Christ Stopped at Eboli by Carlo Levi, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2006, ISBN 978-0-374-53009-9

The International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Revised Diagnostic and Coding Manual, 2001, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, ISBN: 0-9657220-1-5

PDF file: Legends and ghost stories in Naples between two centuries: Matilde Serao, Roberto Bracco and Benedetto Croce, study by Armando Rotondi