L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 23, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano P rocida is still, in m a n y w a y s , a w e l l g u a r d e d secret. Contra- rily to its more famous sisters, Capri and Ischia, Procida — that, when i t c o m e s t o b e a u t y , h a s nothing to envy to either of them, — remains a traditio- nal, fishermen enclave at heart: mass tourism is unk- nown in this little corner of Campania. Mind, its charms are known and they have been throughout the centuries, as our literary history demon- s t r a t e s . G e n e r a t i o n a f t e r generation of artists found inspiration in the colorful houses and crystal waters of Procida: from the ancient Roman lyrics of Juvenal, Statius and mighty Virgil, to the at once flirtatious and regal aplomb of Boccaccio, all the way to Romantic icon Alphonse de Lamartine and contemporary novelist Elsa Morante. The latter used it as inspiration and backdrop for one of her most p o p u l a r n o v e l s , 1 9 5 9 ' s Arturo's Island, a coming of age story revolving around young Arturo Gerace. Procida, which is home to about 10.500 people, is an island created through t h e m i l l e n a r y w o r k o f underwater volcanos and shaped by the action of sea water and wind. This is why, morphologically, the island has a rugged, rocky coastline characterized by many inlets and promontories. Procida: a land of beauty and geological interest, but also of legends and mystery, starting from its own very n a m e . S o m e , i n c l u d i n g h i s t o r i a n a n d n a t u r a l i s t Pliny the Elder, believe it c o m e s f r o m t h e Greek Προχ�τη, (Prochata in Latin), as in "hurled up" from the sea floor during volcanic activity. Similar is the hypothesis that wants it o r i g i n a t i n g f r o m a n o t h e r L a t i n w o r d , profundus, which also recalls the idea of b e i n g " s p r e a d u p a n d around" from the profundity of the sea. Another theory says that the name Procida comes from the island's old Roman name, Prochyta, in turn derived from the locu- t i o n prima Kyme, n e a r Cuma. The most romantic of a l l t h e o r i e s c o m e s f r o m h i s t o r i a n D i o n y s u s o f Halicarnassus who, by the way, wrote also down the whole Romulus and Remus myth for us. According to him, Procida is named after one of Eneas' wet nurses, who was buried there. It is in these times of cul- ture and antiquity that our first legend about Procida is set. Classical lore tells us t h a t P r o c i d a , l o c a t e d between the larger island of Ischia and Capo Miseno, near the Campi Flegrei, was born when Jupiter, the Father and King of all gods, during the bloodiest of bat- tles against the Giants, hur- led a rock into the sea. Procida's first inhabitants, in the 8th century BC, were f r o m t h e G r e e k i s l a n d o f E u b o e a , t h e n k n o w n a s Chalkis; after them came the Greeks of Cuma, the heart of M a g n a G r a e c i a . T h e Romans, too, liked Procida, that became a beloved holi- d a y d e s t i n a t i o n f o r t h e i r n o b i l i t y , a s a t t e s t e d i n Juvenal's works. After the f a l l o f t h e E m p i r e , t h e Normans arrived, then the Anjou and the Aragonese. Beautiful and rich, Procida also knew, for centuries, the g r u e s o m e r a i d s o f t h e Saracens, who depredated its coasts often. And indeed, it is during one of these violent incur- sions that another popular l e g e n d i s s e t . I n 1 5 3 5 , B a r b a r o s s a — n o t t h e Emperor, of course, but a notorious Saracen pirate, full name Khayr al-Din — and his men decided to sack the island, placing its inhabi- tants's lives in severe danger. Frightened by Barbarossa's viciousness and exhausted by the siege, locals decided to call for the help and sup- port of their otherworldly protector, the Archangel Michael. Soon after their heartfelt, anguished request, tradition says, the holy figh- t e r c a m e f r o m t h e s k i e s brandishing his fiery sword and chasing the enemy away for good. Saint Michael's intervention in support of the people of Procida is part of the island's heritage, even if, if we really want to say it all, Barbarossa did manage to sack it in more than one occasion. Symbolically, Saint Michael's miracle is associa- t e d w i t h P r o c i d a ' s m o s t ancient settlement, that of Terra Murata which, once upon a time, was the fortress w h e r e p e o p l e w o u l d s e e k a n d f i n d r e f u g e d u r i n g attacks. Still today, Terra Murata is one of the most p i c t u r e s q u e a r e a s o f Procida. Some curiosities about this beautiful island: did you k n o w t h a t i m a g e s o f t h e clear sea of La Corricella, one of the prettiest spots on the island, was used by both A p p l e and M i c r o s o f t t o publicize their mobile devi- ces? If you're into cultural and heritage tourism, than you should visit Procida during Holy Week and enjoy the celebrations held on Holy Friday, whose climax is the Processione dei Misteri, a parade where spirituality, craftsmanship, art and popu- lar culture mingle with one another. Another place to visit, especially if you like sacred architecture and local culture is the Santa Maria della Pietà e San Giovanni Battista church, which is tra- ditionally the church of the island's seamen. Are you more into natural b e a u t y ? T h e n t h e w h o l e island is perfect for you, but you can take it up a notch by taking the short over-the-sea w a l k t h a t l e a d s f r o m t h e main island to the islet of Vivara, a perfectly preser- ved pearl of Mediterranean nature. With all its beauty, colors and lore, Procida lives at a different pace from the rest of the world, a pace that fol- lows the ancient rhythms of tradition and history, spiri- tuality and nature, heritage and curiosity. Living in a p l a c e l i k e t h i s s e e m s a dream, but visiting, whene- ver we will be able to travel again, could be a nice alter- native. So, add Procida to your bucket list: it deserves it. GIULIA FRANCESCHINI F r o m G r e e c e t o a n g e l s , here's legendary Procida A colorful view of Procida (Photo: Monticello/Dreamstime) ALL AROUND ITALY TRAVEL TIPS DESTINATIONS ACTIVITIES

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