Photo of the Week: La Statua del Nilo in Naples

The Statue of the Nile in Naples, nicknamed Cuòrpo' e Napule,
or "the body of Naples." Photo by Andrew Giordano

Photo of the Week: Roman Mosaic at the House of Neptune and Amphitrite

Roman Mosaic at the House of Neptune and Amphitrite, 1st century AD, Herculaneum. Photo by Andrew Giordano

Around the Web: Announcing My New Book, Basilicata: Authentic Italy

Photo courtesy of Calabria: the Other Italy

Reprinted from Calabria: the Other Italy

The day has come. Basilicata: Authentic Italy, my new book about the unassuming region in the instep of the Italian boot is available! Years of planning, in-person research (the best part!), writing and production elements, and then, the date sort of sneaks up on you.

Why Basilicata?

I set out to explore Basilicata with a purpose. After writing Calabria: The Other Italy, which grew out of several years living in the region in the toe of the boot, people asked me, “What’s next?” I thought and thought. Conventional publishing would have directed me to add to the shelves of books about Rome, Venice or Florence. That’s what sells, after all. But I wanted to continue my exploration of the lesser known, the underrated.

Basilicata is Calabria’s northern neighbor. They share Italy’s largest national park, the Pollino. I had been to Matera, the City of the Sassi, which I included in my Calabria book and which has gradually become a destination for in-the-know travelers to Southern Italy. But what about the rest of the region?

Before visiting, I looked at the map and reasoned that I should be able to more or less cover such a small region in a brief 150 pages. Then I began visiting the villages and the larger towns, going to festivals, meeting the people, sampling the cuisine and reading what was available. I realized that I had taken on a major project. Continue reading

New Book — Basilicata: Authentic Italy

Forthcoming title that may be of interest to our readers. Available at Amazon.com

• Basilicata: Authentic Italy by Karen Haid

Publisher: Hiller Press
Publication Date: August 25, 2020
Paperback: $17.95
Language: English
Pages: 249

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Malta Walks NYC Resume

MALTA WALKS on Tuesday, August 25th at 6:30PM: Now more than ever, the homeless population is most evident and in need of our generosity. We would like to invite volunteers to meet on the North East side of 34 Street and Park Avenue to distribute pre-made bags for the homeless. Pre-made bags will include sandwiches, hand sanitizer, toiletry kits, individually wrapped masks, snacks and water. 

Email francesca.t.tempesta@gmail.com to participate.😷

Sacred Image of Our Lady of Montevergine Installed at St. Frances Cabrini Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

Our pal Tony Limone with the sacred image of Our Lady of Montevergine
Photo by New York Scugnizzo

In this time of pandemic we need many prayers and intercessors in our lives, our families and in our world. We make prayer and intercession to our Patroness, St. Frances Cabrini, as we pray each Wednesday in our novena prayers that honor her:

You aided the sick with goodness, look mercifully upon our suffering and promptly obtain the grace we confidently ask and remembering she traversed the earth to anoint others with inexhaustible charity, extend your help to us by hearing the prayer we devoutly entrust to your heart.

Another intercessor is the Virgin Mary who we pray to as the Mother of Good Health. We also have the image in our Church of Our Lady of Montevergine, who under this title is Patroness of the town of Avellino in Italy. A perpetual candle, lit by the statue by our parishioners, Mr. & Mrs. Antonio Limone, is for the intention to end the coronavirus. This is the prayer we offer to Our Lady of Montevergine for the health of our world:

O Blessed Virgin who have deemed worthy, centuries ago, to choose and consecrate Montevergine as your sanctuary, turn your eyes of mercy upon us kneeling at your feet, honoring you and invoking you in this Holy Image. 

O most loving Mother of all the faithful, be always for each one of us a true Mother as you have been until now; and obtain for us the grace to be always your true, loving, respectful and devout children. Hail Mary...

O Beneficent Treasure of divine graces, give us abundantly the favors we ask of you with confidence; you know well what are the many needs of our souls. Hail Mary... 

