A Glimpse of the 116th Annual Santa Fortunata Procession in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

Evviva Santa Fortunata!

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Returning to Brooklyn after celebrating the Traditional Votive Mass of San Gennaro at Most Precious Blood Church in Little Italy Saturday morning, I made my way to Villabate Alba Pasticceria in Bensonhurst to pick up a few Sicilian dessert specialties for a dinner engagement. Disappointed I would not be able to attend the Annual Procession of Santa Fortunata, patroness of Baucina, Sicily, I was very fortunate to catch part of the solemn cortège decked out in their colorful raiment as they made their way down 18th Avenue.

(Above & below) The procession saunters down 18th Avenue

(Above & below) Ladies carry banner and flowers spelling out Santa Fortunata

(Above & below) Costumed participants
reenact the life and martyrdom of Santa Fortunata

The Tony Neglia Band

Devotees pull the vara with Santa Fortunata through the neighborhood

(Above & below) A good time was had by all

Celebrating the Traditional Votive Mass of San Gennaro at Most Precious Blood Church in NYC

Evviva San Gennaro!

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Even though I was out late the night before (see: Celebrating the Feast of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina), I made it a point to attend the Traditional Votive Mass of San Gennaro at Most Precious Blood Church in Manhattan’s historic Little Italy (Sept. 24th). It has been ages since a Traditional Latin Mass was celebrated at the storied church and I didn’t want to miss it.

Arriving early, I walked through the Holy Doors of Mercy and heard the orchestra warming up. I immediately knew we were in for something special. In keeping with my tradition, I made my rounds to the church's various shrines to the saints and said my intercessory prayers to San Rocco, San Gennaro, San Michele and the Madonna delle Grazie. 

There was a terrific turnout for the Mass and I was happy to see many friends, including several members of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George. I was also honored to meet Officer Matthew Reid of the NYPD Holy Name Society of Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island, who has been very supportive of our upcoming Michaelmas celebration (Sept. 29th) in honor of Law Enforcement.

Needless to say, the Mass was beautiful. Celebrant and homilist Fr. Richard Gennaro Cipolla, Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Norwalk, Connecticut gave a heartfelt sermon about the martyrdom of San Gennaro, the struggle against secularization and the destruction of ethnic Catholic culture. For the complete transcript of Fr. Cipolla’s sermon and terrific pictures of the Mass visit the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny website.

Lead by David Hughes, the choir and strings performed a phenomenal Mozart program, which included the Prelude: Sonata da chiesa in B-flat (K. 212) (Mozart), Missa brevis in F (K. 192) (Mozart), Gregorian Mass of Several Martyrs: Salus autem, Motet at the Offertory: Justorum animae (Palestrina), Motet at the Communion: Venite populi (Mozart), and Postlude: Sonata da chiesa in F (K. 244) (Mozart). 

God bless the Society of St. Hugh of Cluny, especially Stuart and Jill Chessman, for sponsoring this historic Mass in honor of San Gennaro, Patron Saint of Naples, and for their tireless efforts to promote the Traditional Latin Mass. Evviva San Gennaro!

Fr. Cippola next to the bye-altar with San Gennaro

The processional statue of San Gennaro with flowers

After Mass, my confratelli and I continued the celebration at nearby Margherita NYC, Pizzeria Napoletana for a delicious Neapolitan repast.

We started with a delicious antipasto

Pizza Margherita

Montanara pizza

Celebrating the Feast of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

Evviva San Pio!

Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Friday evening (Sept. 23rd), my friends and I headed to Most Precious Blood Church in Manhattan’s historic Little Italy to celebrate the Feast of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Meeting in the courtyard on Mulberry Street, we first stopped by the St. Pio statue in the alleyway leading to the church’s back entrance. Reciting a few prayers, a couple of curious passersby indulging in the ongoing Feast of San Gennaro were happy to learn it was St. Pio’s Feast Day.

Inside the church, we lit a few candles near the shrine to Padre Pio in memory of our ancestors and the earthquake victims in Italy. Sitting in peace and tranquility, we prayed and meditated for a short while undisturbed by the tumultuous revelry outside the church. 

Afterward, we stopped by the Radio Nuova York booth (next to the outdoor shrine to San Gennaro) to say hi to our pals Polo and Roy. Discussing Italy and New York between spinning discs, the Radio Nuova York crew have been broadcasting live from the Feast of San Gennaro all feast long.

