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| Photo by Andrew Giordano |
September 27, 2020
Photo of the Week: Santi Medici Cosma e Damiano at the Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista in Matera
September 26, 2020
Celebrating Our Late September Patrons at Amunì
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| Maria SS. della Misericordia from Fontanarosa, Avellino |
As much as we would like to celebrate every patronal Feast Day as a group, it’s just not possible. The end of September has way too many for us to do individually, so we decided to have one celebratory dinner for them all on September 24th, the Feast of the Madonna della Misericordia (Our Lady of Mercy, or Ransom).
We chose the 24th for a couple of reasons. First, it was the most central date starting from the Feasts of San Gennaro and Our Lady of La Salette, which we celebrated on September 19th in Little Italy, New York; and second, it didn’t fall on an Ember Day, allowing us to eat and drink our hearts content without any dietary restrictions.
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| Table shrine with reliquary prayer cards of Sant'Agata and San Pio; holy cards of San Matteo and Sant'Amato di Nusco; pocket statuette of the Bambino Gesu di Praga; a green scapular; a framed picture of Santi Cosma & Damiano; metal plague with bas-relief of Padre Pio; stone relics from the Apparition Grotto at the Santuario di San Michele Arcangelo in Gargano, Puglia; and, courtesy of our friend Tony, a lucky St. Joseph fava been. |
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| Caponata con crostini |
Warmly welcomed by chef and owner Vincent Dardanello, our party was promptly seated in the cozy backyard dining area, sequestered away from the unpleasant din and unwanted intrusions that often comes with outdoor dining, especially these days.
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| Carciofi fritti |
Putting our fate in Chef Dardanello’s hands, we let the maestro choose the menu and he didn’t disappoint. All served family style, he treated us to a spectacular multi-course repast starting with affettati e formaggio, caponata con crostini, and carciofi fritti, fried artichoke hearts tossed with caciocavallo cheese and parsley. These culinary delights were soon followed with a sweet sausage and onion roll and classic arancini, rice balls with chop meat and peas.
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| Sausage and onion roll |
For our primi, we were presented with two phenomenal pasta dishes, rigatoni all’Amatriciana and pasta al forno, baked anellini with ground beef, peas, mozzarella and caciocavallo cheese. Unable to decide which dish to try, we naturally tasted both. Far from settling the matter, since both dishes were extraordinary, we all helped ourselves to a hearty second serving of each.
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| Arancini |
After all that, the pièce de résistance was definitely chef Dardanello’s perfectly cooked old-school braciola di maiale al forno. Served with a choice of three different types of salads, the baked breaded pork chops were juicy, delicious and a most welcome blast from the past. Like so many of his dishes, this was joyfully reminiscent of the traditional fare many of us grew up with.
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| Pasta al forno |
Needless to say, the meal came to a close with dessert and caffé. Our collective sweet tooth was sated with an amazing limoncello mascarpone cake, handmade seven layer cookies, and sugar-dusted cannoli with crushed pistachios. Capped off with some espresso and homemade limoncello, we happily walked off our meal (not to mention all the Nero d'Avila we imbibed) with a long leisurely stroll to the Verrazzano Bridge and back.
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| Rigatoni all’Amatriciana |
The saints honored were Santa Candida & Sant’Eustachio (Sept. 20); San Matteo (Sept. 21); San Maurizio (Sept.22); San Pio da Pietrelcina (Sept. 23); Madonna della Misericordia (Sept. 24); San Firmino di Amiens & the Bambino Gesù di Praga (Sept. 25); Santi Cipriano & Giustina (Sept. 26); Santi Cosma & Damiano (Sept. 27); San Venceslao, Duca di Boemia (Sept. 28); San Michele Arcangelo (Sept. 29); and Sant’Amato di Nusco & San Girolamo (Sept. 30).
~ Giovanni di Napoli, September 25, the Feasts of San Firmino di Amiens & the Infant of Prague
Amunì ★★★★★
Una Vera Esperienza Siciliana
7217 3rd Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11209
718-833-7833 | vincent@amunibrooklyn.com
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| Insalata Verde with arugala, pistachios, shaved caciocavallo and lemon dressing |
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| Insalata di finocchio with fennel, oranges, arugala and lemon dressing |
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| Cucumber and tomato salad with ricotta salata |
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| Braciola di maiale al forno |
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| Limoncello mascarpone cake |
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| Homemade cannoli with crushed pistachios |
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| Homemade seven layer cookies |
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| The Fratelli della Santa Fede with Chef Dardanello (second from right) Photos by New York Scugnizzo |
September 24, 2020
Celebrating the Feast of Padre Pio and Michaelmas Embertide at St. Catherine of Alexandria Churchyard
Ember Wednesday members of the Fratelli della Santa Fede, or Sanfedisti for short, visited the outdoor Madonna di Lourdes shrine at St. Catherine of Alexandria Church (1119 42nd St.) in Borough Park, Brooklyn. One of the few accessible open air sacred spaces left in our part of town, we thanked the Lord for our many gifts, entreated Him to sanctify the season of Autumn, prayed to San Pio da Pietrelcina, and recited the Holy Rosary for the Poor and Forgotten Souls in Purgatory. 
