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Spring/Vernal Equinox 2020

March Equinox will take place in Universal Coordinated Time on Friday March 20th – 3:49 UCT. In Naples, Italy – 4:49

This astronomical event represents the first day of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere – even though meteorologically speaking, the first day of spring is commonly considered to fall on the 1st of March. The March (or Spring) Equinox falls yearly on March 19th, 20th or 21st marking the moment that the sun crosses the celestial equator.
The term Equinox derives from the Latin – aequus (equal) and nox (night). During the Equinox the Earth’s two hemispheres receive the Sun’s rays equally and therefore the amount of daylight and darkness is nearly equal – in all parts of the world.
Obviously statistics regarding weather and temperature cycles are generally based on the Earth’s position relating to the sun. Equinoxes and solstices are situated on opposite sides of the equator. The March equinox is known as the
“Spring (vernal) equinox” in the Northern Hemisphere and as the “Autumnal (fall) equinox” in the Southern Hemisphere that takes place in September. The Spring Equinox has been celebrated for centuries as a time of symbolic rebirth. Numerous populations consider the equinox as a positive increase of sunlight hours with earlier dawns and later sunsets. Various cultures celebrate this event to represent new beginnings, celebrating with spring festivals and holidays around the March equinox period, just like Easter festivities.

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ST. JOSEPH’S DAY – San Giuseppe

Father’s Day is traditionally celebrated on the third Sunday of June throughout England and America and held on different dates throughout the world. In countries with Catholic traditions such as Italy and Spain, Father’s Day; known as the Festa del Papà is celebrated on what may be recognised as St. Joseph’s Day. The “Feast of St. Joseph”- San Giuseppe was celebrated and considered as a commemoration within the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran Church – but was principally considered as a Christian tradition, celebrated by Catholics, Anglicans and various Lutheran and other religious denominations.
Typical traditions associated with this Saint vary, but in Sicily as well as many Italian-American communities – thanks are given to San Giuseppe for preventing famine. On this day throughout Italy tables are adorned with flowers, candles, wine, bread and meatless dishes to respect the feast occurring during Lent – and in Naples – with Fava beans and sweet “Zeppole di San Giuseppe”. These delicious fried or ovenbaked cream cakes are known as Zeppole throughout Naples and Puglia and as “fritelle” in Rome and Florence.
The zeppole cake is known as a typical Neapolitan pastry claiming the fame having been created by Don Pasquale Pinatauro of Naples in 1840 and may be considered as one of the first street-foods.
Saint Joseph is the patron saint of various cities, regions and countries including Canada, China, Mexico, Austria, Belgium and Peru. He is also the patron saint of families, fathers, expectant mothers, carpenters and working people in general.
So, Happy Father’s Day!

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Exhibition – Mediterraneo: Keramikos 2020

Exhibition – Mediterraneo: Keramikos 2020
(Lorenzo Fiorucci, Magazzini della Lupa, Polo Museale della Campania)
@ MUSEO DUCA DI MARTINA / VILLA FLORIDIANA
77 Via Cimarosa / 171 Via Aniello Falcone, Napoli
until APRIL 18th 2020

The Mediterranean has always been and is still today a major element that binds Naples and its history and rich culture to the land of which man has changed and developed forms, imprinted legends and beliefs and narrated various stories from mixed cultures – enabling us today to travel and create memorable itineraries that are clearly evident within the precious collections held within the Museum Museo Duca di Martina.
The Keramikos project was established in 2007 aiming to enhance ceramics as an expressive medium, to then form the cultural association Magazzini della Lupa – who have contributed to the diffusion of contemporary ceramic sculpture with programmed exhibitions and publications since year 2014.
The exhibition Mediterraneo: Keramikos 2020 opening dates have been extended to Saturday April 18th 2020. The exhibition presents 26 artists and the Mediterranean theme is divided into three categories: The first: *Omaggio – A tribute to the four sculptors – Garesio, Muky, Pirozzi and Summa; Two sections regard the way the artists related to the Mediterranean with – the second: *Memorie del Mediterraneo – Memories presenting works by Bellucci, Caruso, Cechetti, Chiucchi, Crisafi, Francucci, Gabrieli, Manni, Pagliarulo, Palmarelli and Taschini ; the third: *Metafora del Mediterraneo – Metaphors displays works created by Antonelli, Baldelli, Luccioli, Melloni, Monachesi, de Nichilo, Palmieri, Quintili, Ruzza, Soddu and Talotta.
Special events will be held throughout the Museum during the exhibition aiming to create a broader horizon upon and the enhancement of Italian ceramic sculpture and contemporary ceramics.

