Congratulations to the New Knights and Dames of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George

Photo courtesy of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George

Congratulations to the new Cavalieri and Dame of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George, invested on Sunday at St. Mary Church in Nutley, New Jersey. IHSV

Feast of San Girolamo

St. Jerome in his study removing a thorn from the lion’s paw

September 30th is the Feast of San Girolamo (Saint Jerome), Doctor of the Church. A fourth century scholar and historian from the Roman province of Dalmatia, he is best known for his translation of the Holy Bible into Latin (the Vulgate) from the original Hebrew and Greek Septuagint. Protector of Cittanova in Reggio Calabria, San Girolamo is also the patron saint of archeologists, translators, scholars, librarians and students. In celebration, we're posting a Prayer to St. Jerome. The accompanying photo of St. Jerome removing a thorn from the lion’s paw (c. 1440-70) by Early Neapolitan Renaissance painter Niccolò Antonio Colantonio is on view at the Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte in Naples.

Prayer to St. Jerome

Master of unworldliness and founder of monasteries, you had a deep love for God's inspired Word and were a most careful translator of the Sacred Scriptures. Your single-mindedness in seeking God's glory is a perfect model for all exegetes. Inspire them with respect for the sacred text as well as for Tradition and the Church's Magisterium. Help them to impart to all the true meaning of the Word of God. Amen.

Feast of Sant’Amato di Nusco

Sant'Amato Vescovo, ora pro nobis

September 30th is the Feast of Sant’Amato, first Bishop of Nusco, Avellino. Invoked against earthquakes and other natural disasters, many healing miracles have been attributed to the great saint. 

In celebration, we're posting a prayer in Italian to Sant’Amato, courtesy of the Società Sant’Amato di Nusco of Long Island City, New York. The accompanying photo was taken at the society clubhouse in 2014. Evviva Sant'Amato Vescovo!

Orazione a Santo Amato

O glorioso Santo Amato, che in tempi di tenebre splendesti di sanità nella tua patria e la sollevasti a nuovi costumi e nuova vita civile, deh! stendi su tutti i tuoi devoti l'opera tua benefica.

Tu avvisasti nel tuo popolo il fervore della fede e della pietà cristiana, Tu fosti sollievo negli affanni, scampo nei pericoli, e Tu conserva ognora all'ombra tua il popolo del tuo acquisto e quanti invocano il tuo nome benedetto.

O padre e Pastore della tua Nusco spira nei cuori la carità, che ti accese verso il tuo gregge, sicché, amandoci in terra, possiamo esser insieme con Te cittadini in cielo.

Prayer for the Glorification of Father Alfred Pampalon, Patron of Alcoholics and Drug Addicts

Venerable Alfred Pampalon, ora pro nobis

(For Private Use)

O Jesus, in Your power and goodness, You have raised Father Alfred Pampalon to such admirable virtue, grant that, through his intercession, we may imitate him in his love for You and for Your Immaculate Mother, Mary.

Bestow upon us, O Jesus, the favors we seek through his intervention, so that You may be glorified in Your servant and that Your Church may soon raise him to the ranks of Her Blessed and of Her Saints. Amen.

Please report obtained favors to:

Cause of Father Alfred Pampalon

Secretariat of the Shrine

Saint Anne de Beaupre (Quebec)

Canada GOA 3CO

The National Latin Mass Pilgrimage

Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel

San Michele Arcangelo, ora pro nobis

September 29th is the Feast of the Dedication of St. Michael the Archangel, Prince of the Heavenly host. Dating from the fifth century, the celebration recalls the Apparition of St. Michael on Mount Gargano in Apulia and the founding of several Churches in honor of the Archangel. In celebration, we're posting the Consecration to Saint Michael. The accompanying photo of the Archangel Michael smiting Satan was taken at St. Francis of Paola Church (219 Conselyea St.), in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Evviva San Michele Arcangelo!

