Giorgio Perlasca

Giorgio Perlasca was born on January 31th 1910. 

He was maybe the greatest imposter of all Italian history and he has to be honored for it. His Wikipedia profile explains why: 

During World War II, Perlasca worked at procuring supplies for the Italian Army in the Balkans. When the Nazis occupied Hungary, in 1944, instead of departing with other diplomatic staff (Italy had by then surrendered to the Allies) he escaped to the Spanish Embassy in Budapest, immediately becoming a Spanish citizen under the name Jorge Perlasca, due to his status as a veteran of the Spanish war. He worked with the Spanish Chargé d'Affaires, Ángel Sanz Briz, and other diplomats of neutral states in smuggling Jews out of the country. The system he devised consisted of furnishing 'protection cards' which placed Jews under the guardianship of various neutral states, and of creating 'protected houses in mansions governed by extraterrorial conventions and thereby guarantee asylum for persecuted Jews.

When Sanz Briz was removed from Hungary to Switzerland in November 1944, he invited Perlasca to join him in safety. However Perlasca chose to stay on. The Hungarian government ordered the Spanish Embassy building and the extra-territorial houses where the Jews took refuge cleared out. Perlasca immediately gave the false announcement that Sanz Briz was due to return from a short leave, and that he had been appointed a substitute.

Throughout the winter, Perlasca was active in hiding, shielding and feeding thousands of Jews in Budapest, and to issue them with safe conduct passes on the basis of a Spanish law passed in 1924 that grants citizenship to Jews of Sephardi origin.

In December 1944, Perlasca audaciously rescued two boys from being herded onto a freight train in defiance of a German lieutenant colonel on the scene. Swedish diplomat/rescuer Raoul Wallenberg, also present, later informed Perlasca that the officer who had challenged him was none other than Adolf Eichmann. In a period of some 45 days, from December the Ist 1944 to the 16 of January 1945, he saved thousands of Jews by his own initiative.

After the war, Perlasca returned to Italy, and didn't reveal his actions to anyone, including his family, until he was found again in 1987 by a group of Hungarian Jews. A best-selling narrative of his remarkable single-handed valour was written by Enrico Deaglio, entitled, the 'Banality of Goodness'[1], and was turned into a film by the RAI national television corporation.

Giorgio Perlasca died of a heart attack in 1992, having received decorations from the Italian, Hungarian and Spanish governments and is considered by Israel as one of the Righteous Among the Nations. His deeds were the subject of an Italian film, Perlasca, un eroe italiano.

Unique handicrafts from Italy: the Vancali in Tiriolo

Artistic handicrafts have ancient roots in Calabria, and production includes shawls, wool rugs, tapestry and oriental inspired wall hangings. These products vary from place to place, but embroidery and the textiles used to make the so called "vancali" in Tiriolo, a small village on the slopes of Sila Piccola, are particularly famous.

If you can read Italian, a simple search for "vancali" on Google will reveal many sites describing the vancali. If you can't, you may visit Sylvie's Story: Italy part 2 for a few photos and informations.

Need to know if you will marry soon?

If any lady wishes to know for sure if she will get married by the end of the year, she has just to visit S. Costanzo's church in Perugia and look at his portrait. If she can see the Saint to wink at her amidst the light reflections over the painting, then she will marry. Otherwise, she can search comfort in the local sweetcake, the Torcolo of S. Costanzo.

S. Costanzo was the first Bishop of Perugia and he was martyr under Marco Aurelio in the II century a.C.. According to the common lore he was author of several miracles.

Saint of the day: Thomas Aquinas

Probably the most influential Middle Age scholar he melted Aristotle and Greek culture with Christianity.

Son of the Count of Aquino, born in the family castle in Lombardy near Naples, Italy. Educated by Benedictine monks at Monte Cassino, and at the University of Naples. He secretly joined the mendicant Dominican friars in 1244. His family kidnapped and imprisoned him for a year to keep him out of sight, and deprogram him, but they failed to sway him, and he rejoined his order in 1245.

He studied in Paris, France from 1245 to 1248 under Saint Albert the Great, then accompanied Albertus to Cologne, Germany. Ordained in 1250, then returned to Paris to teach. Taught theology at University of Paris. He wrote defenses of the mendicant orders, commentaries on Aristotle and Lombard’s Sentences, and some bible-related works, usually by dictating to secretaries. He won his doctorate, and taught in several Italian cities. Recalled by king and university to Paris in 1269, then recalled to Naples in 1272 where he was appointed regent of studies while working on the Summa Theologica.

