These are the ordinary rules of initiation; however, if necessary, when it is not possible to follow these criteria, it is permissible to resort to a faster initiation procedure, so long as at least three other men of honor are present, even if they belong to other families, and even if they come from another province.

QUESTION: What circumstances make the ordinary initiation criteria impossible to follow? The rules seem intentionally flexible.

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 735