Consecration to Saint Michael

Saint Michael the Archangel, invincible Prince of the Angelic hosts and glorious protector of the universal Church, I greet thee and praise thee for that splendor with which God has adorned thee so richly. I thank God for the great graces He hast bestowed upon thee, especially to remain faithful when Lucifer and his followers rebelled, and to battle victoriously for the honor of God and the Divinity of the Son of Man.

Saint Michael, I consecrate to thee my soul and body. I choose thee as my patron and protector and entrust the salvation of my soul to thy care. Be the guardian of my obligation as a child of God and of the Catholic Church as again I renounce Satan, his works and pomps.

Assist me by thy powerful intercession in the fulfillment of these sacred promises, so that imitating thy courage and loyalty to God, and trusting in thy kind help and protection, I may be victorious over the enemies of my soul and be united with God in Heaven forever. Amen.

Photo of the Week: Seated Hermes, Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli

Photo by New York Scugnizzo

Feast of St. Remigius at St. Mary of Mt. Virgin Church in New Brunswick, New Jersey

A Prayer for the Victims of Hurricane Helene Throughout the Southeast United States

San Medardo, ora pro nobis

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of Hurricane Helene, which continues to devastate the Southeast United States. The loss of life, the suffering, and the destruction deeply saddens us. May San Medardo, Santa Rosalia, San Marciano, and the Madonna del Soccorso protect and watch over you.

Prayer to St. Medard

Saint Medard, patron saint for protection against bad storms, we ask you to intercede for us during the storms of our lives as well as the storms in nature. Protect our families and our homes. We pray for assistance for the victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. Loving God, send in more helpers, and multiply resources and supplies for the aid of those in need. You calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee; deliver us from the storms that are raging around us now. Amen

The Dynasties of Italy: The House of Carafa

Reprinted from Western Exile @westernexile

Origin: Naples

States: Kingdom of Naples, Papal States

Highest Titles: Pontifex Maximus (Pope), Prince of Roccella, of Anzi, of Avella, of Belvedere, Duke of Andria, of Bruzzano, of Noja, Count of Policastro

Heraldic Blazon

Gules, three fesses Argent

As a cadet branch of the ancient House of Caracciolo, the Carafa may have adopted a variant of their arms. Legend, however, attributes both the Carafa name and arms to a dramatic incident of bravery, detailed in the overview below.

Heraldic Variants

Over time, the Carafa of Naples themselves split into two cadet branches, the della Spina, who added the green thorn to their arms, and the della Stadera, who adorned the heraldic compartment with a set of scales - both literal depictions of their names.

Extended Titles

As one of the oldest and most prestigious dynasties of the Neapolitan nobility, over the centuries the Carafa would hold a staggering array of fiefdoms and titles, including 236 baronies, 29 countships, 23 marquisates, 25 dukedoms and 13 princeships.

Overview 

The more prosaic accounts detail how the Carafa gradually emerged as a distinct branch of the Caracciolo family, initially acquiring 'Carafa' as a nickname on account of their role overseeing the campione della carafa - a tax levied on wine.

Or, more poetically, how a Pisan ancestor saved Emperor Henry VI from an assassin's blade. The grateful sovereign marked his armour with his bloodied fingers, declaring "Cara fe m'è la vostra" - "Dear is your loyalty to me" - giving the Carafa their name and arms.

What is unambiguous is that the Carafa had risen to prominence by the 14th century, when Bartolomeo Carafa served the Angevin King Robert of Naples as a judge and diplomat, before being elected to one of the seven Sedili, or patriciate councils, of Naples in 1331.

Through two of Bartolomeo's sons, Andrea and Tommaso, the della Spina and della Stradera branches of the Carafa would be born, and shrewdness saw them flourish over the course of the failed Hungarian, and later successful Aragonese conquest of the Kingdom of Naples.

This was particularly so for the Stradera line, as Antonio Carafa's loyal support for Alfonso V of Aragon proved fruitful when the latter conquered Naples in 1442. Under Alfonso and his successor Ferrante, the Carafa occupied ever greater civil and military offices.

