By Giovanni di Napoli
Thursday evening (Sept. 8th), I met up with some friends at Most Precious Blood Church in Manhattan’s Little Italy to celebrate the
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Luckily, for the duration of the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, the Holy Doors remain open until 10:00pm, so those of us who work late still had an opportunity to visit and pay tribute to our glorious Queen.
The day also marks several Marian Feasts under her various titles, including the
Madonna di Piedigrotta in Naples and the
Madonna dei Martiri in Molfetta. The
Feast of the Madonna di Ripalta, patroness of Cerignola, Foggia is also celebrated, and thanks to the tenacious devotion of
Stephen La Rocca and members of the Iacobazzo family, her remarkable icon, which was housed for many years at St. Joseph’s Church, is now counted among Most Precious Blood’s impressive collection of southern Italian saints.
An Oasis of Peace and tranquility in the heart of Lower Manhattan, the sanctuary is a perfect little getaway from the hustle and bustle surrounding it. We prayed, meditated and lit some candles for our ancestors and the
earthquake victims in Italy. Because there wasn’t a spot to leave our flower offering by the icon, we placed the modest bouquet inside the niche at the foot of the statue of the Madonna delle Grazie from Santa Caterina Villarmosa, Sicily. Incidentally, the statue made the
move to Most Precious Blood with the Madonna di Ripalta when St. Joseph's Church closed.
Afterward, we left Little Italy and strolled over to
Ribalta for a celebratory dinner. Located at 48 E 12th Street, Ribalta is one of New York City’s premier Neapolitan pizzeria restaurants. Always awesome, we enjoyed a few classic dishes, such as
Paccheri alla Genovese and Cavatelli al ragù Napoletano. Perfectly paired with a bottle of Aglianico, the spicy
Brigante pie showed once again why Ribalta regularly features in New York City’s "best pizza" lists. Naturally, we capped off our evening with a final toast to the Blessed Mother, some Amaro Lucano and piping hot espresso.
Evviva Maria!
