Keeping Our Ancestors Traditions Alive: Celebrating the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn

Madonna del Rosario di Pompei, ora pro nobis

O August Queen of Victories, O Sovereign of Heaven and Earth, at whose name the heavens rejoice and the abyss trembles. O Glorious Queen of the Rosary, we, your devoted children, assembled on this solemn day in your Temple of Pompeii, pour out the affection of our hearts and with filial confidence express our miseries to You.                                                                      ~ excerpt from the Supplica

Hundreds of devotees packed into the Shrine Church of St. Bernadette in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, Sunday afternoon for the annual Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii.

Joining the Holy Name Society of St. Bernadette in the procession were members of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George, the Royal Order of Francis I, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great.

During Mass, Fr. Jeremy Canna, Pastor, led the congregation in praying the Supplica, a powerful petition for the intercession of our Blessed Mother that’s traditionally invoked on the 8th of May and the first Sunday of October.

Afterward, partygoers retired to nearby Sirico's Catering Hall for a celebratory luncheon. At the hall, revelers enjoyed some traditional Southern Italian fare, fellowship, and dancing.

Thank you to Fr. Canna, Deacon Anthony P. Martucci, members of the Holy Name Society, and the greater St. Bernadette family for your warmth and hospitality. As always, it was a tremendous honor and privilege to celebrate our faith and culture together. God bless you all. Evivva Maria!

Images of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii
inside the Shrine Church of St. Bernadette

(L) The Church sanctuary. (R) Relic of St. Bernadette Soubirous

Blue and white flowers decorate the church entrance

The church courtyard with outdoor shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes

(L-R) After Mass, cavalieri and dames of the Sacred Military Constantinian
Order of St. George, the Royal Order of Francis I, the Pontifical Equestrian
Order of St. Gregory the Great and the Equestrian Order of the Holy
Sepulchre take a commemorative photo in the church courtyard

Signs promoting the event, like the one on the church
fence, were displayed around the neighborhood

During his speech, our esteemed confratello John Cordi invoked the memory of our ancestors who brought the devotion of the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei with them to these United States and passed the faith and traditions on to us

The Sanfedisti are back! Andrew and John

(Above & below) Hundreds of revelers joined in the celebration

(L) A beautiful makeshift shrine was erected in the hall.
(R) Our dear friends Maria and John enjoying the fruits of their labor

(Above & below) Revelers dance the tarantella

Members of the San Rocco Society of Potenza in New York show their support

Members of St. Bernadette's Holy Name Society with Fr. Jeremy Canna, Pastor

Too busy mingling, I forgot to take pictures of the food. Unfortunately,
I only took photos of the hot antipasti (above) and dessert (below)

Sfogliatelle