The Flight of the Angel was the highlight of the 103rd Fisherman’s Feast in honor of Madonna del Soccorso di Sciacca, held on August 18, 2013 in Boston’s North End. As the society members bring the Madonna statue home to North Street, two side angels on balconies recite an Italian devotion followed by the entrance of the flying angel from a third story window coming down to the street to meet the Madonna Del Soccorso Di Sciacca. At the end, confetti rains on the scene in an astounding street celebration. This year’s flying angel was Victoria Bono with side angels Serina D’Amico and Haley Graffeo Dufresne.
In 1956, at the age of 5, Rosalba Ursino along with her mother and brother traveled from Calabria, Italy to Boston in the United States. In this video, Rosalba share memories from her first year in the North End, specifically of kindergarten at the Eliot School and a family trip that same summer to Revere Read More…
Dr. Carlo Cipollone, the Educational Director of the Italian Consulate, presented the following article, Galileo’s Educational Legacy, at a recent symposium at Harvard University. The event was in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the invention of the telescope. Many thanks to the author for his permission to republish it and North End resident, Nancy Caruso, for the submission.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In occasion of the Week of Celebration of the Italian Language in the World, the Consulate General of Italy in Boston in collaboration with Harvard University and the Italian Space Agency present a symposium. Galileo’s Telescope and the Beginning of the Scientific Revolution and Space Exploration ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Galileo’s Educational Legacy by Dr. Carlo Cipollone Educational Director of the Italian Consulate
As an educator, I can confirm that Galileo continues to generate great curiosity today, even among the youngest members of our society. A few days ago I received an email from a nine year-old student. With her mother’s help, young Ashley asked to address some simple questions to scientists and experts on Galileo. She also requested to meet with me for a chat about this icon of scientific discovery. While reviewing Ashley’s questions I realized that children, in their ingenuity, manage to raise complex topics and queries – challenging most adults to give a suitable answer.
The question that struck me the most was probably the most difficult to answer: “Why is Galileo so important today”?
I hope that I can give an answer to Ashley’s question. I will aim to give the best response I can, trying to offer a perspective based on the man behind the telescope, the man who influenced countless disciplines.
Galileo’s ideas not only sparked a scientific revolution, they initiated a large-scale revolution in human thinking. He changed the way we see the world and more importantly, how we perceive ourselves within it.
As part of the 110th Fisherman’s Feast, the Society of Madonna del Doccorso di Sciacca taped a virtual version of its famous Flight of the Angel. “Although the angel may not be gracing the skies of the North End, that does not mean that our ceremony will not happen this year,” said feast officials. This Read More…