Museo della ceramica Duca di Martina in Villa Floridiana
171 Via A. Falcone / 77 Via Cimarosa (80127) Napoli
Opening times: 9.30 am to 5 pm – last admission by 4.15 pm – Closed Tuesdays.
Museum Entrance fees: Standard € 4,00; Reduced € 2,00
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MUSEUM ON PAGE 12

FEBRUARY 2020 NOTE: THE PARK VILLA FLORIDIANA IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
(For updates follow My Country on www.facebook.com/paesemiomycountry)

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Exhibition – Ritornano i Magi

Artemisia Gentileschi
@ MUSEO DIOCESANO POZZUOLI
Rione Terra, Pozzuoli (Napoli) until MAY 31st 2020

The painting created by Artemisia Gentileschi entitled “L’Adorazione dei Magi” following a great success on show at Milan from last October 2019 has returned to Pozzuoli last February 6th. The dominating canvas (310 x 206 cm) is part of a series of masterpieces created for the cathedral of Pozzuoli – Basilica Cattedrale di San Procolo Martire and commissioned by the Spanish bishop Martin de Lèon y Cardenas – dated from 1636 to 1649.
The masterpiece takes position amongst a splendid collection of works created by Beltrano, Fracanzano and de Ribera amongst others, where Artemisia Gentileschi is the only female artist present. Gentileschi was the first female to enter the Academy of Design in Florence – Accademia del Disegno di Firenze in 1616. She was also the first artist to display three canvases simultaneously in one church with the magnificent works – San Gennaro nell’Anfiteatro, i Santi Procolo and Nicea.

EXHIBITION INFO:
Ritornano i Magi – Artemisia Gentileschi
WHERE: Museo Diocesano di Pozzuoli, Rione Terra
WHEN: Until May 31st 2020 – Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
INFO: museo@diocesipozzuoli.org

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ANNIVERSARY Unification of Italy – Anniversario dell’Unità d’Italia

March 17th commemorates the official birth of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 with a number of events.
The Anniversary of the Unification of Italy was previously celebrated every fifty years – in 1911, 1961 and 2011. Year 2011 marked the 150th anniversary when it was proclaimed as a national holiday on an annual basis. The major representative cities giving value to the national identity and historic values include Naples, Rome, Turin, Genoa, Venice, Florence and Milan.
National Unity Day “Giornata dell’Unità nazionale” was officially approved by parliament by 2012 recognizing the date of the proclamation in Turin in 1861 of March 17th as an annual celebration to consolidate national educational values and citizenship through remembrance.

National Unity Day of Italian Constitution, the anthem, the flag (Italian Parliament, Law n.222 – November 2012)

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ST. PATRICK’S DAY – San Patrizio

Saint Patrick’s Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) is a cultural and religious celebration occurring annually on the 17th of March, the death date of the most commonly recognised patron saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick (c. AD 385-461). Historically, it is known that Irish society was pagan for thousands of years but was believed to have changed when groups of Christian missionaries, including St. Patrick himself, arrived… Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth-century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church. This day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as celebrating the general heritage and culture of the Irish Population even though St. Patrick’s Day was considered a relatively minor celebration in Ireland until the 1970s. Today celebrations include public parades and festivals – céilithe.
As for the official colour, several antique artworks depict St. Patrick wearing blue vestments and blue was commonly used on coats-of-arms and flags representing Ireland.
The colour green is thought to have appeared on the scene in modern times to represent the so-called “Emerald Isle”. Saint Patrick’s Day is today widely celebrated by the Irish and Irish-at-heart around the world; especially in Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand and is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