Madonna di Lourdes, ora pro nobis
We also prayed for the faithful in Caltanissetta, Sicily, whose Chiesa San Agata al Collegio was vandalized and looted late Monday night by several disturbed young men. In addition to desecrating priceless sacred objects, these demons broke into the tabernacle and scattered the Host across the sanctuary floor. Lord have mercy on us.
Jumping the gun a week earlier, due to some confusion with the September dates, we learned that the Fall Ember Days, under the 1960 Code of Rubrics promulgated by Pope John XXIII, actually follow the third Sunday within the month, not the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14th), which was how they were calculated in the pre-1955 rubrics. For more about the Michaelmas Ember Days visit Fr. Z’s Blog and Fish Eaters.
Although a little embarrassed by the mixup, we were none the worse for wear. At the very least, in our exuberance we got to visit this beautiful grotto, say a few additional prayers and fasted an extra day this month. Surely, that could never be a bad thing. Evviva San Pio!
~ Giovanni di Napoli, September 23rd, Feast of San Pio da Pietrelcina
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| (L) The church is currently under renovation. (R) Parish war memorial |
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| View of the churchyard from the corner entrance |
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| The grotto |
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| (L) St. Bernadette Soubirous. (R) Our Lady of Lourdes |
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| The grotto from the right |
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| The grotto from the left |
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| (L) Outdoor altar against the grotto's Eastern wall. (R) Another look at Our Lady |
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| Some of the cards and relics we used for our prayer service Photos from both visits by New York Scugnizzo |
September 22, 2020
Celebrating the 94th Annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy, New York
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| San Gennaro, ora pro nobis |
A look at Saturday’s 94th Annual Feast of San Gennaro at the Shrine Church of the Most Precious Blood (113 Baxter Street) in Little Italy, New York. Evviva San Gennaro!
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| (Above & below) Before Mass, devotees carry the statue into the church |
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| (Above & below) The Recessional |
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| After Mass, San Gennaro was presented to the expectant crowd |
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| (L) Departing the church grounds. (R) Swaying side to side in time with the music |
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| The procession makes its way through Little Italy |
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| Members of the Lt. Joseph Petrosino Lodge show their support |
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| Our buddy Achille with the original society standard |
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| (Above & below) The procession stops for donations along the way |
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| Danny Vecchiano and the Giglio Band |
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| A nice tribute was offered to our Armed Forces by the WWII Monument outside DiPalo's Fine Foods store |
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| (Above & below) The statue returns to the sanctuary |
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| In addition to carrying the statue, the highlight of the day was getting to venerate the relic of our glorious patron |
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| Lifters take a commemorative photo with members of the Figli di San Gennaro |
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| Members of the San Rocco Society and Sanfedisti with the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies |
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| Enjoying our celebratory dinner at La Mela Photos by New York Scugnizzo |
Feast of San Maurizio and the Martyrs of Agaunum
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| San Maurizio Martire, ora pro nobis |
We are your soldiers, O Emperor, but we freely profess that we are Christ’s servants. To you we owe military service, to Him the beginning of life itself. So for Him we are prepared to suffer every torment, and we will never give up our faith in Him! ~ St. Exuperius, Martyr and standard-bearer of the Holy Theban Legion*September 22nd is the Feast of San Maurizio (St. Maurice) and his Companions, Legionnaires and Martyrs. Commander of the famed Theban Legion composed entirely of Christians, they were sent to Gaul in the 3rd century to help Emperor Maximian put down a rebellion. Refusing to offer sacrifices to idols or take an oath against Christians, the Holy Martyrs were mercilessly put to the sword at Agaunum, now Saint-Maurice, Switzerland. Patron saint and protector of soldiers, swordsmiths, armies, and infantrymen, San Maurizio is also the patron of the Holy Roman Empire, Montalbano Jonico in Matera, and the Italian Army's historic Alpini, a specialized mountain infantry corps. In celebration, we're posting a prayer to St. Maurice. The accompanying photo of St. Maurice by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) and workshop was taken at the Last Knight exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City in 2019. Evviva San Maurizio!
