6 days ago
Brooklyn's annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast blends faith, tradition in local celebration
Wednesday's annual Feast Day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel drew hundreds of worshipers to the streets of Williamsburg, continuing a Brooklyn tradition that dates back to 1887.
The celebration began with a solemn mass at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, where candlelight and music filled the sanctuary in honor of the Virgin Mary.
"Our Lady, in the year 1251, on July 16th, gave the scapula to Saint Simon as a gift and a promise of her assistance and prayer and our devotion to her," said Philip Franco, emcee and chairman of the event. "So for well over 800 years, it's been a big part of Catholicism."
Franco, who also wrote his dissertation on the subject, says the annual feast was combined decades ago with another deeply rooted Italian tradition: the dancing of the Giglio.
"The giglio is a 78-foot structure. It's approximately 2.5 tons, plus the people on top, and it's carried by approximately 100 men," Franco said.
The tower honors a centuries-old legend of Saint Paulinus, who gave himself up during a pirate invasion to spare others in his village. Upon his return, he was welcomed with towers of lilies, or "gigli." For generations, lifting the Giglio has been considered a rite of passage.
"It was a big accomplishment. It was something that we always wanted to do," said lifter Brian Allocco. "We tried to do it from when we were young kids."
The event continues to draw both longtime locals and visitors. Nicholas Yacenda, who has participated for over 70 years, said not even a move across the country could keep him away.
"I moved to Las Vegas for about 20 years. But I came back here every year because of my devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel," Yacenda said. "She's my heart. That's why I'm 81, I feel pretty good."
For others like Maria Puntillo, the feast is a way to reconnect with her roots.
"We are continuing our traditions, celebrating our heritage, our culture and paying homage to Our Lady of Mount Carmel as our families, our grandparents, great grandparents and parents did before us," said Puntillo, who traveled from Florida for the event.
First organized by newly arrived Italian immigrants in the late 19th century, the feast has only grown in significance and scale over time.
"This feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is America's parish feast," said Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, pastor of the church. "It's one of the largest in the city. People come back every year. It's one of the oldest. And what keeps it going are the people that come here."
The celebration continues this week with two more scheduled Giglio dances — one on Thursday night and another on Sunday.
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