Induction ceremony Made man

to become made, associate first have sponsored made man. according pistone s accounts in books way of wiseguy , donnie brasco: unfinished business, associate must have @ least 2 sponsors, 1 of whom must have known him @ least 10 15 years. sponsor knows associate , vouches reliability , abilities. although capo or other senior members determine prospective member s credibility, decision lies boss of family inducted. when crime family opens books (accepts new members), associate call telling him ready , dressed. picked , taken room ceremony take place, alone or other accepted candidates. inductee required take oath of omertà, mafia code of silence. though ceremony varies family family, involves pricking of trigger finger of inductee, dripping blood onto picture of saint, typically st. francis of assisi or virgin mary, set alight in hand , kept burning until inductee has sworn oath of loyalty new family, e.g., card burns, may soul burn in hell if betray oath of omertà, or burns saint, burn soul. enter alive , have out dead.