Prayer to Saint Maurice
Saint Maurice, most blessed and honorable patron saint, you who fought so valiantly on the battlefield of faith, steadfastly opposed the tyranny of earthly rulers, boldly confessed faith in the one true God, and preferred to die by the sword rather than to betray your Lord, Jesus Christ, pray for us.
O holy martyr and loyal soldier of Christ, obtain for us the courage to persevere in truth, to be a light in the darkness of the times in which we live, and to defend the honor of the Church wherever it is opposed. Obtain also for us the grace to endure patiently all the trials and hardships of this life, and to carry our cross in the spirit of prayer and self-denial. In particular we ask you to obtain for us from God the following favor: [Mention your special request]. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
* Quoted from The Golden Legend: Readings on the Saints, Jacobus de Voragine, Princeton University Press, 2012, p.576
September 21, 2020
Hiking Staten Island’s Verdant Greenways
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| Bronze church bells on display in church plaza Photos by New York Scugnizzo |
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| (L) The facade of the Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Ann. (R) Bronze statue of Fr. John Drumgoole by sculptor Robert Cushing |
A picture-perfect day for a ramble, our little jaunt began at the the Old Church of St. Joachim and St. Anne in Pleasant Plains. Now closed, the church once served the destitute street children housed at the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin, commonly known as Mount Loreto, founded by Fr. John Drumgoole in 1871. Almost completely destroyed in a fire in 1973, all that remained was the facade. Rebuilt in 1976, the new building was incorporated into the original church exterior.
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| Bronze statues of Sant'Anna and San Gioacchino above the entranceway |
From the churchyard, we traversed the open space reserve and nature preserve of the Mount Loreto Unique Area. Spotting all sorts of flora and fauna (e.g. ducks, swans, and large snapping turtles), we covered a lot of contrasting terrain, including tidal and freshwater wetlands, vernal ponds, and a lengthy shoreline of ocean-facing bluffs.
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| An ephemeral pool teeming with animal life |
To our surprise, we stumbled across the outdoor shrine of the Immaculate Virgin, a large stone niche that once housed a statue of Our Lady. Now used as a “spontaneous shrine” memorializing the dearly departed, the space is covered with a sundry collection of statuary, prayer cards and other religious articles. The ideal spot to take a breather, we prayed the Holy Rosary for the poor and forgotten Souls of Purgatory before continuing on our way.
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| Non-native red-ear sliders sunning themselves on a log |
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| Hard to tell from this photo, but this snapping turtle was almost three feet long |
Trudging all the way up Heyerdahl Hill to the remote ruins of Heyerdahl House, one of the highest points on the eastern coast, we caught site of several white-tail deer. Used to keep watch during the Revolutionary war (1775-1783), the scenic hilltop's winding paths once crawled with British soldiers.
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| We sauntered through the grasslands |
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| Old St. Joachim and St. Ann slowly disappears behind us |
Local lore claims the woods are haunted by the ghost of a young girl on a pale horse. It is said, when a skirmish broke out between the Redcoats and Revolutionaries, she galloped off into the forest never to be seen again. Thankfully, we didn't spot any equestrian phantoms.
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| The Eastern Showy Aster (Eurybia Spectabilis) |
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| The New Jersey coastline can be seen in the distance |
Overlooking heavily wooded Bucks Hollow, we sat quietly for awhile on the abandoned stones and took in all the sites and sounds this peaceful summit had to offer. Considering urban sprawl, it was hard to believe we were still in the dystopic environs of New York City. Thank God for small mercies.
~ Giovanni di Napoli, September 20th, Feasts of Santa Candida Martire and Sant’Eustachio and Companions
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| Discovering the Shrine of the Immaculate Virgin |
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| (L) The niche is used as a spontaneous shrine (R) One of several Infant of Prague statues on the altar |
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| (Above & below) The shrine is covered with religious articles |
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| (L-R) Sant'Antonio da Padova and Our Lady stand outside the niche |
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| (L-R) The Gretta Moultan Gate and a wooded trail |
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| (Above & below) The further we delved into the forest, the more overgrown and eldritch the foliage became |
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| One of several white-tail hinds we saw on our excursion |
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| What's left of M. Heyerdahl's stone house. One of the most isolated parts of the city, the closest building is two miles from here. |