Tag Archives: Sam Tinaglia

Fra Noi correspondent Sam Tinaglia rubbed elbows with Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy at the 25th annual Ballo di Savoia in New York City in December 2022. The event raised funds in support of various scholarships and Cooley’s Anemia Foundation. The celebration commemorated the 450th anniversary of the creation of the ancient chivalric Order of Saints Maurice & Lazarus. The American branch of the order supports charities consistent with the traditions of the Royal House of Savoy. Prince Victor Emanuele of Savoy is the grandmaster of the orders, and his son, Emanuele Filiberto, spearheads the fundraising efforts.  

When I was a boy, my father regaled me with stories about the history of Sicily. I remember him telling me about coastal watchtowers passing warnings via signal fires from the shores of the island into the interior. (According to historian Robert C. Davis, there are 137 such watchtowers on the coasts of Sicily. Isn’t it great when family legends match up with history?) When I visited Sicily later, I heard similar tales of how the fires from the coastal towers could be seen in Caccamo, and then the message would be passed along to our hometown of Vicari. The …

Samuel J. Tinaglia Jr. recently rappelled 30 stories down the side of the Hyatt Hotel on the Chicago River during the Make-a-Wish Foundation Over the Edge fundraising event. Tinaglia and fellow rapellers raised $300,000 toward the granting of wishes for children with critical illnesses. A five-time cancer survivor and Make-a-Wish grant recipient, Tinaglia graduated with highest honors from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor of science in recreation, sport and tourism. He is the son of Fra Noi correspondent Samuel J. Tinaglia Sr.  

Known for her piety and charity, Princess Mafalda of Savoy spoke out against Hitler with predictably tragic results. I have to admit I have always been fascinated by royalty. My father’s middle name was Umberto, in honor of Umberto I, the King of Italy who was assassinated in 1900. Many people know the story of the Russian czar and his family who were killed, so danger in troubled times is not unknown to royals. But then I ran across the amazing story of an Italian princess named Mafalda of Savoy. Mafalda is the Italianized version of Matilda, which appropriately, as …