THROW BACK THURSDAY (TBT)! (All the way back to 3 weeks ago!) FESTA ITALIANA PROCESSION With a rolling surf as a backdrop, Father Phillip Egitto faced about 200 young and old people gathered on the sand. A procession of students, parents and congregants from Our Lady of Lourdes had made the short walk from the Catholic Church and school to the ocean Thursday, carrying flags, banners and a statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Egitto led a short prayer in her honor and sought compassion and protection from the blessed mother during the forthcoming hurricane season. Save us from the dark and stormy seas, the pastor asked, before making the 10-minute walk down University Boulevard back to the church. For 15 years now, Egitto has held the annual parade to the ocean on the second Thursday following Easter. Its followed by an afternoon Mass that leads into Festa Italiana — a four-day carnival with a distinctive Italian flare in food and activities thats open to the public... The procession is patterned after an Old World tradition where townspeople carried a statue of Mary through the countryside or city streets of Italy before a festival. Egittos tradition and memories came from the New World streets of Brooklyn as a child, giving thanks to God in the name of Mary. Im trying to create similar memories for our children. We live in a culture today that doesnt do this anymore, with the Internet and social media, he said, walking in the middle of a sea of youngsters. Theyll always remember this.... Louise Schiavo, along with her husband and 88-year-old mother, an Italian immigrant, drove over from Kissimmee and made their first walk. She owns a nearby condo and saw it mentioned in the churchs bulletin. It reminded me of the old days growing up in Philadelphia, with the statute of Mary going around the streets, she said. It was wonderful. See all (7) photos below....article and photos courtesy of Daytona Beach News Journal! THANKS SO MUCH TO RAY WEISS AND JIM TILLER WITH THE DAYTONA BEACH NEWS JOURNAL FOR JOINING US AND SHARING OUR HERITAGE WITH OTHERS! WE ARE GRATEFUL!
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 10:00:00 +0000