Order Sons and Daughters of Italy - Grand Lodge of California

10/17/2026

From Italy to America: pasta recipes and traditions brought by Italian immigrants have become part of everyday American life, evolving into new variations and new traditions along the way. But one thing hasn’t changed: pasta is made with love. It’s a celebration of family, comfort, connection, and home.

October is National Italian-American Heritage Month! Go out and take part in the many Italian-American events going on near you in October or make your favorite pasta dish. Mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto. (Eat well, laugh often, love much.)

Join the largest and longest-established national organization for men and women of Italian heritage in California, Oregon, and Nevada: www.osiaca.org

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10/14/2026

On October 3, 2026 the Grand Lodge of California welcomed its newest Lodge, the Southern Nevada Lodge #3023, in Henderson, Nevada. State President Mark Vaona, State 1st Vice President Mark Rossi, State 3rd Vice President Paul Finazzo, State Trustee-South Michaelynn Minicucci, and National Lodge Formation Committee Member, Vincent Fauceglia, officiated the Lodge Installation. The founding members of the Southern Nevada Lodge #3023 are Todd Faranda II, Mark Faranda and Russell Farminitino. Grand Lodge Social Justice Committee Chair, Tony Ricevuto was present and appointed State Deputy for the Southern Nevada Lodge #3023. For information and to join, please inquire at [email protected]. Lodge #3023 is excited to share their love of Italian traditions and culture, while serving the Henderson Community.

Join the largest and longest-established national organization for men and women of Italian heritage in California, Oregon, and Nevada: www.osiaca.org

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10/12/2026

Happy Columbus Day! October 12, 2026 is a day to recognize Christopher Columbus, a symbol of exploration and courage for the many Italian Americans and other Europeans that followed in his footsteps to establish a new life in the Americas. This is a special day for Italian Americans: Christopher Columbus reminds us of our roots and the many contributions of Italian immigrants that came before us and helped shape a rich and vibrant America.

Join the largest and longest-established national organization for men and women of Italian heritage in California, Oregon, and Nevada: www.osiaca.org

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10/05/2026

Our very own Maria Fassio Pignati's Italian roots featured!

In this edition of Our Italian Roots, Maria Fassio Pignati—Past President of the Grand Lodge of California and a 50+ year member of the Cornelia-Vita Nuova Lodge 1198 in San Francisco—shares her personal journey back to her maternal grandfather’s hometown of Trecate in the Piemonte region.

Her Nonno, Antonio Maria Leone, was born in Trecate in 1888 before immigrating to San Francisco in the early 20th century. Trecate is a town of 21,000 in the Vercelli rice-growing area, bordered by the Ticino River near Lombardia, home to the Villafortuna-Trecate oil field, and framed by breathtaking views of the Monte Rosa massif.

Maria’s first visit in 1976 meant finally meeting relatives in person and staying in her Nonno’s original home right by the train tracks, where zooming trains and lightning storms shook the entire house.

Across many return trips since, her routines remain deeply meaningful: walking through the open-air mercato, praying in her Nonno’s parish church, paying respects at the cemetery, staying at the welcoming Albergo Moderno, and gathering 30 cousins for Saturday pizza at Caruso Pizzeria to speak Italian and the local dialect.

Now holding dual citizenship from Trecate, Maria has traced her family line back to 829 AD when the first Leone served as Count of Milano. Maria’s memories of Trecate remain priceless—filling her heart with “amore” and “famiglia”.

Do you have a story about your Italian roots? We want to hear them! Click the button the link below to access our submission form. 🇮🇹

🔗: https://vist.ly/5kxvu

10/05/2026

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10/05/2026

America250 Spotlight: Enrico Fermi 🇮🇹 ⚛️

Born on September 29, 1901 in Rome, Italy, Enrico Fermi became one of the most influential physicists of the 20th century. Known as the “architect of the nuclear age,” Fermi made groundbreaking discoveries that transformed our understanding of the atom.

After earning international recognition in Italy—including the 1938 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on induced radioactivity—Fermi immigrated to the United States with his family. There, he led the team that achieved the first controlled nuclear chain reaction at the University of Chicago in 1942, a milestone that changed the course of science and history.

Fermi’s legacy represents the extraordinary contributions Italian scientists and Italian Americans have made to innovation, discovery, and the advancement of knowledge.

Today, we honor Enrico Fermi and his lasting impact on the modern world.

10/05/2026

🇮🇹🇺🇸 Ci vediamo alla San Francisco Italian Heritage Parade!
On Sunday, October 11, San Francisco celebrates its Italian heritage with the annual Italian Heritage Parade through Fisherman’s Wharf and North Beach.
The parade begins at 12:30 PM at Jefferson and Powell Streets, continues along Columbus Avenue, and concludes in Washington Square, in front of Saints Peter and Paul Church.
The Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco will be joining the celebrations — keep an eye out for our representatives along the parade route! 🇮🇹🏎️
Admission to the parade and the Bank of America Concorso Italiano Auto Show is free.
📅 Sunday, October 11, 2026
🕧 12:30 PM
📍 Fisherman’s Wharf → Columbus Avenue → Washington Square

10/04/2026

October 4 is a national holiday in Italy celebrating the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, born in Umbria in AD 1118. St. Francis is the patron saint of animals, nature, and birds and revered for his message of peace, fraternity, and care for the most vulnerable. 2026 marks the 800th anniversary of his death and Italy is pulling out all the stops to celebrate this milestone.

Here in the U.S., the relics and historical objects of St. Francis and St. Clare of Assissi will be exhibited in San Francisco, CA at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption, 1111 Gough Street from October 16 to November 28, 2026. The exhibition also coincides with the 250th anniversary of the founding of San Francisco, named after St. Francis.

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