A Look at the 8th Annual Feast of San Donato in Montclair, New Jersey

Viva San Donato!

Photos courtesy of Joe Santoro

Thanks Joe for sharing your wonderful photos from Sunday’s Feast of San Donato at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Montclair, New Jersey.

Members of the San Donato Society of Montclair, NJ
enjoying the fruits of their labor

The color guard led the procession through the neighborhood 

Devotees pin donations on to the statue 

(Above & below) Afterward, partygoers enjoyed a
delightful luncheon and some fireworks

Photo of the Week: A Breath Taking View of Capri from Atop Mount Solaro

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Feast of San Guglielmo di Montevergine

The Vision of St. William by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro

June 25th is the Feast of San Guglielmo di Montevergine (St. William of Montevergine), hermit and abbot. Patron saint of Irpinia in Avellino, St. William was the founder of the Benedictine Williamites, the now defunct monastic Order of Mount Virgin. He built several monasteries in Southern Italy, including that of Montevergine in 1119, and served as a trusted advisor to HRH King Ruggero II of Sicily. 

According to tradition, while living as a hermit on a mountain near Atella in Potenza, St. William restored site to a blind man. News of the miracle brought unwanted attention and compelled him to leave and find a new place of solitude. Moving to Monte Virgiliano (named after the Roman Poet Virgil) he had a vision of the Blessed Mother holding the Divine Infant. With only his donkey, he started building a shrine in her honor on the site of an earlier temple to Cybele. One day while working, a wolf killed his donkey. St. William scolded the beast and commanded it to take the donkey’s place. The wolf obeyed the saint and started hauling timber and stone.

In celebration, I'm posting a Prayer to St. William. The accompanying photo of The Vision of St. William (Visione di San Guglielmo) by the great Neapolitan artist Domenico Antonio Vaccaro (1678-1745) comes courtesy of Museo Abbaziale di Montevergine. San Guglielmo, ora pro nobis.

Prayer to St. William

O God, Who hast set for us in Thy saints an example and a help to our weakness, to assist us to tread the path of salvation, grant us so to venerate the virtues of the blessed abbot William, that we may share in his prayers and follow in his footsteps. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God forever and ever. Amen.

Happy Birthday Princess Maria Carolina!

HRH was born in Rome, Italy on June 23, 2003

Photo courtesy of Real Casa di Borbone

Happy Birthday Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Calabria and Palermo! May God's love and affection be with you always! Auguri Altezza Reale!

NYC Malta Walk, June 2018

Francesca Tempesta, DM (second from right), and the Order of Malta Auxiliary
Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Tuesday evening, our dear friend Chef Giuseppe Marrone of Acqua Restaurant (21 Peck Slip) in the South Street Seaport once again selflessly donated freshly made food for the Order of Malta Auxiliary’s monthly homeless outreach walk. Committed to the charitable enterprise, the popular and respected gourmet took the time before his dinner rush to serve up another hearty and tasty dish, orecchiette al forno con tartufo e provola affumicata, or “little ears” pasta with truffles and provola cheese. 

Chef Marrone

Promptly delivered to the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral rectory (263 Mulberry Street) in downtown Manhattan, some twenty volunteers led by Dama Francesca Tempesta portioned out generous servings of Giuseppe’s delicious victuals, along with water, utensils and other necessities.

Packed and raring to go, our group recited the Daily Prayer of the Order of Malta before pounding the pavement. Fanning out to cover as much ground as possible, we traversed the Bowery and surrounding neighborhoods to distribute the care packages to those in need. 

Anyone interested in supporting this noble endeavor can contact the Order of Malta Auxiliary at nycaux@orderofmaltaamerican.org or call 917-566-3937. For additional information, the Order can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/maltaauxiliarynyc.

ACQUA Restaurant & Wine Bar

21 Peck Slip @ Water Street
New York, New York 10038
Tel 212.349.4433
www.acquarestaurantnyc.com/

Feast of San Silverio

San Silverio, ora pro nobis

O Regem tuum, Pastor ætérne, placátus inténde: et per beátum Sylvérium Mártyrem tuum atque Summum Pontíficem, perpétua protectióne custódi: quem totíus Ecclésiæ præstitísti esse pastórum. Per Dóminum.(1)

June 20th is the Feast of San Silverio, Pope, Martyr and protector of the island of Ponza. San Silverio is also the co-patron of Frosinone (FR) and Scerni (CH), where he shares his patronage with Sant’Ormisda and San Panfilo di Sulmona, respectively. In celebration, I'm posting a Prayer to San Silverio. The accompanying photo was taken during the 2014 Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Evviva San Silverio!

