Latest news with #non-Italians
The Star
20 hours ago
- The Star
Romans turn to vintage snow cones to stay cool amid heatwaves
Forget ice cream or gelato, 'Grattachecca' is what Italians prefer for cooling off. Forget ice cream, sorbet or even the beloved Italian gelato – when Romans swelter in a heatwave, they turn to the traditional "grattachecca". It may be difficult for non-Italians to pronounce – think "gratta-kekka" – but the Roman-style shaved ice is colourful, cheap and refreshing like no other. In an turn-of-the-century kiosk near the Tiber River, Massimo Crescenzi, 72, was in constant motion one recent weekday in front of a patiently waiting line of clients, whose numbers rarely flag with 37°C temperatures scorching the capital. His wife Rosanna Mariani was behind the scenes at the "Golden Fountain" as the business is named, pulling large blocks of ice out of a freezer, cracking them with a pick into small chunks, and feeding them into a machine. Customers eat a 'Grattachecca' to cool off in Rome as heatwave hits Italy. — Photos: AFP Her husband then poured the crushed ice into a glass, adding fresh fruit and colourful syrups, according to each customer's preferences. He cautioned that the treat loved by generations of Romans was not Sicilian granita – in which water is combined with fruit and sugar from the outset and frozen together. A debate lingers in Rome over the merits of using the more hygienic machine, which is Crescenzi's choice, or the old-fashioned way of shaving the ice by hand. Customers queue to order a 'Grattachecca' at a kiosk in Rome on August 12, 2025. Italy is facing extreme heat until mid-August as temperatures above 40 degrees centigrade is gripping the entire country at least until the August 15th bank holiday weekend. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP) "It's delicious! Especially on such a hot day, it's very refreshing," said Andrea Alvarado, a 55-year-old Californian, who opted for the exotically flavoured tamarind, mint and black cherry grattachecca on offer. While on vacation in Rome, she learned about the four-euro treat on social media: a modern way to discover an old tradition. With increasingly frequent heatwaves in Rome, demand is growing, the owners said, with various kiosks across the city offering the frozen desserts. "The season used to begin in June through September. Now, we're May to October and probably in the next few years it will be even longer," Crescenzi said. Customers eat a 'Grattachecca', or snow cones in Rome. Four generations Boasting that theirs is "the oldest kiosk in Rome", Mariani showed off black-and-white photos taken in 1913 of the family business. "It's a kiosk that was opened by my grandfather 112 years ago," said Crescenzi. That means the business has so far lasted four generations, now that his youngest son helps him during the summer rush. Sitting in the shade, US tourist Victoria Kiser was enjoying her treat: "There's a reason it's been in business since 1913," she agreed. Crescenzi knows the history of grattachecca like the back of his hand. Back in the day, "ice came from the Abruzzo mountains and was transported to Rome by carts," he said. Those were the days before factories began to produce ice, making things more efficient. The season for this icy treat used to be from June to Sep, but now it's from May to Oct. The treat's name probably derives from the story of a nobleman whose servants would prepare food and drink for him, he said. "When he went to ask for a very refreshing drink, one with ice, he had around him various people including the famous Francesca, whose diminutive in Roman dialect is 'checca'." Grattachecca was born. French tourist Fabien Torcol was enjoying a coconut-lemon grattachecca. He said he loved the dessert, but... "It's not easy to pronounce," he laughed. – AFP
Int'l Business Times
5 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
In Heatwave, Romans Turn To Vintage Snow Cones To Stay Cool
Forget ice cream, sorbet or even the beloved Italian gelato -- when Romans swelter in a heatwave, they turn to the traditional "grattachecca". It may be difficult for non-Italians to pronounce -- think "gratta-kekka" -- but the Roman-style shaved ice is colourful, cheap and refreshing like no other. In an turn-of-the-century kiosk near the Tiber River, Massimo Crescenzi, 72, was in constant motion one recent weekday in front of a patiently waiting line of clients, whose numbers rarely flag with 37C temperatures scorching the capital. His wife Rosanna Mariani was behind the scenes at the "Golden Fountain" as the business is named, pulling large blocks of ice out of a freezer, cracking them with a pick into small chunks, and feeding them into a machine. Her husband then poured the crushed ice into a glass, adding fresh fruit and colourful syrups, according to each customer's preferences. He cautioned that the treat loved by generations of Romans was not Sicilian granita -- in which water is combined with fruit and sugar from the outset and frozen together. A debate lingers in Rome over the merits of using the more hygienic machine, which is Crescenzi's choice, or the old-fashioned way of shaving the ice by hand. "It's delicious! Especially on such a hot day, it's very refreshing," said Andrea Alvarado, a 55-year-old Californian, who opted for the exotically flavoured tamarind, mint and black cherry grattachecca on offer. While on vacation in Rome, she learned about the four-euro treat on social media_ a modern way to discover an old tradition. With increasingly frequent heatwaves in Rome, demand is growing, the owners told AFP, with various kiosks across the city offering the frozen desserts. "The season used to begin in June through September. Now, we're May to October and probably in the next few