O most powerful Advocate of poor sinners, assist us in dangers, fortify us in temptations and guard us from all sins; and do not cease to intercede with your Divine Son for the salvation of our souls, until you have led us with you into Heaven. Hail Mary...

Source: St. Frances Cabrini Church
1562 86th Street
Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, NY 11228
718-236-9165
www.stfrancescabrini-brooklyn.org

Celebrating the Feasts of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, San Gioacchino and San Rocco

Glorious San Rocco at the
Shrine Church of the Holy Innocents

Signum magnum appáruit in cælo: múlier amicta sole, et luna sub pédibus jus, et in cápite ejus coróna stellárum duódecim.(1)

Thanks to the Feasts of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, San Gioacchino and San Rocco, this past weekend felt semi-normal. After a long stretch without Masses or outdoor processions it was a great joy to finally get out and celebrate together as a community. As much as I love my peaceful, almost monastic, solitude, I always enjoy the company of my brethren and celebrating our faith and culture together.

Beginning Saturday morning at the Shrine Church of the Holy Innocents (128 West 37th St.) in Manhattan, members of the Fratelli della Santa Fede, or Brothers of the Holy Faith (Sanfedisti for short), gathered for the Tridentine Low Mass in Latin for the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady. Arriving early, we brought flowers and finished the ninth day of our novena to San Rocco di Montpellier, ascetic, pilgrim and wonderworker. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated by our Pastor Fr. James Miara.

After Mass, we lit candles and circled the nave to visit the various Saints and prayed for the intentions of family, friends and the poor and forgotten Souls in Purgatory. Anyone interested can send their prayer intentions to the Sanfedisti at fratellidellasantafede@gmail.com and we will pray for the assistance you need.

Instead of eating at one of our usual spots, we tried Campania’s (9824 4th Ave.) in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn for our group luncheon. Sitting outside, in the shadow of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, we started off with a delicious mixed pot of sautéed clams and mussels in a spicy marinara sauce. Since it was a day of abstinence (Brown Scapular devotion), and they are known for their coal fired pizza, we had to try a couple of well-done vegetarian pies. Keeping it simple, we ordered the Melanzane and Margherita. Both were crispy and tasty, I'm glad we gave it a try. 

Mixed pot of sautéed clams and mussels in a spicy marinara sauce

* * *

Deus in loco sancto suo: Deus qui inhabitáre facit unánimes in domo: ipse dabit virtútem, et fortitúdinem plebi suæ. Psalm 67. 2 Exsúrgat Deus, et dissipéntur inimici ejus: et fúgiant, qui odérunt eum, a fácie ejus. Glória Patri. Deus in loco sancto suo.(2)

The Sanfedisti returned to Holy Innocents Sunday morning for the 9:00 am Tridentine Low Mass and the 10:30 am Tridentine High Mass for the Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost with commemoration to San Gioacchino and San Rocco. Fr. Miara was the Celebrant at both and offered the early Mass for San Gioacchino and Sant’Anna. Father blessed the congregation at both masses with the first-class relic of San Rocco.

The first class relic of San Rocco

Despite being in a hurry to make the San Rocco procession in Little Italy, we couldn’t leave without saying our prayers of reparation to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the sacrilege committed against Our Lady during the Mass for the Feast of the Assumption at the Cathedral di Santa Maria Assunta in Napoli. Apparently, in another misguided attempt at interfaith unity, they allowed the profaning of the church with loud drumming and Kandyan religious dancing. While beautiful, the dance has no place in a Catholic church. San Gennaro’s blood must be boiling!

Inspired by Cardinal Burke and Bishop Schneider’s Crusade of Prayer during the Amazonian Synod in 2019, the Sanfedisti have begun our own “crusade of prayer” for the rejection of heresies within the church. Starting on Monday, August 17th we began fasting with complete abstinence, meaning one full meal per day with no meat, except Sundays. Praying for the Holy Father's intentions, we will add at least one additional decade of the Holy Rosary to our daily prayers until September 8th, the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Please consider joining us in this endeavor.

