In Acireale, in the historical Dafnica street, between magnificent baroque buildings, at street number 84 and through a splendid lava stone gate there’s the feeling of having stepped into a world in the past, where time stopped.
In truth, just by looking through the workshop windows, we can see strange objects that spark curiosity, and sure enough, tourists and other curious people often linger to look in.
We’re talking about the workshop of the master cobbler Vincenzo Caratozzolo, born in 1935. A distinguished and calm man, precise and meticulous in his job. He starts working at 11 years-old “learning the trade” from the cobbler Orazio Grasso.
But, he says with his signature smile, “già all'età di sette anni addizzavu chiova” (already at the age of seven I used to straighten nails). Immediately, as it was done back then, rather than waiting the necessary time in order to be taught some of the techniques he used to ‘steal the trade secrets’ of the job. And so, with skill and flair, he started working on his own at the age of 16. We are in 1951, and 71 years have passed since then.
Crossing the threshold we’re hit with that antique smell, bringing back old memories: of leather mixed with mastic, of worn-out shoes put in the corner waiting to magically be repaired, of well worn tools.
In this olden world atmosphere, various sacred images stand
out strewn in the small space, we immediately realize the deep devotion held by sig. Vincenzo, unveiled by his smile and his blue eyes.
Talking to him is truly a pleasure, he tells you about his passion for singing and with a pinch of pride he shows you his plaques. Then he talks about his other passion: dancing, and for this too we see plaques and trophies. Then you ask him about the statues and his blue eyes start to shine, as if a light inside of him has been switched on, the light that illuminates our heart and dispenses the love for our neighbor. A new tale starts.
“Everything you see here I made with my own two hands.” he proudly states while showing his “Dead Christ”, a faithful wooden duplicate of the “Dead Christ” in the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Acireale. The original is a XVII century wooden statue, brought to the Good Friday procession before the brothers of the Pia Unione delle Guardie D'Onore al Santo Sepolcro, a catholic confraternity of which Caratozzolo has been president for many years. In sig. Vincenzo’s replica the details are astonishing; then he goes on, also showing the Holy Brothers Alfio, Filadelfo e Cirino, positioned in their designated chapel still of his own making.
Over time and with the decrease in the amount of work as a cobbler, sig. Vincenzo keeps nurturing his passion, of giving a shape to his devotion through sculpture. And so, little by little he starts to create copies of the wooden statues of the saints in his region: Saint Sebastian, for 65 years he was “sutta a vara” (supporting the carriage with the saint during his procession) of the twice-martyred saint, Saint Venera, and also ‘his’ saint, Saint Vincenzo Ferreri. A couple of verses, gifted by a friend, come to his mind:
“Sculpisci Santi, Signuri e Madonni,
e si ci taliati nte cassetti ci ni truvati tanti,
quannu è a so iunnata, nta l’altari un santu truvati”
"Sculpt Saints, Lords and Virgins
and if you look in the drawers you’ll find many
when it’s their day, in the altar you’ll find a saint”
Time passes, now work is not the same as it once was. Long gone are the times when there was much to do, when he made important shoes for important clients. Now his door opens less and less. Still, there are some clients that drop off a couple pairs of shoes for minor repairs. The sound of the hammer dropping on nailheads is less frequent, the old workbench (the same one since starting his business) tiredly holds his tools, used with less regularity.
The passing of time, with his inevitable steps forward, almost makes sure that we lose track of the footsteps in the floor’s tiles . Nevertheless sig. Caratozzolo’s smile has something magical, it seems to hinder this melancholy feeling.
Coming into sig. Vincenzo’s workshop, getting to know him and talking to him is like attending a philosophy class, where there’s a meeting between Matter, Shape and Spirit. These categories are alive and present in every nook of this little laboratory, pouring out of his creating hands, tracing the steps of faith.
