It Takes A Village

Bienvenuti al villaggio Roio Del Sangro.

La casa ancestrale della famiglia de Lucia. 

The village of Roio del Sangro is located in the mountains about a four hour drive south and east of Rome.






Some of you may be surprised to know that Nonie has some Italian blood coursing through her veins. Those of you who have had the opportunity to taste her pollo parmigianna would not be surprised.

Like all good Italians, the need to return to her ancestral roots was in her blood. A grateful thanks to her Uncle Tony who gave her the opportunity to visit Roio del Sangro, the historical home of the de Lucia famiglia.

The age of the village is unclear. Roman ruins have been found in the area. The first historical references date back to the 14th century, successively it was a feud of Pietro Antonio Berardelli and in 16th century of Giulio Caracciolo. Saint Francis Caracciolo was born only an hour away by donkey in the village of Santa Maria. You can see his perfectly preserved body interned in the church there, which we did. Very creepy.

The official population is listed at 210 residents. The village was once home to over a 1,000 people in its hey day. Most have had to leave the area to find work, immigrating to all corners of the world. Nonie's grandfather left Roio in the Thirties, first to America, eventually arriving in Ladysmith on Vancouver  Island. Here he settled, found work in the mines and raised his family.








The blue steeple of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore marks the centre of the village, not only for its location but its position in peoples lives.

The interior of the church is Baroque. A number of the interior fixtures bears the name of  the craftsman who crafted it with many bearing the name of Antonio de Lucia. I think we may have discovered the root of Nonie's uncanny crafting skills.

The Church is so old, they have worn out a bell.














Nonie's grandfathers house. Don't let the fresh paint fool you, the house had been vacant for sometime. The second floor above the apartment actually belongs to the apartment next door while her grandfather's apartment has walkout basement to the alley in the back.






 
 









A walk through the village provides some insight to life in Roio del Sangro.

We found the school dark and empty.

The population does not seem to  support the number of homes that can be found here. Many of the  homes have been beautifully restored and maintained but are empty.










These empty homes belong to many of the families who once lived here and are used as vacation and summer homes. In the month of August, the traditional holiday time for Italians, the population of Roio swells with returning families like Nonie's uncle Tony. The come from all corners of Europe and now the world.







Nonie's has added a visit to Roio in August  around the time they celebrate the Feast of St. Fillipo, to her bucket list. 











Feasting is very appropriate because Roio del Sangro is known around the world for its cooking traditions and is the birthplace of many famous Italian chefs as attested by the bronze bust of a chef seen as you enter the village. In fact Nonie's Uncle Tony is a well known chef in Rome and has worked as the head chef at a number of embassies there.

We now know where Nonie gets her culinary skills.

Not everyone in Roio lives somewhere else. Meet Nina. She is the daughter of Nonie's grandfather's brother. She has lived in Roio all her life.










Generations of de Lucia's can be found resting comfortably in the dozens of crypts that populate the cemetery just below the village.  We could have spent hours wandering the place but rain was threatening and we needed to get back to Uncle Tony's house for a four course lunch he was preparing before returning to Rome. A chef and a chauffer. Sweet!

We are not saying goodbye to Roio but "finche torniamo"

Ciao Italy

 Bonjour a nos petit-enfants.