OSDIA Grand Lodge of Maryland

11/02/2025

🎄 The flyer for the Grand Lodge Christmas party is below. Info on RSVP is below! Seating is limited, please check your calendars! 📅

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween! 🎃

Literally meaning “little sweet or little trick,” this playful Italian phrase is the Halloween equivalent of “trick or treat!”

Though Halloween is a relatively new celebration in Italy, children have eagerly embraced the tradition—donning costumes, knocking on doors, and calling out “Dolcetto o scherzetto!” in hopes of candy or laughter.

A sweet reminder that even in Italy, October 31st is all about fun, imagination, and a touch of mischief. 🎃

10/16/2025

This is wonderful news!

This Columbus Day, a piece of Baltimore’s history — once tossed into the Inner Harbor — has been brought back to life and is preparing for a new home.In Baltimo

10/16/2025

This Saturday with music from Little Italy's own, Bob Brotto! Corner of Stiles & Exeter.

10/16/2025

10/12/2025

10/12/2025

The Italian Heritage Festival Committee is in need of about 25 volunteers to help serve beer, wine and other beverages, assist with the children’s area or to perform other jobs during the Festival.
If you are interested in volunteering send an e-mail to [email protected] with your full name, cell number and the specific times when you would be available to help.

10/12/2025

A note from John Pica- please share!

Through the hard work of many people, it's a pleasure to report that the Christopher Columbus statue has found a new home. It is being transported to the White House tomorrow by the artist, Captain Tilghman Hemsley.

On Thursday morning, I received a call from Basil Russo, the President of Italian Sons and Daughters of America. Through his connections with President Trump, he learned that President Trump was asking for a statue of Christopher Columbus.

As we all know, the statue of Columbus was toppled into pieces and thrown into the harbor on July 4, 2020. Through the hard work of many AIAC members, the statue was fished from the harbor by a team of divers and lifted from the harbor by a crane provided by Tommy Iacoboni. It was then transported to the eastern shore to be scanned and molded as a template for a new statue. In less than two years, a new statue of Columbus was sculpted by Captain Tilghman Hemsley.

The statue is owned by Italian American Organizations United. Originally, under the leadership of Carl Julio, Anthony Piccinini, and Dominic Averza, the statue was installed in Columbus Piazza in Little Italy in 1984.

Today, I serve as president, Mike Gallerizzo as vice president, and Bill Martin as treasurer of IAOU. The organization owns the new statue.

Basil Russo contacted me Thursday morning. He asked if we would consider giving the statue to the White House. Bill, Mike, Tommy Iacoboni and I worked with Basil Russo over several phone calls. We agreed to send the statue to DC. Tommy Iacoboni would be in charge of transportation.

Ultimately, the artist agreed to transport the statue to the White House.

After struggling for three years to find an appropriate and safe home for the statue, we are delighted that the statue will be installed on the grounds of the White House.

We believe a statement is forthcoming from the White House acknowledging the statue being placed in Washington. There was going to be a ceremony this Monday, but those plans have changed because of the events in Israel.

We will keep you updated.

John A. Pica, Jr.