Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America

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On This Day in Italian History | October 21 🇮🇹On October 21, 1866, citizens of Venice and Mantua began voting in a histo...
10/21/2026

On This Day in Italian History | October 21 🇮🇹

On October 21, 1866, citizens of Venice and Mantua began voting in a historic plebiscite to join the Kingdom of Italy following the Third War of Independence. The vote marked a major step in the Risorgimento and helped complete the unification of the Italian peninsula. 1

Just six years earlier, on October 21, 1860, similar plebiscites in Naples and Sicily paved the way for the incorporation of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies into the growing Kingdom of Italy. Together, these votes helped shape the modern Italian nation. 1

For countless Italian Americans whose roots trace to Veneto, Sicily, Campania, and other regions of Italy, these historic moments remind us of the shared heritage that united diverse peoples, traditions, and communities into one nation.

🇮🇹 What region of Italy do your ancestors come from?

OnThisDay Risorgimento Italy Veneto Venezia Mantova Sicilia Campania ItalianPride ProudToBeItalian ItalianRoots HistoryMatters ItalianCulture UnificationOfItaly HeritageAndTradition

Did Christopher Columbus Speak Italian? The Historical Evidence Suggests He Could.One of the most common questions about...
10/19/2026

Did Christopher Columbus Speak Italian? The Historical Evidence Suggests He Could.

One of the most common questions about Christopher Columbus is whether he spoke Italian. The answer is more nuanced than many people realize.

Columbus was born in the Republic of Genoa, in what is now Italy. As a young man, he likely spoke the Ligurian dialect used in Genoa and the surrounding region. While no lengthy letters written by Columbus in Ligurian survive, historians have uncovered several clues that point to his familiarity with Italian language and literature.

Among the strongest pieces of evidence are handwritten notes Columbus left in books he owned. Scholars have identified annotations in an Italian edition of Pliny's Natural History, demonstrating that he could read and engage with Italian texts. Researchers have also found brief passages written in Italian among his papers, indicating that he possessed at least some ability to write in the language.

At the same time, most of Columbus's surviving correspondence was written in Castilian Spanish, the language of the Spanish Crown that sponsored his voyages. He also displayed knowledge of Portuguese and Latin, reflecting the multilingual world of Renaissance sailors, merchants, and explorers.

While historians continue to debate details of his linguistic background, the evidence strongly suggests that Columbus grew up in a Ligurian-speaking environment and was capable of reading, and likely writing, Italian forms used during the Renaissance. Some historians note that he even corresponded with Genoese institutions and maintained ties to his homeland throughout his life.

His story reminds us that the Italian peninsula was already producing navigators, scholars, merchants, and explorers whose influence would help shape world history long before the political unification of Italy. Whether speaking Ligurian on the streets of Genoa, reading Italian texts, or writing in Spanish at the court of Spain, Columbus carried with him the heritage of the land where he was born.

🇮🇹 Proud of our heritage. Proud of our history.

ItalianCulture

10/18/2026

🎤🇮🇹 MORE FROM LAST NIGHT’S ITALIAN FUND GALA! 🇮🇹🎶

Who says the fun has to stop after dinner? Former Massachusetts Treasurer Joe Malone entertained the crowd toward the end of the evening with a fantastic rendition of *“Summer Wind”!

A little music, a lot of Italian pride, and one more unforgettable moment from a wonderful night! 🥂🇮🇹

🇮🇹WHAT A NIGHT! 🇮🇹The inaugural Italian Fund Gala, hosted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Order Sons and Daughters ...
10/18/2026

🇮🇹WHAT A NIGHT! 🇮🇹

The inaugural Italian Fund Gala, hosted by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, was an incredible success! On Saturday, October 17th, the Colonnade Hotel in Boston was packed with around 250 guests celebrating Italian heritage, community, and excellence — with a special guest speakerJohn Calipari!

Congratulations to Joseph P. Campanelli, Chairman, President & CEO of Needham Bank, on receiving our Distinguished Citizens Award!

A HUGE GRAZIE to everyone who attended and helped make this first-ever gala such a memorable evening!

A special thank-you to our generous sponsors: Diamante Sponsors, Oro Sponsors, Argento Sponsors, andAmici & Famiglia Sponsors

From the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, the Italian Fund Gala Host Committee, and Malone & Malone LLC, thank you for your generosity, support, and for coming together to make this event such a tremendous success!