* * *

Glorious San Rocco on the 'Guariglia' bye-altar at
the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood

Responsorio a San Rocco

Ave, Roche Santissime
Qui nobili natus sanguine
Crucis signaris schemate
Sinistro tuo latere.

Numinis in praesentia
Nostra nunc serva corpora
Et crucis per praesidia
A peste oppidum libera.

Roche, peregre profectus
Pestifere mortis ictus
Curavisti mirifice
Tangendo salutifere.

Vale, Roche qui angelice
Vocis citatus flamine
Obtinuiste deifice
A cunctis pestem pellere.

Sit Christe Rex piissime
Tibi Patrique gloria
Cum Spiritu Paraclito
Et nunc et in perpetuum.

V. Ora pro nobis, beate Roche.
R. Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi.

Oremus

Populum tuum, quaesumus Domine, continua pietate custodi, et beati Rochi suffragantibus meritis, ab omni fac animae et corporis contagione securum. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. Amen.

Votive candles inside Most Precious Blood Church 

Finishing our prayers, we headed to the Shrine Church of the Precious Blood (113 Baxter St.) in Little Italy for the 131st Annual Feast of San Rocco. Arriving just in time for the procession, we were warmly welcomed by our San Rocco Society brethren who were rearing to go. As to be expected, due to the COVID scare, Comrade De Blasio’s crime spike, and the poor weather, the turnout was noticeably smaller than usual. However, the fervor and devotion of those in attendance was never stronger.

(L) Confetti rains down on the Saint. (R) Devotees pin donations onto the ribbons

With so much uncertainty surrounding public events these days, especially peaceful Catholic ones, some of us weren’t too sure the celebration would even happen. Having helped distribute the feast posters a week earlier, I know the astonished shopkeepers were overjoyed to learn the Mass and procession were still on. Through the tireless efforts of the San Rocco Society Feast Committee, they proved all the nay-sayers wrong and pulled-off another successful Feast.

(L) The rain certainly didn't dampen the children's enthusiasm.
(R) Ray Guarini had the honor of carrying the San Rocco Society's standard

Mingling with friends throughout the day, we enjoyed some wine, caffé, and even a little souvenir shopping. I finally picked up my long sought after statue of San Francesco d’Assisi and a new Due Sicilie coat-of-arms T-shirt at E. Rossi & Co. We were very happy to learn from our friends in the Figli di San Gennaro that there will be a Mass and procession this year for the Feast of San Gennaro on Saturday, September 19th.

(L-R) The Tocci's and Codispoti's celebrating their faith and culture

After the festivities, friends and members of the society headed back to Da Nico Ristorante (164 Mulberry St.) and broke bread together with plenty of laughs, beer, wine, and, of course, traditional Southern Italian fare. Good food, service, and friends, you couldn't ask for anything more.

Ave Maria! Viva San Gioacchino! And Viva San Rocco!

~ Giovanni di Napoli, August 18th, Feasts of Sant’Elena di Laurino and Sant’Elena della Croce

(L-R) Members of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Fraternal Society of Staten Island, New York; St. Sebastian Society & St. Donato Society of Montclair, New Jersey; and the St. Joseph Society of New Orleans, Louisiana show their support

Departing Most Precious Blood Church, the three hour long procession wends its way through the bustling streets of China Town and Little Italy

The procession makes a brief stop outside E. Rossi & Co.

Danny Vecchiano and the Giglio Band

My new San Francesco d'Assisi statue and Due Sicilie T-shirt

We take a brief detour down Grand Street

Our friends from Aleva Cheese Shop always show love to San Rocco

Our buddy Salvatore takes a breather at Da Nico's

After a short break, the procession returns to Most Precious Blood Church

(1) A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

(2) God in His holy place; God who maketh men of one mind to dwell in a house; He shall give power and strength to His people. Psalm 67. 2 Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered: and let them that Hate Him flee from before His face. Glory be to the Father. God in His holy place.