years it will be even longer," Crescenzi said. Boasting that theirs is "the oldest kiosk in Rome", Mariani showed off black-and-white photos taken in 1913 of the family business. "It's a kiosk that was opened by my grandfather 112 years ago," said Crescenzi. That means the business has so far lasted four generations, now that his youngest son helps him during the summer rush. Sitting in the shade, US tourist Victoria Kiser was enjoying her treat: "There's a reason it's been in business since 1913," she agreed. Crescenzi knows the history of grattachecca like the back of his hand. Back in the day, "ice came from the Abruzzo mountains and was transported to Rome by carts," he said. Those were the days before factories began to produce ice, making things more efficient. The treat's name probably derives from the story of a nobleman whose servants would prepare food and drink for him, he said. "When he went to ask for a very refreshing drink, one with ice, he had around him various people including the famous Francesca, whose diminutive in Roman dialect is 'checca'." Grattachecca was born. French tourist Fabien Torcol was enjoying a coconut-lemon grattachecca. He said he loved the dessert, but... "It's not easy to pronounce," he laughed. Ice is cut from blocks and crushed, with syrup and fruit added AFP Demand for the icy treat is growing with increasingly frequent heatwaves in Rome AFP The Roman-style shaved ice is colourful, cheap and refreshing like no other AFP
USA Today
08-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Cardinals sealed in Sistine Chapel again on Day 2 of conclave: Live updates
Cardinals sealed in Sistine Chapel again on Day 2 of conclave: Live updates The Roman Catholic cardinals charged with electing the next pontiff were gathering in Vatican City for a second day Thursday, seeking the two-thirds majority required to name a successor to Pope Francis. ∎ Day 2 began with a Mass at in the Pauline Chapel, followed by a midmorning prayer in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals are shut off from the world for the secretive voting that will result in new leadership for the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. ∎ Two votes are allowed in the morning. If no pope is elected the cardinals take a lengthy lunch break. ∎ The cardinals then return and can vote twice more. If no one is elected, they are expected to wrap up for the day at about 7:30 p.m. local time − 1:30 p.m. ET. Tens of thousands of tourists, pilgrims and just interested Romans gathered in St Peter's Square Wednesday. They hoped to see white smoke emerge from the chimney, signaling a successor to Franics, who died April 21, had been selected. It didn't. It was black, meaning the vote to elect the new pope was indecisive. They were back Thursday as the conclave entered its second day, lining up in the early morning sun to access the main square outside St Peter's Basilica. The second day of the conclave came after the first vote Wednesday failed to name a successor to Francis Darkness had already fallen over Rome on Wednesday when black smoke rose from the chimney of the iconic Sistine Chapel, watched by thousands in a packed St. Peter's Square. Some traditions are timeless − black smoke from the chimney after a vote means no candidate has received the necessary votes. White smoke means a new pope has been elected. And the ban on communicating with outsiders, which dates to medieval times, remains. Nowadays, however, the Vatican has taken high-tech measures to ensure secrecy. No cellphones are allowed, and the technology sweep of the chapel takes place to ensure there are no recording devices. Jamming devices are also used. A battle for the soul of the church: What's at stake in conclave this week What social and geopolitical challenges will the next pope face? As the conclave gathers to elect a new pope, what social and geopolitical challenges around the world will the new pontiff need to navigate? Some of the cardinals frequently mentioned as candidates to succeed Francis include non-Italians Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, a liberal sometimes referred to as "Francis 2," France's Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille, and Peter Erdo, 72, of Hungary, who is considered a favorite among the more conservative cardinals. There have been 266 popes, and 217 of the have been Italian. Italy has strong contenders this time, too, including cardinals Pietro Parolin, 70, the Vatican Secretary of State who is considered a moderate, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 60, the patriarch of Jerusalem who once offered to become a hostage of Hamas in return for the release of children, and Matteo Zuppi, 69, a close associate of Francis. There are more than 250 cardinals, but they must be younger than 80 to serve as electors. Still, a record 133 cardinals from 70 countries are casting votes, up from 115 from 48 nations for the 2013 conclave that elected Francis. The increase in cardinals is a function of Francis' efforts to expand the reach of the church, and one result is that 80% of current cardinals were appointed by him. Black smoke vs. white smoke: What does each color mean during conclave? Up to four rounds of voting can take place each day. There is no set time limit for the conclave, but recent conclaves have lasted only a few days. Since 1846, cardinals have taken two to five days to make decisions on the past 12 popes. It was not always that fast. After Pope Clement IV died in November 1268, cardinals met in Viterbo, Italy, about 68 miles from Rome, for almost three years. The eventual winner, Gregory X, tightened up conclave rules. The longest conclave in modern times, in 1903, ended when Pope Pius X was chosen after five days. A day before electors were sequestered to begin the conclave, an American cardinal shed light on the secretive process of electing a new pope, saying this one could take three or four days in part because there are many worthy candidates. New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, one of 10 U.S. cardinals participating in the vote, told SiriusXM's Catholic Channel on Tuesday that participants consult with each other to learn more about contenders they might not know well. 