Around 250 guests, an unforgettable evening, a special guest appearance, and a whole lot of Italian pride! 🇮🇹🥂

Grazie mille to everyone who made our inaugural gala one to remember. Here's to many more!

🇮🇹 Symbols of Italy 🇮🇹When you think of Italy, what comes to mind?From the green, white, and red of the Italian flag to ...
10/17/2026

🇮🇹 Symbols of Italy 🇮🇹

When you think of Italy, what comes to mind?

From the green, white, and red of the Italian flag to the iconic Colosseum, Italy's symbols tell the story of a nation rich in history, culture, and tradition.

✨ Some of the most beloved symbols of Italy include: • The Tricolore, representing unity and national identity
• The Stella d'Italia (Star of Italy), one of the country's oldest national symbols
• The Italian wolf, connected to the legendary founding of Rome
• The Colosseum, symbolizing the enduring legacy of Ancient Rome
• The olive branch, representing peace and the Mediterranean way of life
• The cypress tree, a classic feature of the Italian landscape
• The Italian Republic emblem, featuring the star, cogwheel, olive, and oak branches

These symbols reflect the values, history, and spirit that continue to connect Italians and Italian descendants around the world.

💚🤍❤️ Which symbol best represents Italy to you? Let us know in the comments!

ProudToBeItalian MadeInItaly ItalianTraditions ItalianHistory StellaDItalia Tricolore HeritageAndCulture

🇮🇹 **THE MELODIES THAT COULD HAVE REPRESENTED ITALY** 🎶Did you know that *Fratelli d’Italia* was not the only anthem to ...
10/16/2026

🇮🇹 **THE MELODIES THAT COULD HAVE REPRESENTED ITALY** 🎶

Did you know that *Fratelli d’Italia* was not the only anthem to represent—or compete to represent—the musical identity of our Nation?

Throughout the Risorgimento and the birth of the Republic, several compositions embodied different ideals, sacrifices, and visions of Italy.

🎼 **The major contenders in this story:**

🇮🇹 **Il Canto degli Italiani** – Written by Goffredo Mameli and set to music by Michele Novaro in 1847, it became a symbol of national unity and was provisionally adopted in 1946.

👑 **La Marcia Reale** – The official anthem of the Kingdom of Italy from 1861, closely associated with the House of Savoy and the monarchy.

🎭 **Va, pensiero** – The celebrated chorus from Giuseppe Verdi’s opera *Nabucco*, which became a symbol of the longing for freedom and national redemption.

⚔️ **La Leggenda del Piave** – The song commemorating Italian resistance during the First World War, temporarily adopted as the national anthem in 1943.

🟥 **Inno di Garibaldi** – A patriotic hymn associated with the heroism of the volunteers and the struggles for Italian independence.

On October 12, 1946, the republican government provisionally selected *Il Canto degli Italiani*. Its definitive legal recognition came in 2017.

🎶 **Monarchy, Risorgimento, and Republic: different melodies, one Italy.**

Our history lives not only in books, but also in the music that accompanied generations of Italians in their struggle for freedom and national unity.

**Which would you have chosen as Italy’s national anthem?** 🇮🇹

ItalianHeritageMonth ItalianPride ItalianAmerican

“Let those who are fond of blaming and finding fault, while they sit safely at home, ask, 'Why did you not do thus and s...
10/14/2026

“Let those who are fond of blaming and finding fault, while they sit safely at home, ask, 'Why did you not do thus and so?' I wish they were on this voyage; I well believe that another voyage of a different kind awaits them, or our faith is naught.”- Christopher Columbus in his Letters Rarissima

In case you didn't catch it, Columbus is telling all of his critics to go to hell.

Happy Columbus Month!

Happy Columbus Day! Today we celebrate one of the greatest and faithful men in Italian and world history.As Italian Amer...
10/12/2026

Happy Columbus Day! 

Today we celebrate one of the greatest and faithful men in Italian and world history.

As Italian Americans this has special significance because not only do we celebrate the greatness of this man of destiny (AND WE DO celebrate the man), but also his successors, us, the millions of Italian Americans who have shaped this great country's history.

Columbus represents the best of our Italian spirit. He came from humble origins, illiterate and an autodidact. He taught himself to read and to sail. 