Prayer to San Silverio

O Glorious San Silverio, pastor of the Universal Church and hero of the Faith, you were blessed with the courage to die in witness to Christ and the Gospel. Through your example, may we be filled with the courage to profess our faith in Jesus Christ, and to serve Him with generosity in our neighbor. Amen.(2)

(1) O Eternal Shepherd, do Thou look favorably upon Thy flock, which we beseech Thee to guard and keep for evermore through the blessed Silverius Thy Martyr and Supreme Pontiff, whom Thou didst choose to be the chief shepherd of the whole Church.

(2) Prayer courtesy of the San Silverio Society of Dover Plains, New York. For more about the society visit http://sansilverioshrine.org

A Look at the 2018 Festa di San Pio da Pietrelcina in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

Viva San Pio!

Photos by New York Scugnizzo 

A shrine was erected outside St. Dominic's Church (2001 Bay Ridge Parkway) Saturday afternoon for the Cadutti Superga Mola Soccer Club's annual Festa di San Pio. Devotees offered flowers, votive candles and donations

(Above & below) After Mass, which was celebrated in Italian,
the statue was placed on the vera

The vera was adorned with flowers 

Donations were pinned to the statue's cape

Our friends Joseph, Cathy and Maria manned the religious gift table

Our celebration caught someone's attention

Prayer cards were offered to donors

(Above & below) We depart from the fairground 

(Above & below) The procession saunters down Bay Ridge Parkway

(Above & below) Members of the Associazione Culturale Pugliese Figli Maria SS. Addolorata joined together with the Caduti Superga Mola Club

A good time was had by all

Our dear friends Lucrezia and Josephine
with soon-to-be ordained Deacon Alessandro from Calabria 

Devotees sang and prayed for nearly two hours 

The Metropolitan Festival Band 

We briefly stopped by the Cadutti Superga Soccer Club for some water

A beautiful shrine was set up outside the clubhouse

Back at the fairground, the procession concluded with the benediction

The statue was returned to the shrine and revelers enjoyed plenty of food, games and entertainment at the street fair 

Afterward, we enjoyed a little brioche con gelato at nearby Villabate Alba's 

Photo of the Week: Villa Rufolo, Ravello

Villa Rufolo, Ravello, Salerno
Photo by New York Scugnizzo

New Music – Letizia Belmondo: Neapolitan Songs and Famous Melodies

New music that may be of interest to our readers.

• Neapolitan Songs & Famous Melodies featuring Letizia Belmondo

Label: Tactus
Release Date: July 6, 2018
Audio CD: $16.99
Number of Discs: 1

Available at Amazon.com

Read description

Viva Sant'Antonio! A Look at the 2018 Feast of St. Anthony of Padua in SoHo, New York

Wednesday evening the Shrine Church of St. Anthony of Padua (154 Sullivan St.)
celebrated its Titular Feast with a solemn Mass and procession

Before and after Mass, devotees venerate our glorious patron

(Above & below) After Mass, celebrants venerate the relics of Saint Anthony 

Pastor Fr. Mario Julian proffered a relic for veneration

The beautiful high altar with statue of St. Anthony
receiving the apparition of the Infant Jesus 

Marble and bronze statuary outside the church

(L) The statue of the Saint is placed on a flatbed. (R) Devotees offer donations 

The procession wends its way through the neighborhood

Our new friends Theresa and Angela devoutly walked barefoot 

Members of the St. Rocco Society of Potenza show their support 

Afterward, we visited Song' e Napule Pizzeria for our celebratory meal

I enjoyed a delicious plate of Paccheri alla Genovese,
Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Happy Birthday Princess Beatrice di Borbone!

HRH was born in Saint-Raphaël, France on June 16, 1950

Photo courtesy of Real Casa di Borbone

Il Regno would like to extend our warmest birthday wishes to Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, Dame Grand Cross of Justice and Grand Prefect of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George. We pray that mercy and goodness will accompany you today and for the rest of the year. Auguri Altezza Reale!

A Look at the 2018 Festa di San Vito Martire in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

Viva San Vito!
Photos by New York Scugnizzo

Members of the Congrega San Vito di Ciminna
prepare the vara for Sunday's procession

Sashes and cummerbunds were distributed to members

(L) San Vito departs the clubhouse. (R) Donations are pinned on to the saint

Getting ready to start the procession outside the clubhouse (7712 18th Ave.)

Young participants carry the flags  

(Above & below) The procession saunters through the neighborhood

Devotees in the train of the saint didn't allow
the lousy weather to dampen their holiday spirit

The Tony Neglia Band