Celebrating Santa Rosalia in Bensonhurst

Santa Rosalia, ora pro nobis

Tuesday evening, we joined the crowds in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, for the 52nd Feast of Santa Rosalia, the beloved patroness of Palermo. Our first stop was the shrine dedicated to la Santuzza, located on 18th Avenue between 71st and 72nd Streets, where we offered prayers and made a donation before setting out to enjoy some of the Palermitana-style street fare that remains one of the great attractions of the feast.

We indulged in arancini, stigghiola, sfincione, baked iris, zeppole, and gelato (zuppa inglese), a veritable taste of Palermo in the heart of Brooklyn. With beautiful weather, the feast was alive with the sights, aromas, and flavors of Sicily, offering another welcome opportunity to celebrate Santa Rosalia and the traditions carried from Palermo to Brooklyn generations ago. Evviva Santa Rosalia!

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, August 25th, Feast of Santa Patrizia di Costantinopoli

The outdoor chapel on 18th Avenue, between 71st St. and 72nd St

Arancini

Sfincione

Stigghiola

Zeppole

Iris

Zuppa inglese