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Napoli – Vedute, scorci e monumenti

Marcello Erardi - Napoli Vedute, scorci e monumenti

Title: Napoli – Vedute, scorci e monumenti
Author: Marcello Erardi
Format: Paperback/60 pages
Published: October 2017 (Youcanprint)

The city of Naples shines upon an enchanting Gulf. Naples is a millennial city full of art, history and culture and is successfully revealed within the collection of 50 photographs published in this book literally entitled: Naples – Views, glimpses and monuments. Marcello Erardi demonstrates not only his total passion for photography but also the love for his homeland, portraying monuments and landscapes from an interestingly different view. He addresses not only travellers, but also Neapolitans to become tourists and custodians of the city of Naples. Take a look at his Facebook page created in 2013 “Napoli vista attraverso gli scatti fotografici” including over 2200 photo albums and 650 videos giving value to every angle of the city and the enormous historical and artistic heritage. Marcello Erardi has frequently donated numerous photographs, including cover pages to My Country magazine.  This fantastic photographic collection is available from central Naples – directly from the bookshops “Libreria Neapolis” and “Libreria Colonnese”, the museum Museo del Tesoro di San Gennaro and online – amazon.it, unilibro.it and bookdepository.com

 

 

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY FESTA DELLA DONNA – WOMEN’S RIGHTS

It is believed that the first National Women’s Day was first celebrated in the United States on February 28th 1909.
The American Socialist Party designated this day in honour of the 1908 factory workers strike held in New York where women protested against harsh working conditions.
Universal demonstrations quickly developed to involve numerous claims for women’s rights – including strikes to improve basic working conditions and wage increases.

 

 

 

International Women’s Day 2020 #EachforEqual

International Women’s Day seemingly entered history for the first time in 1917 when the women of St. Petersburg took to the streets to demand the end of war forming the so-called “Russian revolution in February”. This event inspired the Second International Conference of Communist Women in Moscow and they nominated March the 8th as the International Day for workers.

Discrimination against women takes place in all societies and it concerns many different spheres of life, it can have a political, economic, social and cultural basis. The form of women’s rights abuse depends often on the culture and tradition of each society, connected with the woman’s age, ethnic origin and social status. It is not always connected with actually women are frequently and openly justified by governments – in the name of ideology, morality or religion.

On the 25th of March 1911, 146 workers, who were mostly immigrant women lost their lives in the Triangle Factory of New York and this may be considered as what became the breaking point for change. This episode was probably confused with the legend regarding the cotton factory dating from 1908. The Triangle Factory tragedy actually opened discussions for many women’s events and demonstrations that steadily took place throughout Europe, including Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark.

In Italy, the 8th of March was celebrated from year 1922 with similar political values and social demands. The initiative took full power here in 1945, when the Union of Italian Women – which was formed by the Christian and Democratic
Labour, Communist, Socialist and Action political parties, celebrated day in the areas which were already liberated from fascism.
In 1946 the whole of Italy started to celebrate “Festa della Donna” using a flower called the “Mimosa” which flourishes in the month of March and a common gift that has become a symbol for this anniversary still popular today.

The International Women’s Day in recent years has become a symbolic occasion to support and improve women’s rights – including issues such as divorce, contraception, legalization of abortion – and generally defending women’s roles and achievements. The 8th of March celebration is of global importance and may be considered as what was a historical starting point demanding dignity and respect – becoming an important symbol fighting against the oppression and discrimination which women have had to endure over the centuries, but sadly still today in many countries struggle to demonstrate.