Heavy metal monk
Cesare Bonizzi is a Capuchin monk who sings in a heavy metal band. who lives in a friary near Milan, Italy. He is also the singer in a heavy metal band. When he appears to make the sign of the horns, he apparently is giving the sign language handshape for "love." (Thanks, Tara McGinley!)
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Assuming this is ASL, or a sign language related to it, the gesture's core meaning is actually closer to "I love" -- it combines the handshapes for the letters I (raised pinkie) and L (thumb and index finger extended at right angles in the plane of the palm). In context it often becomes "I love you", when the sign is made toward someone.
("Many years ago I went to a sign class, but now I've forgotten." -- That's the one phrase I can still sign reliably and idiomatically. I remember a tiny bit more than that, and I've tried to retain my fingerspelling skills, but I haven't gotten enough practice to retain it. Need to refresh that, and my Spanish, and...)
For a 63 year old man, his vocals are pretty impressive. I'd be interested to read some of their lyrics (in English, of course), to see if this is what I might call a mainstream band or if it's Brother Bonizzi's evangelical vehicle.
Whatever the case may be, they seem to be enjoying themselves. That's most important, isn't it?
That unequivocally made my day.
His stage name name is FRATELLO METALLO which means literally "brother metal" - genius
No Happy Mutant tag?
I wonder if the Pontiff will invite him to Vatican City to give concert...
I can see him going on the road to do a concert with Nazareth or Judas Priest. His exorcising Black Sabbath would really be a showstopper.
It's true! Even Ronnie James Dio says that the metal horns are comprised of only two extended fingers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corna
That kicks ass.
God the Italians can generate some real characters sometimes.
#9 - Franciscans in general are pretty awesome guys, at least the ones I've met. I'm not sure a Jesuit would be rocking out like this, but not being a Catholic, I may be wrong about that.
Monks sweep and beg. This one is a fraud.
I can't tell. Does he sing in Latin?
Plenty of Biblical stories (mostly Old Testament, though someone rising from the dead is pretty damn metal) would make fantastic metal songs. I'm thinking especially of Elisha and the bears (2 Kings 2:23-25), but there are plenty others.
@ #11 - it's a common misconception, but monks don't beg. The name for those that beg are mendicants, like the Franciscans. As mendicant orders cannot own property, they also do not live in monasteries (although that restriction has been changed for some of the mendicant orders).
It also seems very appropriate that he's a Capuchin friar, since they're also the ones who have the awesome "bone church crypt" in Rome:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/tapholov/pages/bones.html
Ah, Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie did this years ago :P
# 14 You don't Get it . Defining a Monk from the Christian perspective puts Monkdum into a pit of losers. The Christians lost the notion. They made puke ugly about blood letting the key to leadership. Not good and it sucks.
Imo the Panzer Pope is having a cow right now reading this...
#17 - if I can understand what you wrote, which I can't... Can you be a little more clear with your second to last sentence?
The word 'monk' is a Christian creation, meaning defining one from a Christian perspective is inherently the correct way to describe a monk. Just because it can be used in a generic way describing all ascetics doesn't change that. All Christian monks are definitive monks, all others are called monks in English because there is no other convenient word.
#19 you don't get it. Defining fltndboat from a sane perspective puts stream-of-consciousness into a pit of losers. The Pedants lost the notion. They made puke ugly about syntax the key to significance. Not good and you suck.
"Metallo" is italian for "Nutella."
That last scream just made my whole week. So soul-fulfilling.
I wonder how this is viewed by the orders who maintain a vow of silence? Just now reading Patrick Leigh Fermor's "A Time for Silence," a journal of his experiences as a secular man in French monasteries that practice the vow of silence. This made for an interesting and refreshing counter-point.
@JJR1971: As long as he doesn't mention condoms, he's orthodox.
@20 - Your syntax is quite puke-ugly. Spouting buzzwords ad nauseum doesn't make you sound intelligent.
Jungletek
read the thread, please. I was making a funny. Lighten up.
i would go to one of this cat's sermons!
It's esasy to meeet this guy in live rock/metal concerts in Milano, I've seen him last year and I find out he was a really kind and funny person, making photos with everyone with the typical sign of the horns ...
#22 I would imagine that orders that take a vow of silence would assume that this particular monk has not taken a vow of silence. Duh!
Far out. Rock on, brother! I'd listen to any homily he'd want to serve up.
"Cesare Bonizzi is a Capuchin monk who sings in a heavy metal band. who lives in a friary near Milan, Italy. He is also the singer in a heavy metal band."
thanks for repeating the point that he sings in a heavy metal band... i hadn't caught it the first time.
SENNA1: We were overdue for a visit from the Department of Redundancy Department anyway...
Wait, you can have Capuchin monks and Capuchin monkeys? And you use Metal to tell them apart, yes?