Photo of the Week: Wayside Shrine to San Rocco in Pisticci, Matera in Basilicata

Photo by Andrew Giordano

Feast of the Madonna del Cardoneto

Madonna del Cardoneto, ora pro nobis

August 15th is the Feast of the Madonna del Cardoneto, Patroness of Ottati in Cilento, Salerno. In celebration, I’m posting a prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption by Pope St. Pius X. The accompanying photo of Our Lady of Cardoneto was taken at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn before the 2017 renovation. Evviva Madonna del Cardoneto!

Prayer to Our Lady of the Assumption

O immaculate virgin, mother of God and mother of humanity, we believe with all the fervour of our faith in your triumphal assumption both in body and in soul into heaven where you are acclaimed as queen by all the choirs of angels and all the legions of saints; we unite with them to praise and bless the Lord who has exalted you above all other pure creatures and to offer you the tribute of our devotion and our love.

We know that your gaze, which on earth watched over the humble and suffering humanity of Jesus, in heaven is filled with the vision of that humanity glorified and with the vision of uncreated wisdom, and that the joy of your soul in the direct contemplation of the adorable trinity causes your heart to throb with overwhelming tenderness; and we, poor sinners whose body weights down the flight of the soul, beg you to purify our hearts so that, while we remain below, we may learn to see God and God alone in the beauties of his creatures.

We trust that your merciful eyes may deign to gaze down upon our miseries and anguish, upon our struggles and our weaknesses; that your countenance may smile upon our joys and our victories; that you may hear the voice of Jesus saying to you of each one of us, as he once said to you of his beloved disciple:

"Behold you son," and we who call upon you as our mother, we, like John, take you as the guide, strength and consolation of our mortal life.

We are inspired by the certainty that your eyes, which wept over the earth crimsoned by the blood of Jesus, are yet turned toward this world racked by wars and persecutions, the oppression of the just and the weak. From the shadows of this vale of tears, we seek in your heavenly assistance, tender mercy, comfort for our aching hearts, and help in the trials of Church and country.

We believe finally that in the glory where you reign, clothed with the sun and crowned with stars, you are, after Jesus, the joy and gladness of all the angels and the saints, and from this earth, over which we tread as pilgrims, comforted by our faith in the future resurrection, we look to you our life, our sweetness, our hope; draw us onward with the sweetness of your voice, so that one day, after our exile, you may show us Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb.

O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

Amen.

Ponderable Quote from ‘In Praise of the New Knighthood’ by St. Bernard of Clairvaux

In addition to the daily novena prayer, I started rereading St. Bernard of Clairvaux’s In Praise of the New Knighthood as part of my novena devotion. A worthwhile read, I want to share a little teaser from Chapter One: A Word of Exhortation for the Knights of the Temple.*

March forth confidently then, you knights, and with a stalwart heart repel the foes of the cross of Christ. Be sure that neither death nor life can separate you from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ. In every peril repeat, ‘Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.’ How gloriously victors return from battle! How blessedly martyrs die in battle! Rejoice, brave athlete, if you live and conquer in the Lord; but glory and exult still more if you die and join your Lord. Life is indeed fruitful and victory glorious, but more important than either is a holy death. If they are blessed who die in the Lord, how much more so are those who die for the Lord.

* Reprinted from In Praise of the New Knighthood by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, P.34, Cistercian Publications, 2008

New Book: The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, 1734-1861

Forthcoming title that may be of interest to our readers. Available at Amazon.com

• The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, 1734-1861 by Louis Mendola

Publisher: Trinacria Editions LLC
Publication Date: October 26, 2020
Paperback: $42.00
Language: English
Pages: 500

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Meridiunalata XXI: 'Casale' di Cav. Charles Sant'Elia | 'Hamlet' by Cav. Charles Sant'Elia

Reprinted from Cav. Charles Sant'Elia's Meridiunalata / Southernade, an evocative bilingual (Neapolitan / English) collection of poetry written between 1989 and 2010. *

Casale  

‘E perzianelle ‘aústo
Stanno acalate,
Ncopp’’e titte simmo jute
Pe nce piglià ‘o cafè,
Duje cuorpe arvolejanno
Parole spellecchione e overe
Panne spase
Arreventanno bannere ‘e luce
‘A robba vecchia ‘e coccheruno
Ca nun sapimmo
Simbè turnammo a recità.

