Back in the 1920’s-30’s, big, elaborate funerals were very popular with the mafia. Today, things are much more low-key. Is this because of the declining fortunes of the Mafia, or is it just unwise to attract such attention? You look at some of the funerals in Chicago-Dion O’Baion’s was huge (20 flower cars). So what happened?
O’Banion was a florist who specialized in funerals and sending huge flowers was a bit of a “ba fangul” (sp?) from the Sicilian community. It may have been an exception rather than the rule (not sure).
Well, when John O’Connor first became Archbishop of New York in 1984, one of his first actions was to ban Mafia funerals at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where many of the biggest dons had their funerals in the past.
Other, smaller parishes in the diocese took their cue from O’COnnor, which is why such things rarely happen now.
I can’t tell you how/when/why things changed in Chicago and other cities.
Are you trying to spell the Italian-American perversion of vafanculo [up yours]?