On 6 December 1273 he experienced a divine revelation which so enraptured him that he abandoned the Summa, saying that it and his other writing were so much straw in the wind compared to the reality of the divine glory. He died four months later while en route to the Council of Lyons, overweight and with his health broken by overwork.

His works have been seminal to the thinking of the Church ever since. They systematized her great thoughts and teaching, and combined Greek wisdom and scholarship methods with the truth of Christianity. Pope Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be studied by all theology students. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1567.

(From saints.sqpn.com where you can find a lot more about Thomas Aquinas.)

Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus

Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus became Emperor of Rome today in 98 a.C..

He was one of the most prominent Roman Emperors and brought Roman Empire to its greatest extent.

To know more about Traianus:

• Wikipedia's entry
• His statue in Rome
• Another biography
• Interesting video about Trajan Forum and Market

The Patron Saint of the day: S. Anthony Abbot

St. Anthony Abbot was born near Eracleopolis in Aegypt on 251 a.C. and died at Mount Colzim on 356.

He is very popular in Italy. In fact he is the Patron Saint of no less than 45 towns. That accounts for about the 0.5% of Italian towns. Not bad for a single saint who never even saw Italy from far away. Here is the list just in case you are curious:

• Abruzzo: Bagno, Ofena, Fara Filiorum Petri, Gessopalena, Loreto Aprutino, Ortona, Ortona de' Marsi, Ovindoli, Pescara, Pescocostanzo, Pizzoli), San Benedetto dei Marsi, San Valentino in Abruzzo Citeriore, San Vito Chietino), Scanno, Secinaro, Villa Santa Maria, Villavallelonga
• Basilicata: Trivigno
• Friuli-Venezia-Giulia: Bordano, Sedegnano, Tavagnacco, Pravisdomini
• Lombardia: Casto, Magasa, Casnate con Bernate, S. Fedele d'Intelvi, Veleso, Veniano, Crandola Valsassina, Introbio, Introzzo, Parlasco, Valmadrera
• Puglia: Rocchetta Sant'Antonio, Novoli
• Sardegna: Ampurias, Castelsardo, Desulo, Fluminimaggiore, Silanus, Torralba, Tuili
• Sicilia: Aci S. Antonio - Sicilia
• Valle d'Aosta: Valtournanche
  

And a short profile too:

Following the death of his parents when he was about 20, Anthony insured that his sister completed her education, then he sold his house, furniture, and the land he owned, gave the proceeds to thepoor, joined the anchorites who lived nearby, and moved into an empty sepulchre. At age 35 he moved to the desert to live alone; he lived 20 years in an abandoned fort.

Anthony barricaded the place for solitude, but admirers and would-be students broke in. He miraculously healedpeople, and agreed to be the spiritual counselor of others. His recommendation was to base life on the Gospel. Word spread, and so many disciples arrived that Anthony founded two monasteries on the Nile, one at Pispir, one at Arsinoe. Many of those who lived near him supported themselves by making baskets and brushes, and from that came his patronage of those trades.

Anthony briefly left his seclusion in 311, going to Alexandria, Egypt to fight Arianism, and to comfort the victims of the persecutions of Maximinus. At some point in his life, he met with his sister again. She, too, had withdrawn from the world, and directed a community of nuns. Anthony retired to the desert, living in a cave on Mount Colzim.

Descriptions paint him as uniformly modest and courteous. His example led many to take up the monastic life, and to follow his way. Late in life Anthony became a close friend of Saint Paul the Hermit, and he buried the agedanchorite, leading to his patronage of gravediggers. His biography was written by his friend Saint Athanasius of Alexandria.

His relationship with pigs and patronage of swineherds is a little complicated. Skin diseases were sometimes treated with applications of pork fat, which reduced inflammation and itching. As Anthony’s intervention aided in the same conditions, he was shown in art accompanied by a pig. People who saw the art work, but did not have it explained, thought there was a direct connection between Anthony and pigs - and people who worked with swine took him as their patron.

[From saints.spqn.com]

Postcard from Ceresole Reale

Ceresole Reale is a very small town in the Piedmont Alps: just 158 citizens. But with breathtaking sights. Probably in the ancient times cherry trees covered the valley, hence its name: Ceresa means exactly cherry in the local language.

It was inhabited by Celts and Romans had a few mines here.

Currently it is part of the Gran Paradiso National Park.

Wonderful place to spend holidays.

(Thanks to Franco Ferrero for this photo)