LOCATION

In just about the center of a flat map of our very large world lies a relatively small body of water called the Mediterranean Sea. In just about the center of that Sea is an Island named Sicily. In just about the center of Sicily is the little town of Valguarnera Caropepe. If you are an Interlicchia, and if you have a family member from this little town, think about the size of the earth and consider the odds that you are NOT related to every other Interlicchia from this town?

Valguarnera Caropepe is situated about 2000 feet (590 meters) above sea level in the Province of Enna, one of nine Sicilian Provinces. Until 1927 Enna was known as Castrogiovanni. Each province has a capitol city with the same name as the province itself. Enna is the only Sicilian province that does not touch the sea.

HISTORY

In 1296 "Carupipi" was a simple home belonging to Lamberto of Carupipi. In 1398 the home passed into the hands of Vitale and Tommaso Valguarnera. In 1549 a member of the Valguarnera family, Giovanni Valguarnera, Count of *Assoro, was authorized by Emperor Charles V to develop the urban settlement of Caropipi (yes, the spelling did change) into a village. The core of the village developed near Count Giovanni's home which was called "The Prince's Castle." The town later spread, creating many nearby neighborhoods.   *By car, Assoro is about 25 miles (15 km) north of Valguarnera.

On 6 October 1625 Don Francesco Valguarnera asked the Duke of Alburquerque's Viceroy, who was acting on behalf of King Philip IV, to renew the authorization of Emperor Charles V and officially grant permission to form a town. On 26 January 1628 permission was granted and the town of Valguarnera was officially born. It consisted of about 100 families and about 350 total inhabitants.

Although the town was officially called "Valguarnera," the name "Caropepe" continued to be added to indicate the original area on which the town was built. Caropepe has continued to today to  be a part of the town's name, perhaps to distinguish it from other areas that had "Valguarnera" in their name.

So what is the origin of the name Caropepe? In medieval times, documents called the feudal holding "Carrapipi" or "Carupipi." The Arab origin of this name seems to be beyond doubt. The name comes from compounding two Arab words: quaryat, which means "village" and habibi which means "of my beloved." Over the next 200 years (from 1296), Quaryathabibi of Arabic/Sicilian changed to Carrapipi, Carupipi and then Caropepe of Latin/Sicilian.