#italian cities

[osirisiii-bc]

Secondo Emeritus - Naples

Primo | Secondo

Naples. My beautiful Naples. My beloved, adored Naples. It is the city where I studied and grew up in and it is also literally filled with mysteries and legends. I thought Naples would have been the perfect formation place for a young Secondo Emeritus. Let’s see what may have influenced and inspired him in his religious journey.

1 - The musical church. 

Ghost’s music has always been heavily loaded with the Devil’s Tritone: also called Diabulus in Musica or Devil’s Interval, it is an unsettling dissonance produced by an unusual arrangement of notes that gives that spooky, devilish tone to music. In Infestissumam, it was featured on 9 out of 10 songs. The use of the Tritone was banned in Medieval times (In Ghost, its use dramatically dropped with Prequelle, with only 2 out of 10 songs featuring it). So what if I tell you that, in contrast, in Naples there is a church that functions as a musical score, whose music protects it from evil?

Basically, there is a church in Piazza del Gesù that has a particular pointy ashlar on the external facade. Under the side (the one facing the ground, so if you look up from the street you can see them) of each of these little pyramids are carved symbols, which turned out to be Aramaic letters that were later translated into musical notes. So, it turned out that the whole church is a big score, and it’s playable. The whole melody, called Enigma, was played for the first time inside the church to celebrate the discovery. You can hear the music here (sound quality is not the best).

Will it protect the church from Ghost’s music?

2 - The skull cult.

Naples has very intricate underground galleries, almost all visitable. One of these is Cimitero delle Fontanelle, a famous catacomb where the remains of about 40.000 people who died from plagues are stored. It is said the “anime pezzentelle” cult was born here: it is a particular relationship each Neapolitan establishes with a chosen skull. You literally adopt an abandoned skull, which according to our tradition is the seat of the soul, and your duty is to care for it, protect it and also create a special niche for it. In exchange, the soul of that skull will protect you.

A nice place for a Bone Daddy.

3 - Pretty and Evil like Mergellina’s devil.

Knowing the passion our Secondo has for women, here is a story about a very devilish one.

In Santa Maria del Prato church, in the Mergellina area, there is the only representation of the devil as a woman in a painting.

The legend has it that said woman was the beautiful Vittoria D’Avalos, who seduced the Bishop Diomede Carafa, who commissioned the painting in 1542 to represent his victory against the woman’s lust (we're all believing him, right? 🙄).

Now that story has a way of saying that refers to femmes fatales as “Pretty and Evil like Mergellina’s devil”.

I’d say she may be considered among the first-ever Sisters of Sin. 

4 - Who gives life can also take it.

Infestissumam is filled with references to birth and Jesus, turning it into the birth of the antichrist and creating a narrative that is completely opposite to the birth of the Son of Man. Now, in Naples, there is a statue that embodies both concepts.

Back to Piazza del Gesù: On a very high pedestal in the center of the square stands a statue of the Virgin Mary, the Mother. That's all... until you position yourself at a specific point in the square and look up to see the statue transformed into the Reaper. His face is hidden by the cowl, staring straight at you, with a sickle at its feet and a snake crawling on it.

Depending on your point of view, the giver of life becomes the taker of it.

5 - Body and Blood… but especially blood.

What never stops to fascinate me about the relationship of Neapolitans with religion is the very thin line between devotion and pure blasphemy. It is the case of the “miracle” of San Gennaro’s blood. It happens twice a year and it consists in bringing the Saint’s blood in a liquid state again (after centuries it is obviously solidified). The particular thing is that during this ritual, the worshippers (and the priests too) literally insult the saint to convince him to make the miracle happen, because if it doesn’t work, it means that something terrible is about to happen.

(Last time it didn’t work was right before the Covid pandemic 🙂)

I’d say this could have been a great inspiration for Body and Blood and Idolatrine.

Honorable mention to the fact that I have lived 32 years now on this Earth and I never attended this event even though I would like to.

Bonus: Now, I said that Dante would come back in the chapters, and he is. In fact, not only Virgilio died in Naples (and he is the protector of the city) but, apparently, the gates of Hell Dante mentioned in his comedy were located on the Averno lake, near Pozzuoli, not far from Naples.

[debrink]

Turin 76

~ Bo Lundberg

[sayitaliano]

which city would you recommend visiting in northern italy in january? (there’s nothing i don’t like, besides skiing)

You can visit basically anywhere. Every city, even the smallest one, has something cool to see, something historic. Gonna mention a few I know better. but ofc it's more about what do you like and what you want to experience (the moment you know that I can be more accurate with my suggestion).

You can visit Turin, even more if you're insterested in something "esoteric" (there's the dark side of that city -with all the monuments and stuff- which is interesting, either if you believe or not in those things), not to mention it's close to the Alps if you want to take a trip there to just see the landscape or visit some castles.

In fact, if you go to Aosta and the Aosta Valley, you'll have loads. You don't have to ski at all, you can enjoy the villages, the castles, the history of the city -Aosta- (at the end of january 29th-31st there's also a very famous street market in which you can buy wood stuff and typical food and much more), maybe visit some vineyard or cheese/ham producers (many offer guided visits+free tasting), or just go up on the mountains and walk on the snow to a close cabin to enjoy the view and some warm chocolate...