Indeed in 1458, King Ferrante's word saw Antonio's grandson Oliviero nominated Archbishop of Naples, launching an illustrious career in the Church that would be crowned by a cardinalate in 1467, and command of a crusade against the Ottoman Turks in 1472.

The ultimate dynastic prize followed 83 years later, when Oliviero's nephew, Gian Pietro Carafa, was elected Pope Paul IV in 1555. While lasting only four years, his pontificate was a stormy one, dominated by repression and vain hostility towards the Spanish.

Despite the ignominy surrounding Paul's pontificate, the many branches of the Carafa would thrive for centuries to come, producing their sixteenth cardinal in the 19th century. The Stadera line continues to be represented in Naples today through the Dukes of Andria.

Illustrious Members

Oliviero Carafa (1430-1511)

The first Carafa to serve as Archbishop of Naples and earn international renown, Oliviero was one of the most remarkable figures of the 15th century, with achievements stretching far beyond the traditional remit of a cleric.

In 1472, the cardinal assumed military command as an admiral on an extraordinary crusade against the Ottoman Empire, wreaking havoc on the Turkish port of Antalya, and bearing the mighty harbour chain back as a spoil of victory to Rome, where he was received in triumph.

Oliviero was lauded too as a patron of the arts, both in Rome and in Naples, and is credited as one of the key drivers of the Neapolitan Renaissance, nurturing the seeds first planted by King Alfonso the Magnanimous. The only prize to elude him would be the Papal Tiara itself.

Gian Pietro Carafa (1476-1559)

ELECTED POPE PAUL IV 23rd MAY 1555

While raised with a thoroughly Renaissance education, Carafa would be defined by his fierce rejection of the direction Europe was taking, and his resentment at Spanish influence over Italy.

In his enforcement of Church authority, Paul was resolute. Strengthening the Inquisition, he banned all Protestant publications and condemned the prevalence of nudity in art, beginning the trend of promoting modesty through the addition of fig leaves to paintings and sculpture.

Yet most controversial of all, especially centuries later, was 'cum nimis absurdum'. Issued by Paul on the 15th July 1555, the Papal Bull initiated the most severe crackdown on the Jews in Church history, establishing the Jewish Ghetto in Rome and a host of punitive laws.

Barred from most professions and from owning real estate, the Jews of Rome were required to identify themselves with yellow hats, while the gates of the walled Ghetto were locked at night - an order largely maintained until the nationalist conquest of the city in 1870.

A sternly austere man, his moral reforms, at times undermined by nepotism and his determination to oust Spain from Naples, would earn him scant affection when he died just four years after his election. Across the city, the Carafa arms were pulled down in a wave of sudden riots.

Gregorio Carafa (1615-1690)

Following dramatic success serving the Knights as a naval commander against the Turks, Gregorio was appointed the 62nd Grand Master of the Order of Saint John in 1680, being the first Italian to achieve this in over a century.

Architectural Legacies 

The Carafa Chapel, Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, Rome

Commissioned around 1488 by Oliviero Carafa in honour of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Chapel, frescoed by Filippino Lippi, also houses the tomb of the cardinal's nephew, Pope Paul IV.

The Succorpo Chapel, Duomo of Naples

Commissioned in 1497 by Oliviero Carafa, the Chapel, which features a sculpture of the cardinal himself, forms the crypt of the Cathedral and traditionally houses the relics of the city's patron - Saint Januarius.

The Chiostro del Bramante, Rome

The third great commission of Oliviero Carafa, the classical cloister of Santa Maria della Pace was designed around 1500 by the great Donato Bramante, the man who would conceive the new Saint Peter's Basilica itself.

Feast of San Venceslao I, Duca di Boemia

San Venceslao I, ora pro nobis

Deus, qui beátum Wencesláum per martyrii palmam a terréno principátu ad cœléstem glóriam transtulísti: ejus précibus nos abomni adversitáte custódi, et ejúsdem tríbue gaudére consórtio. Per Dóminum.

