Just got to Sicily. Will see if I can get access while I am here. Only here 17 days and a lot of tasks on the agenda.

It’s illegal to send money through the post in Italy. Most towns don’t accept payments through PayPal wise or revolute. They have their own system, which of course is much more complicated. If the town wants to be paid for copies of records, they will let you know how much and how to do it. If ...

It’s illegal to send money through the post in Italy. Most towns don’t accept payments through PayPal wise or revolute. They have their own system, which of course is much more complicated. If the town wants to be paid for copies of records, they will let you know how much and how to do it. If ...

Will be in Gibellina some in early February. Hoping I can get access to records, but we'll see. The pastor is elusive!

And in answer to your other question, it's all standard Italian, written in the normal way birth records read at the time, just with difficult handwriting at first look. The ones that are 100% handwritten can be hard because you don't any printed text to help orient you. I agree with Angela ...

February 4, 1861, 4 pm, at comune offices in Teano, Giacomo Laurenzo, a 21 year old laborer, born in and domiciled in Versano, son of Giuseppe Laurenzo, laborer domiciled here, and the late Carmina Piscione
and
Angela Zarone, age 21, born and domiciled in Versano, daughter of Luigi Zarone, a ...

Regarding cousin marriages in Sicily, dispensation was required from the diocese for marriages of second cousins or closer until the early 1900s. Dispensations were apparently not difficult to get, as there were numerous marriages requiring dispensations. Marrying first and second cousins was not at ...

Death acts declared by the grave diggers (becchino) can have errors but not of the type you are describing. If a person dies at home (Parte 1) the becchino can declare the death taking information about the deceased from family members. Since they are not usually educated, occasionally names get ...

Don't know how many people have noticed this, but there's a YouTube channel called Pasta Grannies

https://www.youtube.com/@pastagrannies

It's literally just a show that pops into kitchens all over Italy and talks to 90 year old women while they cheerily make hand-made pasta.

Worth checking out ...

I grew up on Sicilian green olives, eaten by itself or marinated with olive oil in a salad with carrots, celery, crushed red pepper (and maybe artichoke?) after the "bones" were removed (pitted).

We also had the purple olives which I believe are Greek (kalamata).

There was a third olive, small ...

Almost certainly it's an olive oil dispenser for table or kitchen use. In Sicily we call it an oliere. Olive oil can be used for a long time - even 3-4 years - but it's enemies are light, heat, and air. It keeps its flavor much longer when all three are avoided, so the most efficient way to store it ...

A better copy (easier to translate) here. https://www.antenati.san.beniculturali.it/ark:/12657/an_ua317861/LoE8O97

June 11, 1859, before commune officials, Rocco Stoppelli, age 36, son of Innocenzio Stoppelli appeared and presented a male child and reported that it was born of his wife, Anna ...

A better copy (easier to translate) here. https://www.antenati.san.beniculturali.it/ark:/12657/an_ua317861/LoE8O97

June 11, 1859, before commune officials, Rocco Stopelli, age 36, son of Innocenzio Stopelli appeared and presented a male child and reported that it was born of his wife, Anna Mari ...

Even with the modern parties, it still happens. I attended one in Sicily last fall on Wednesday, September 15. There was a 4 p.m. wedding and a reception that lasted until about 6 a.m.!

Yes, I definitely agree with Naso. After seeing the second record and reviewing it, Naso is the surname. Sorry about that - not the clearest handwriting.