Mount Caramel Cemetery

Hillside, Illinois

Besides being the burial place of Al Capone and a number of other of Chicago's greatest gangsters, this cemetery is also the final resting place of Julia Buccola Petta. She has also become known over the years as the "Italian Bride" and she has also become famous because of the fact that over the course of six years...her body never decayed!
Julia died in childbirth in 1921, at only 20 years of age. Shortly after her burial, her mother Filomena began having very strange dreams in which Julia told her that she was still alive and needed her help. The dreams continued for over six years, during which time Filomena tried without success to have her daughter's grave opened. Finally, she was able to get permission to have her exhumed and when the casket was opened up, Julia's body was found to have not decayed at all.

Julia Petta's grave monument shows the life-size figure of her in a wedding dress, a portrait of this is also mounted on the grave stone. There is also another photo here....that of Julia's body after her grave was opened. If you look closely at the photo (posted above), you will see that the coffin is muddy and in poor condition, although the woman herself appears to only be sleeping.

It is not surprising that reports have circulated over the years that claim a woman in white has been seen in the vicinity of Julia's grave. Late-night travelers on the nearby street say that this women appears to wander across the cemetery and that she seems to be wearing a glowing bridal gown.

Mount Carmel Cemetery is located in Hillside, Illinois and can be reached off Roosevelt Road. Julia's grave is located near the old cemetery gate and is easily recognizable thanks to the life-size stature of her on top of the monument.


Mount Carmel Cemetary -The Resting Place of Al Capone Hillside, Illinois Besides being the burial place of Al Capone and a number of other of Chicago's greatest gangsters, this cemetery is also the final resting place of Julia Buccola Petta. She has also become known over the years as the "Italian Bride" and she has also become famous because of the fact that over the course of six years...her body never decayed! Julia died in childbirth in 1921, at only 20 years of age. Shortly after her burial, her mother Filomena began having very strange dreams in which Julia told her that she was still alive and needed her help. The dreams continued for over six years, during which time Filomena tried without success to have her daughter's grave opened. Finally, she was able to get permission to have her exhumed and when the casket was opened up, Julia's body was found to have not decayed at all. Julia Petta's grave monument shows the life-size figure of her in a wedding dress, a portrait of this is also mounted on the grave stone. There is also another photo here....that of Julia's body after her grave was opened. If you look closely at the photo (posted above), you will see that the coffin is muddy and in poor condition, although the woman herself appears to only be sleeping. It is not surprising that reports have circulated over the years that claim a woman in white has been seen in the vicinity of Julia's grave. Late-night travelers on the nearby street say that this women appears to wander across the cemetery and that she seems to be wearing a glowing bridal gown. Mount Carmel Cemetery is located in Hillside, Illinois and can be reached off Roosevelt Road. Julia's grave is located near the old cemetery gate and is easily recognizable thanks to the life-size stature of her on top of the monument.

Home SEE A PICTURE OF THE ITALIAN BRIDE