June 25, 2015

A Look at the 2015 Festa di San Pio da Pietrelcina in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

Viva San Pio!
Photo by New York Scugnizzo
By Giovanni di Napoli
Despite the threat of bad weather, hundreds of parishioners packed into Saint Dominic’s Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn Saturday (June 20th) to celebrate the Festa di San Pio da Pietrelcina. In fact, so many people showed up that the room divider needed to be opened and extra seats set up in the gymnasium to accommodate the overflow. Luckily, the kind ladies of the church choir invited me to sit with them, giving me the best seat in the house to enjoy the beautiful music of soprano Briana Weiner and organists Mary Carmosino.
After Mass we fêted Padre Pio with a procession through the neighborhood. Accompanied by Michael Aromando and the Metropolitan Festival Band, devotees sang a prayed for nearly two hours undeterred by the drizzle and mist. Before returning to church, we briefly stopped outside the Caduti Superga Mola Soccer Club on 20th Avenue for the benediction and a few more songs.
Back at St. Dominic’s, the statue was returned with great fanfare to its place of honor in the church vestibule. Before leaving, I purchased a few more prayer cards for my loved ones and lit a few candles for my ancestors.
I want to thank President Vito Liotine, Giovanni Verna, Lucrezia Nardulli Marangelli, and all the members of Caduti Superga for their hard work and dedication. It was an honor and a privilege to celebrate our faith and culture with you. Viva San Pio!
Our friends at St. Dominic's had a large selection of religious gift items 
Padre Pio is brought out to the expectant crowd
Devotees pin money on to the cape
It started to drizzle just as we got started
The procession wends its way through the mist
Lucrezia Nardulli Marangelli, President Vito Liotine and Giovanni Verna
Michael Aromando and the Metropolitan Festival Band
The procession saunters down 20th Avenue
We briefly stopped at the Cadutti Superga Soccer Club for the benediction
Back at the church, the ladies sang one last hymn for Padre Pio
Votive candles are lit inside the church vestibule