In Piedmont there are also the Langhe, which are hills basically but there are even more vineyards and things to eat (the food tourism there is really strong + there are nice villages and castles as well)

Another city is Novara: it's between Turin and Milan (by train is like 1 hour from Turin and 40 mins from Milan). It's surrounded by rice fields (many typical foods are made with it), it's close to the mountains (same thing I mentioned), it's close to hills (same as Langhe), it's close to the 7 lakes (between Piedmont and Lombardy) and a couple of them are pretty famous: Lago Maggiore (the biggest, so many interesting things to see like the San Carlo Borromeo statue -copied by the Liberty statue of NY-, the Castlli di Cannero -close to Switzwerland too- which are ruins in the middle of the lake but once were the customs, but there are also 3 famous Isole Borromee too which are so beautiful and the Isola Bella for example has a beautiful park+villa) and the little Lago d'Orta with the even more little precious Isola di San Giulio and the monastery (but also an amazing history). I love the vibe there. But back to Novara, it has lot of history too, and a very interesting Cupola di San Gaudenzio which used to be the tallest brick Cupola buildt on a church (it doesn't touch the ground) of the whole Europe (made by Alessandro Antonelli: there's a special tour about him to see all his amazing works) and ofc you can go up on the Cupola too and see the landscape and Milan from there (if the weather allows ofc... fog is there very often). Oh, the patron Saint is celebrated with street markets on january 22nd (cool enough, Aosta is a couple of hours away, js). lol im not selling away this town i swear...or maybe i am but ik it well<3

And yes, Milan but... do I have to talk about Milan? The Duomo, the Castello Sforzesco, La Scala and so much more. Sondrio, which is up near the mountains but it's a cool city too. Bergamo, divided into uptown and downtown (meaning the first is up on the "hill"). Mantova with all the museums to visit like Palazzo Te. Padova, again with the University history and the Cappella degli Scrovegni (Giotto's job). Venezia, and I think I don't have to add anything, lol But also Genova and the Cinque Terre (we're in Liguria: you're near the sea too), and Emilia Romagna with cities like Bologna, Modena, Riccione (which probably is more alive in summer?Idk): history, food, landscape (from the mountains to the sea)... Trento is a cool city too, and despite it being in Trentino, you can visit the city and the area around, and enjoy the landscape without having to go skiing

The Northern area as a lot to offer, it only depends on what you want to do (visit cities and their history, stay more in nature -and which kind-, do both, just eating and relaxing in a spa...) :) so if you want to drop another ask with a request, I'll gladly suggest something more in tune with you!

[claudiaciardiautrice]

Free libraries in Foligno (Umbria).

My photos // Books and art.

[robertocastigliaphotography]

Uno scorcio di Castelvecchio Calvisio . Abruzzo , Italy .

[watchyourbuck]

Buck’s either the unluckiest mf in LA (where there are over 26k+ restaurants) or Eddie has been dressing in tactical gear and hiding behind trees with Marisol on his backpack like a ready made beard

[ecoharbor]

📍Locorotondo, Puglia, Italy 🇮🇹

[artesie]

Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy. Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino.

[illustratus]

Lucrezia Borgia by Pinturicchio

Detail from the Disputation of St Catherine of Alexandria

[keeperofdarkness22]

City of the Living Dead / Paura nella città dei morti viventi | 1980

[debrink]

Torino 1911

Esposizione Internationale

~ Aldo Mazza (1880-1964)

[blue-and-gilt]

Early 18th Century Venetian 'Schiavona' Sword

The Schiavona is an iconic basket-hilted sword that was closely associated with the Italian city state of Venice. The earliest examples are believed to have come from an elite body of Slavic soldiers hired by the Venetian council, and date back as far as the late 16th Century.

Schiavona are identified by their unique basket hilts and 'cats head' pommels. The renowned sword historian and author, Ewart Oakeshott grouped the schiavona basket hilts into two broad categories, the simplified Type 1 with it's broad flat bars, and the Type 2 of lattice work design.

They Type 1 hilt began to appear around the early 1600's and the first Type 2 between 1620 and 1630. Type 1's remained in use for most of the 17th Century after which Type 2 hilts became dominant.

Over the life of schiavona swords, (1600 - 1797) their hilts became increasingly complex and ornate as they became associated with the character of Venice, with the upper levels of society also carrying their own schiavonas.

Based on the features of the hilt, this sword most likely dates to 1710 - 1740. The iron pommel and 93 cm blade suggest that it is of munitions grade and was likely carried by a regular cavalry man.

Stats: Overall Length - 1,075 mm Blade Length - 930 mm Point of Balance - 165 mm Grip Length - 135 mm Inside Grip Length - 94 mm Weight - 1,090 grams

[huariqueje]

Light on the city - Massimiliano Alioto , 2004.

Italian , b. 1972 -

Oil on canvas , 50 x 60 cm.

[robertocastigliaphotography]

Uno scorcio di Castelvecchio Calvisio . Abruzzo , Italy .

[silviary]

The beauty of the Eternal City.

The Colosseum | Rome, Italy

[canisalbus]

I've got to say, I've been doing a lot of research on Italy recently and I literally can't stop thinking about your boys. I'm over here trying to read about whatever Crusade and my brain is just a constant loop of "isn't Machete a cardinal? And Vasco was from like Verona, right?" Not super conducive to learning anything, but I am enjoying myself and thought you should know.

Thank you for your lovely art and for sharing your darlings <33

That's adorable ;^; But also sorry the lads keep distracting you, hah.

I'd argue that getting invested in your characters and their stories and having to do background research for them is actually a great way to accumulate knowledge about various subjects. Often it's stuff you probably would never get around to reading about otherwise. I'm not saying it's always information you'll have many practical uses for, but learning about new things is fun and it's beneficial to you and your brain in the long run.

Vasco is from Florence actually! It's usually considered to be the birthplace and the main hub of the entire Renaissance movement. Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli and Michelangelo lived and influenced there and Dante Alighieri (author of The Divine Comedy/Dante's Inferno) was florentine as well, albeit he lived several centuries prior to them.