Hamlet

The little August blinds
Are down,
We went up on the roof
To have our coffee,
Two bodies swaying
True and tattered words
Hanging laundry
Becoming flags of light
The old goods of someone
We don’t know
Even though we continue to recite.

* Self-published in 2010, Meridiunalata/Southernade is a treasury of poems gleaned from Cav. Sant'Elia's previous collections (Nchiuso dint''o presente, 'A cuntrora, and 'O pino e l'éllera), which were circulated among friends in New York City and Naples. Special thanks to Cav. Sant'Elia for allowing us to reprint his poetry and translations.

Photo of the Week: Madonna and Child with Angels and Devotees by Domenico Gagini

Madonna and Child by Domenico Gagini (Bissone 1425-30 ca. — Palermo 1492). Niche inside the Cappella Palatina in the Castel Nuovo in Naples.
Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Ponderable Quote from “The Great Heresies” by Hilaire Belloc

There was no united Italy, and such effort as was being made to create one was being made by anti-Catholics. Indeed, it is one of the most amusing ironies of history that the great power which Italy has now become was largely called into being by the sympathy Protestant Europe felt for the original Italian rebellions against the Catholic King of Naples and the authority of the Papal States.

Reprinted from “What was the Reformation?,” chapter 6 of The Great Heresies by Hilaire Belloc. TAN Books, 2012, p. 133. Originally published in 1938 by Sheed & Ward, London.

Photo of the Week: La Guglia di San Domenico, Napoli

The Spire of San Domenico di Guzman, San Domenico Maggiore Square, Napoli. Begun in 1656 by Cosimo Fanzango, to commemorate the city's deliverance from the plague, the ornate obelisk was eventually completed by Domenico Antonio Vaccaro in 1737. Photo by of Andrew Giordano

Madonna del Monserrato in Craco

A prayer card with a photograph of the Madonna del Monserrato statue in Craco Vecchio. It followed the tradition of being a Black Madonna.

Reprinted from the July 2020 Craco Society Bulletin

Among the veneration of saints in Craco Vecchio was a following dedicated to the Madonna del Monserrato. Domenico Montemuro, who provided the Society with many images from “Craco Ieri” (Craco Yesterday) included several related to this Madonna that are shown here.

The Madonna del Monserrato, has its roots from a Catalan Madonna called Madonna of Triumph, named after the victory of Christians over Muslims; when they took the statue from Saracen destruction, hid it on the top of Montserrat, hence the new name. It is one of the most famous of the Black Madonna statues in the world and is enshrined in a Basilica in Monserrat, Spain.

How the veneration of this Madonna started in Craco is not known but Note Storiche sul Comune di Craco, the town’s history book, tells us the private chapel dedicated to Santa Maria di Monserrato was founded in the sixteenth century. It was described as, “Santa Maria di Monserrato (with a small cemetery adjoining), which was subsidized by the DeSimeone family. In the eighteenth century the family gave the church four carlini per year. It held many religious antiquities and Mass was said every Sunday. At the beginning of this century, it was restored with donations made by Crachesi who immigrated to America. Many Crachesi are still devoted to this Madonna.”

A scene from the feast day celebration for the Madonna with a devotee carrying a cirio in the foreground with the chapel in Craco Vecchio dedicated to the Madonna del Monserrato in the background. 

The undated woodcut image titled S. Maria di Monserrato indicates the feast day was celebrated in Craco on the third Sunday in September.

Photos courtesy of the Craco Society