Cannot understand marriage document - a secret wedding?

[DannaReLoprinzi]

I have found the marriage act for Giorgio Prinzi and Maria Grazia Barone, in Caccamo, Sicily.
At the bottom it looks like they might have married in secret in 1865 November 15th.
Is this accurate? It is close to the bottom of the document.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903 ... cc=1947613

[cedrone]

No, it is the date of the Royal Decree disciplining the 'Stato Civile' and here cited with reference to the documents presented for the celebration of the marriage.

[DannaReLoprinzi]

Thank you!

What does that mean exactly? Royal Decree of the Civil State?

[bbivona]

Italy became a nation, a kingdom, in 1861. Before then it was a collection of regions. When they came together as a kingdom there were certain functions that were made the responsibility of the regions and certain things the function of the national government. The Royal Decree of 1865 introduced the Italian Civil Code and it set out the responsibilities and authorities for many of these functions. Among them was required standardized reporting of births, marriages, deaths, etc. The statement is the local government official giving the source of his authority for authorizing and recording the marriage.