'We're not horse trading here,'' Dolan said. 'We're saying, 'Tell me about this guy. You're from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?'' Recent years have seen Catholicism's geographic balance increasingly shift toward the global south. 'The future of the Catholic church passes through Africa,' said Stan Chu Ilo, an associate professor of Catholic studies at Depaul University in Chicago. 'The continent is a spiritual powerhouse.' As of 2023, Africa accounted for 20% of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, reflecting what the Vatican calls 'a highly dynamic spread' of the faith; the continent's Catholic population that year surged to 281 million, up from 272 million in 2022. Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea and Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Algeria are all contenders to be the next pope.
USA Today
08-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Conclave Day 2: Cardinals have 4 chances to elect a new pope. Live updates
Conclave Day 2: Cardinals have 4 chances to elect a new pope. Live updates The Roman Catholic cardinals charged with electing the next pontiff were gathering in Vatican City for a second day Thursday, seeking the two-thirds majority required to name a successor to Pope Francis. ∎ Day 2 begins with Mass at in the Pauline Chapel, followed by a midmorning prayer in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals are shut off from the world for the secretive voting that will result in new leadership for the world's 1.4 billion Roman Catholics. ∎ Two votes are allowed in the morning. If no pope is elected the cardinals take a lengthy lunch break. ∎ The cardinals then return and can vote twice more. If no one is elected, they are expected to wrap up for the day at about 7:30 p.m. local time − 1:30 p.m. ET. The second day of the conclave came after the first vote Wednesday failed to name a successor to Francis Darkness had already fallen over Rome on Wednesday when black smoke rose from the chimney of the iconic Sistine Chapel, watched by thousands in a packed St. Peter's Square. Some traditions are timeless − black smoke from the chimney after a vote means no candidate has received the necessary votes. White smoke means a new pope has been elected. And the ban on communicating with outsiders, which dates to medieval times, remains. Nowadays, however, the Vatican has taken high-tech measures to ensure secrecy. No cellphones are allowed, and the technology sweep of the chapel takes place to ensure there are no recording devices. Jamming devices are also used. A battle for the soul of the church: What's at stake in conclave this week What social and geopolitical challenges will the next pope face? As the conclave gathers to elect a new pope, what social and geopolitical challenges around the world will the new pontiff need to navigate? Some of the cardinals frequently mentioned as candidates to succeed Francis include non-Italians Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, a liberal sometimes referred to as "Francis 2," France's Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille, and Peter Erdo, 72, of Hungary, who is considered a favorite among the more conservative cardinals. There have been 266 popes, and 217 of the have been Italian. Italy has strong contenders this time, too, including cardinals Pietro Parolin, 70, the Vatican Secretary of State who is considered a moderate, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 60, the patriarch of Jerusalem who once offered to become a hostage of Hamas in return for the release of children, and Matteo Zuppi, 69, a close associate of Francis. There are more than 250 cardinals, but they must be younger than 80 to serve as electors. Still, a record 133 cardinals from 70 countries are casting votes, up from 115 from 48 nations for the 2013 conclave that elected Francis. The increase in cardinals is a function of Francis' efforts to expand the reach of the church, and one result is that 80% of current cardinals were appointed by him. Black smoke vs. white smoke: What does each color mean during conclave? Up to four rounds of voting can take place each day. There is no set time limit for the conclave, but recent conclaves have lasted only a few days. Since 1846, cardinals have taken two to five days to make decisions on the past 12 popes. It was not always that fast. After Pope Clement IV died in November 1268, cardinals met in Viterbo, Italy, about 68 miles from Rome, for almost three years. The eventual winner, Gregory X, tightened up conclave rules. The longest conclave in modern times, in 1903, ended when Pope Pius X was chosen after five days. A day before electors were sequestered to begin the conclave, an American cardinal shed light on the secretive process of electing a new pope, saying this one could take three or four days in part because there are many worthy candidates. New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan, one of 10 U.S. cardinals participating in the vote, told SiriusXM's Catholic Channel on Tuesday that participants consult with each other to learn more about contenders they might not know well. 'We're not horse trading here,'' Dolan said. 'We're saying, 'Tell me about this guy. You're from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?''
