Constantino Brumidi Day Celebrated in Washington D.C.

February 22, 2012 ~Constantino Brumidi, the artist of our Nation's Capitol, and an Italian immigrant, who, like many others who followed him, fell in love with America, was remembered in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, February 19, 2012. D.C. Mayor, Vincent Gray proclaimed that day, the Constantino Brumidi Day. A memorial mass was held at Holy Rosary Church, followed by a ceremony at the Glenwood Cemetery where Brumidi is buried. Joe Grano, the Chair of the Constantino Brumidi, who organized the events, and other local Italian American organizations, including representatives of the Italian Embassy, laid floral wreaths and paid homage to a man who in 2008 was awarded posthumously, the Congressional Gold Medal. That medal has been cast, but no date has yet been announced for a ceremony to offically present the medal.

On the occasion of the Constantino Brumidi Day, Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, said "Brumidi incarna ciò che nel 1961 l'allora Presidente degli Stati Uniti John Fitzgerald Kennedy definì 'l'esperienza italiana', catturando magistralmente l'essenza dei forti legami che uniscono Italia e Stati Uniti I legami e l'amicizia tra i nostri due paesi e popoli sono conservati nei meravigliosi affreschi del Campidoglio, così come nelle vite dei milioni di italo-americani negli Stati Uniti." Read more....>>

(Pictured above, Joe Grano at Brumidi's grave site)

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