Emily Chan
One of the most well-known residents of Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, is the notorious Chicago mobster Al Capone.
While the cemetery is mostly populated with dead gangsters, there is another significant figure buried at the cemetery who did not become famous for organized crime.
And that individual is none other than Julia Buccola Petta, otherwise known as the “Italian bride.” Her resting place is easy to find as it’s marked by a detailed life-sized statue built in her likeness.
The statue is of Julia wearing a wedding dress, resembling the photo attached to her gravestone depicting her on her wedding day.
Julia was born in Italy in 1891. After her father passed away in 1913, Julia and her mother, Filomena, traveled to the United States. They settled down in the west side of Chicago, where she married Matthew Petta in 1920.
Not long after her marriage, her life was tragically cut short. She died while giving birth to her stillborn son and was buried in her wedding dress with the infant in her arms. You might think that’s where the story ends, but there’s actually a lot more to it.
Shortly after Julia’s death, Filomena was haunted by nightmares of her daughter. In the dreams, she saw that Julia was still alive and needed her help.
The nightmares were relentless, and for the next six years, Filomena tried to gain permission to have Julia’s body exhumed. Finally, her request was granted.
When the casket was removed from the ground, everyone was surprised to see that Julia’s body showed no signs of decay, even six years after her death.
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