Indian Express
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Chimney goes up as countdown begins: 10 things to know about papal conclaves
Preparations are underway at the Vatican as the Catholic Church braces for the start of a new papal conclave on May 7. The chimney that will signal the election of Pope Francis' successor was installed atop the Sistine Chapel Friday, marking a key moment in the sacred event. After every two voting rounds, ballots are burned in a special furnace to communicate the outcome. Black smoke, created using potassium perchlorate, anthracene, and sulfur, signals no decision. White smoke—produced with potassium chlorate, lactose, and chloroform resin—announces a successful election. It was this white smoke that billowed over St. Peter's Square on the fifth ballot in March 13, 2013, moments before Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged as Pope Francis. While the conclave stirs global anticipation, here are 10 lesser-known facts about its history and process: 1. The Sistine Chapel hasn't always hosted the conclave The first conclave under Michelangelo's iconic ceiling took place in 1492. Since 1878, the Sistine Chapel has become the fixed venue, with cardinal-electors now staying in the nearby Domus Santa Marta. 2. The longest conclave in history lasted nearly three years The election of Pope Gregory X took an extraordinary 1,006 days, from November 1268 to September 1271. Frustrated by the delay, Viterbo residents locked the cardinals in and eventually tore the roof off the building to speed up the process. 3. The shortest conclave took just hours While modern rules enforce a waiting period, some past conclaves moved swiftly. The 1503 conclave that elected Pope Julius II took only a few hours—likely the shortest ever under current waiting rules. 4. Conclaves weren't always held in Rome While most papal elections took place in Rome, some happened elsewhere. Viterbo, Perugia, Arezzo, Venice, Konstanz (Germany), and Lyon (France) have all hosted conclaves. 5. Popes have ranged from teenagers to octogenarians Pope John XII was just 18 when elected in 955, while Popes Celestine III and Celestine V were nearly 85 at the time of their elections. Benedict XVI was 78 when chosen in 2005. 6. Not all popes were cardinals or Italians Urban VI, elected in 1378, was the last pope who wasn't a cardinal. Over the centuries, non-Italians like Alexander VI (Spain), Gregory III (Syria), Adrian VI (Netherlands), John Paul II (Poland), Benedict XVI (Germany), and Francis (Argentina) have all broken the Italian dominance. 7. One meal a day To prevent future delays, Gregory X decreed in 1274 that cardinals would be limited to one meal a day after three days of voting. After eight days, they'd receive only bread, water, and wine. This rule has since been dropped. 8. The Western Schism led to multiple popes From 1378 to 1417, rival papal claimants—known as antipopes—split the Church. Clement VII, Benedict XIII, Alexander V, and John XXIII were all elected by opposing factions. The schism ended with the 1417 election of Martin V. 9. Strict secrecy governs every conclave The term 'conclave' derives from cum clave—'with a key'—signifying the locked and secluded setting of the election. Gregory X established this rule to prevent political interference after the 13th-century delays. 10. Hygiene used to be a real concern Before the Domus Santa Marta residence opened in 1996, cardinals slept on cots in overcrowded rooms. Conclaves in earlier centuries were described as foul-smelling and disease-prone. Some electors left seriously ill.