September 28th is the Feast of San Venceslao I (St. Wenceslaus I), 10th century Duke, Martyr and patron saint of Bohemia (Czechia). A pious and holy King, he was a great benefactor of the Church and helped spread Christianity throughout his kingdom. On his way to Mass, he was murdered by his brother Prince Boleslaus' henchmen in 929 (or 935).

In celebration, we're posting a prayer to St. Wenceslaus I in English and Latin. The accompanying photo of St. Wenceslaus by the Roman painter Angelo Caroselli comes courtesy of Kunst Historisches Museum Wien. Evviva San Venceslao!

Prayer to St. Wenceslaus I

O God, Who, through the palm of Martyrdom, didst transfer blessed Wenceslaus from an earthly principality to heavenly glory, keep us, by his prayers, from all adversity, and grant us to rejoice in his fellowship. Through the Lord.

Feast of St. Therese at the Carmelite Monastery in Morristown, New Jersey

Feast of Saints Cosma and Damiano

Santi Medici Cosma and Damiano,

orate pro nobis

September 27th is the Feast of Saints Cosma and Damiano, Arabian physicians and Martyrs. Patron saints of physicians, surgeons, doctors, pharmacists and midwives, the brothers are invoked by people suffering with medical conditions. Widely venerated across southern Italy, they are the principal patrons of Riace (RC), Sferracavallo (PA), Ginosa (TA), Roccascalegna (CH) and Carbonara di Nola (NA), among others.

In celebration, we're posting a Prayer to Saints Cosmas and Damian. The accompanying photo of the holy martyrs was taken at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (627 East 187th Street) in East Harlem, New York. Evviva Santi Medici Cosma and Damiano!

Prayer to Saints Cosmas and Damian 

O glorious martyrs of Christ, Saints Cosmas and Damian, you gave your lives for the love of God, benefiting your fellow man, and crowning your martyrdom with an open and loyal profession of your faith. You taught us to love God above all things, and to love our fellow man as ourselves, professing always, and without fear, the religion of Jesus. Augmenting amongst the faithful populace many miracles, you are glorious indeed. Through your intercession, which brings about deliverance of these miracles, we pray to you for your aid in all things. May your patronage never be far from us in the illness of our body and soul. O great protectors, Saints Cosmas and Damian, assist us with your love and free us from all evils. Amen

Remembering Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Naples and Sicily

24 November, 1724 — 27 September, 1760

In memory of Maria Amalia of Saxony, Queen of Naples and Sicily (later Spain), we pray for the happy repose of her soul. Viva ‘a Reggina!

Eternal rest grant unto Her Majesty, O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Society of St. Margaret of Cortova Upcoming Latin Mass Intentions for the Conversion of the Society Enrollees

A Look at the 98th Annual Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy, New York

San Gennaro, ora pro nobis

Mass was celebrated by Monsignor David Cassato

First-class relic of San Gennaro inside Most Precious Blood Church

A first-class relic of San Gennaro is worn by the statue  

The Cross of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George

Members of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George

Members of the Knights of Columbus Color Guard

The feast day procession begins outside Most
Precious Blood Church on Baxter Street

The outdoor shrine to San Gennaro on Mulberry Street

Gianna, John, Mario, and Nicky Boy at the Italian American Emporium

Puppy Love! Nicky Boy and Gianna with Tralfaz

(L) I met Tommy "Cutlets" DeVito. (R) Detail of Caffe Napoli's pizza oven

Our buddy Louis at Caffe Napoli

I had seafood every Wednesday and Friday

I've never eaten so many zeppoli in my life

Our Friends at E. Rossi & Co.

Italian American Future Leaders and friends at Red Sauce Studio

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

John served as MC on Karaoke Night

The ladies sang their hearts out

 As always, the Karaoke Nights drew large crowds

There was fantastic live entertainment every day and night