(29 Dec 2024)
ITALY CULT OF THE DEAD
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 7:10
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Naples, Italy – 13 December, 2024
1. Aerial shot of city centre
2. Various of sacred images in streets
3. Various of ‘Cimitero delle Fontanelle’ (Fontanelle cemetery) interiors
4. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Marino Niola, anthropologist
“The cult of the dead is the true religion of the Neapolitans, because it is not a transcendent religion, it is a religion that has to do with what remains of people, what remains even of our deceased loved ones, of the people we have lost; but not only that, also of all those who have left us, even if we never knew them. What characterizes the cult of the dead in Naples, this particular cult called the souls of Purgatory, is precisely that the object of this cult are souls about whom nothing is known, unknown dead.”
5. Various of skulls
6. Various of interiors of ‘Santa Maria del Purgatorio ad Arco’ church (overground and underground)
7. Various of skulls and votive offerings
8. Various of exteriors of Sanità district
9. Various of interiors of Basilica and catacombs of San Gaudioso (with frescos)
10. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Antonio Iaccarino, member of social cooperative ‘La Paranza’:
“The skull was the most representative part of the body and was even thought to be the seat of the soul. Therefore, more than any other part of the body, the skull was certainly the part that most needed to be preserved. In our catacomb, not only did the skull need to be preserved, but it even needed to be exhibited. This was a practice that was done here in particular and was requested by the richest people, by the nobles.”
11. Various of Massimo Faella leading people down to underground church
12. Various of skulls and votive offerings in underground church of ‘Santa Luciella’
13. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Massimo Faella, President of ‘Respiriamo Arte’ association:
“When we opened, so many people came here and told us wonderful stories. A lady told us (Neapolitan dialect) ‘Mamma’ ce fa ‘e mbasciate rint ‘e recchie’, that is, my mother sent messages in the ears to the skull Or people used to meet and talk about their problems and one would say to one another: ‘Blimey, it’s been one year and you are still waiting for your favour? Come with me and I’ll take you to the one with the ears, I had my favour in two to three months.’”
14. Various of Raffaella D’Anna walking in the street and opening door with keys
15. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Raffaella D’Anna, local resident:
“In this cemetery, there were skulls and bones and everyone kept their own skull, they made a glass house there, so that when they came in front of this skull they prayed to it.”
16. Various of façade of ‘Santa Maria del Purgatorio ad Arco’ church with skulls
17. Interiors of underground church
18. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Francesca Amirante, curator of the museum complex of ‘Santa Maria del Purgatorio ad Arco’:
“The skulls become these elements of communication with the afterlife. They are the ones who, once they have returned the graces, have the privilege of finding a position. This is another beautiful thing, that is, the chosen soul is the one that at a certain point is settled, because we know it is a soul that has gone to heaven. Now, if that skull returned the graces, therefore it went to Heaven, I can entrust it with my dead.”
19. Various of skulls and votive offerings
20. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Marino Niola, anthropologist:
21. Various of interiors of San Gaudioso catacombs with frescos
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