WELCOME TO FOSSA, AQUILA
Welcome to
FOSSA, AQUILA, ITALIA
Hi!
This page is dedicated to my Nonna Berardina. She passed away Friday, October 5, 2002 at
the age of 92. She was born, lived her entire life and died all in the same house.
Like everybody else her age, she saw 2 wars and watched the world change before her with
automobiles, airplanes and television. She buried a lot of people she loved during her life
and still found room for a smile. She was a good mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.
She was also a romantic. When she described her life with my Nonno Antonio she had a
combination happy-sad expression on her face. She was so thankful to have been with him and
she missed him so much. He passed away in 1970. Her greatest gift to me was when she used
to tell me stories about the past and life in Fossa. The way she described the era around
WW2 would keep you up at night. Another apsect of my Nonna that sticks with me is how she
mourned the death (WW1) of her 2 brothers till the day she died. She recounted how she was
only 6 and she remembers them leaving for war and kissing her goodbye. She kept all of the
letters they sent her while they were away. She especially remembers the day soldiers came
to the house to tell the family they had been killed. She still cried when she told that
story. I was lucky enough to have visited with her 4 times. She was spunky. She had a
smile and she had a temper. She was funny and she was serious. And boy, could she cook.
Of course she was all of those things, she was Italian.
I'm sorry this page is NOT in Italian. Until I get somebody to translate for me, this is how it will be. I'm sure when the site is refined, I will find somebody in Fossa to do this for me.
My name is Frank DeChellis. My mother was born in Fossa, Aquila, Italia.
My father was born in Pacentro, Aquila, near Sulmona. Pacentro is a very nice place to visit when you're done in
Fossa.
Fossa is located about 15 minutes away from the city of L'Aquila, in
the Region of Abbruzzo. It is located between L'Aquila and San Demetrio.
I live in Welland, Ontario, Canada. Most immigrants from Fossa went to
Melbourne Australia.
I will be adding more pictures to this site very soon.
Fossa is a very relaxed place. The population is a staggering 636 people.
There were a few nice sites about Fossa on the net, but they're gone! But never fear,
I found a few more. Abruzzo
2000 and Pro Loco Fossa
If you visit Fossa, be sure to see the old church,
Chiesa S. Maria Ad Cryptas . It is a very interesting place with
some very impressive and important artwork. My picture above is the
cover of a booklet about the church. If the door is locked, ask
the people across the street to open it for you.
Please make sure you visit the WWII memorial in the Piazza next to the Church and the WWI
memorial near the cemetary. It's a small fenced off area with 13 trees in a circle. Each bears the name
of those from Fossa who were killed in the First War. My Nonna's brothers are
Augusto Innocenzi and Cesidio Innocenzi.
Some other places to see include the Brother's Monestary, the Ancient
Graveyard which has recently been excavated by Archeologists and ask a
local resident to show you the "Ciccuetta". And when you're all done, go have a drink
in "Bar Ponte" near my Nonna's place. Tell Maria-Luisa that Frank, Anthony and Tony
from Canada said "Ciao". Then on your way out, stop at the cheese factory and pick up a bag of Bocancini.
If you really want to have some fun and eat well, be in Fossa in
August and attend the Sagra Bistecca. It's usually 3 days and is a great
celebration.
If you take a walk up the mountain, make sure you ask a local to direct you down the road
that will take you through the town on the other side. It's a nice walk all the way around
and the view is magnificent. When you go through the last part of the town on the other
side, the last house on the right has a German Shephard that the people don't keep under
control. If you see it, give it a swift boot to the head and tell him I said "Hello"
What makes Fossa more special than all of the other 5,000 small mountainside towns in Italy?
Nothing really. They are all beautiful in their own way and all have their own local
flavour.
If your family is from Fossa, let me know.
You can e-mail me at frankd@iaw.com
This page was last modified on December 10, 2002
Ciao Zio, Zia, Monia e ?, Antonella e Antonello! Siamo tutto
bene.
And if my
Uncle Joe (Cesidio) or Uncle Vince or any of their family from Australia
see this HELLO!