When he became convinced of his new route to the East, he was laughed at. He was rejected by Portugal (thanks Bartholomew Dias 🙄) and tried Spain. After about six years (1486-1492) of appeal, Columbus was again rejected and headed for France. It was only be a miracle intervention by Isabella's trusted advisor Santangel that the Spanish Crown changed its mind and accepted his proposal.

But of course, they weren't that confident. They have him three ships and a crew full of criminals, all of whom resented being led by an Italian. But Columbus entrusted himself to God and Our Lady of Pilar, confident of his destiny. After 33 grueling days and mutiny, Columbus discovered land. Not the Asia he hoped for, but a whole New World, and the beginning of the birth of the United States came to be.

Our people came to this country, trusting in their dream, sailing into the unknown, determined.

And these values are the same that led plucky American colonists to revolt against the most powerful empire in the world 250 years ago. This same people then expanded Westward, creating a beautiful country from sea to shining sea. And this is why our Founding Fathers named our capital city after the great navigator. Because he was almost a mythical founder of country.

 Columbus represents the marriage of what it is to be Italian and to be American. We praise the man who teaches us to never give up, to always be faithful, and to always be great.

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY! 🇮🇹🇺🇸

VIVA L'ITALIA, VIVA L'AMERICA, E VIVA CRISTOFORO COLOMBO!

🇮🇹 **On This Day in Italian History: The Sigonella Crisis**Today marks the anniversary of the **Sigonella Crisis**, a pi...
10/11/2026

🇮🇹 **On This Day in Italian History: The Sigonella Crisis**

Today marks the anniversary of the **Sigonella Crisis**, a pivotal moment in modern Italian history that unfolded in Sicily in October 1985.

Following the hijacking of the Italian cruise ship *Achille Lauro*, a tense diplomatic standoff emerged at the Sigonella Air Base between Italian and American forces over jurisdiction of the captured hijackers. Prime Minister **Bettino Craxi** asserted Italy's right to prosecute the suspects under Italian law, emphasizing the nation's sovereignty and legal authority.

Although the crisis brought two close allies to the brink of confrontation, it was resolved peacefully through diplomacy. The events at Sigonella remain a defining episode in Italy's postwar foreign policy and continue to be studied as an important case in international relations.

More than four decades later, the Sigonella Crisis serves as a reminder of the complex decisions leaders face in moments of international tension and of Sicily's unique place in the history of the Mediterranean.

🇮🇹 We remember this significant chapter in Italy's story and its lasting impact on diplomacy, sovereignty, and national identity.

Sigonella Sicily BettinoCraxi OnThisDay ItalianPride History MediterraneanHistory

Continued from the 2026 presidential Columbus Day proclamation:Today, we reaffirm that Christopher Columbus is a legend ...
10/10/2026

Continued from the 2026 presidential Columbus Day proclamation:

Today, we reaffirm that Christopher Columbus is a legend whose vision, fortitude, and perseverance unleashed a dynamic of history that led to the creation of the greatest, freest, and most just Nation in history.  We are forever indebted to his courageous voyage, and we will never allow his legacy to be erased by radical extremists.  For this reason, earlier this year, I was proud to install a statue of Christopher Columbus on the White House grounds — an exact replica of the statue that stood for more than three decades in Baltimore, Maryland, from its dedication by President Ronald Reagan in October 1984 until rioters tore it down and threw it into Baltimore Harbor on July 4, 2020.  Now placed at the White House, this magnificent monument stands as a testament to the resilient legacy of one of history’s greatest heroes.

Columbus Day also holds special significance for our incredible Italian-American citizens.  Like Columbus, they have embodied a steadfast love of country and faith in God, and they continue to strengthen our communities and propel our country to even greater heights.

In 1892, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ epic voyage, Pope Leo XIII published an encyclical hailing “the greatness of his mind and heart,” which “can be compared to but few in the history of humanity.”  The Pope continued:  Columbus “looked for a something greater and higher than did these others.”  Today, as we celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World, we honor his unrivaled greatness.  We embrace our duty to prove worthy of the inheritance he left us, to match his courage with our own, and to never abandon, forsake, or forget the beauty of our faith, the glories of our culture, and the stories of our heroes.

VIVA CRISTOFORO COLOMBO!
SANTO SUBITO!

Address

85 River Street Suite 2
Waltham, MA
02478

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16174895234

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