Before heading to Ribalta for our celebratory meal, we made a pitstop at the Bowery Electric for a beer (or two). Completely undoing my state of serenity, we caught the very loud and very entertaining i Gatti Neri NYC gig. The band rocked, but certain elements in the crowd reminded me why I don't attend these types of shows more often. 

Ears ringing and hungry, we walked over to the Neapolitan hotspot for a late dinner. Being a Friday, we enjoyed some sparkling Gragnano, meatless pizza and pasta, and, of course, a couple of seafood dishes. Capped off with espresso, our celebration was now complete. Evviva San Pio!

The indoor shrine to Padre Pio

We lit a few candles for our ancestors and the earthquake victims

Most Precious Blood Church remains a bastion of southern Italian religiosity

Hanging with the Radio Nuova York crew

Grilled octopus

Fritto misto

Pizza Margherita

Gnocchi alla Sorrentina

Cavatelli alle Melanzane

Photo of the Week: Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano

Grazie mille Andrew Giordano for sharing your wonderful photo of
Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano (Saints Cosmas and Damian) on the high altar
in the Chiesa di San Giuseppe, Taranto (TA)

Evviva San Gennaro! A Look at the 90th Annual Feast of San Gennaro in NYC's Historic Little Italy

(Left) The original processional statue of San Gennaro. (Right) The Saint's relic 

Photos courtesy of Andrew Giordano and New York Scugnizzo

Despite the threat of bad weather and apprehension over the recent terrorist attacks in New York and New Jersey, large numbers of partygoers made their way to Most Precious Blood Church in NYC’s historic Little Italy for Monday's 90th Annual Feast of San Gennaro (Sept. 19th). Thank you John A. Fratta, Vivian Catenaccio and all the members of the Figli di San Gennaro for making the celebration a huge success. Three cheers for the Giglio Boys, the St. Rocco Society of Potenza, the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George and individual devotees who helped carry the saint through the bustling streets of Little Italy. As always, it was an honor and a priviledge to celebrate our faith and culture with you. Evviva San Gennaro!

(Above & below) Members of the Figli di San Gennaro,
saunter down Mulberry Street

Organizers, John Fratta and Ernest Magliano

(Left) Our friend Bill Russo mans the outdoor shrine on Mulberry Street.
(Right) Andrew from the St. Rocco Society helps carry our beloved patron

(Left) The procession slowly makes its way through Little Italy.
(Right) Devotees working the feast take a break to help carry the saint

(Left & Right) Knights of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George partake in the festivities (cheers to our pal Achille in the foreground)

(Left) A look at the society standard. (Right) Organizers held a tribute to our Armed Forces by the WWII Monument outside DiPalo's Fine Foods store

The Red Mike Festival Band

After a few hours in the sweltering heat,
the procession returns to Most Precious Blood Church

Later, participants had the opportunity to enjoy many of the great southern Italian delicacies the feast had to offer

Knights of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George Participate in the 90th Annual Feast of San Gennaro in NYC's Historic Little Italy

The outdoor shrine on Mulberry Street dedicated to our beloved patron

Photos courtesy of Andrew Giordano and New York Scugnizzo

On behalf of Cav. Patrick O'Boyle, Cav. Charles Sant'Elia, Chaplain, Cav. Msgr. Joseph Ambrosio and myself, I would like to thank John A. Fratta of the Figli di San Gennaro for extending the invitation to the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George to participate in Monday’s 90th Annual Feast of San Gennaro at Most Precious Blood Church, the National Shrine to San Gennaro, in NYC’s historic Little Italy (Sept. 19th). It truly was an honor to be a part of this special day. Evviva San Gennaro! — Cav. John Napoli

Cav. Charles Sant'Elia (l.) and Cav. John Napoli (r.)
had the privilege of carrying San Gennaro  

(Left) Cav. Sant'Elia with Chaplain, Cav. Msgr. Joseph Ambrosio.
(Right) Cav. Napoli with Feast Organizer John A. Fratta

A look at the beautiful bust of San Gennaro,
a replica of the statue from Naples

We spotted a S.S.C. Napoli/Borbone flag along the procession route

After the procession we escorted the statue into Most Precious Blood Church