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HISTORY
OF THE FEASTS
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Statue
on Main Altar
Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Bronx, New York
Donated
by Louis D'Amico in 1906
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Our
Lady of Mt. Carmel
Feast Day: July 16th
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
is the patroness of the Bronx Belmont neighborhood. The Feast of Our Lady
of Mt. Carmel has been a rich tradition in the Belmont neighborhood for almost
100 years. Prior to the actual Feast day, there is a Novena
preached in honor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel by a visiting priest from Italy with
a High Mass at 12 Noon on the Feast Day. Originally,
the Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel was the longest running of the two
traditional feasts. Though shorter in duration now, it remains an important event in
the parish. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel has been revered by Italians for many
centuries and was introduced to America by immigrants. The official feast day
is on July 16th. In
1900 a committee
was formed headed by Mr. Pietro Cinelli to ask Father Daniel F. X.
Burke, the Italian-speaking Pastor of St. Philip Neri, to open a
mission in Belmont. The first Mass was celebrated by Father
Joseph Caffuzzi on June 13, 1906 (the Feast of St. Anthony). A basement Church was built
in 1907. The upper Church was built in 1917 and dedicated
to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. |
The pioneer efforts of Father Burke and
Father Caffuzzi resulted in the largest Italian National Parish in
the Archdiocese of New York. At the height of its history in the
40's and 50's, more than 40,000 Italians made Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
on East 187th Street their parish.
As
the parish ends its 100th Anniversary year in 2007, we
reflect on the activities of the past and look to the challenges of
the future. The parish continues to serve the Italian community of
the Bronx and welcomes the new immigrants from Latin America and
serves them with the same devotion and love with which the Italians
were received and served by the kind Fr. Burke and saintly Fr.
Caffuzzi, the co-founders of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the Bronx.
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Statue
of St. Anthony of Padua Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Bronx, New York
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St.
Anthony of Padua
1195 - 1231
Feast Day: June 13th
St. Anthony of Padua was born in 1195
near Lisbon. He devoted
himself to study of theology and scripture. St. Anthony is always shown
holding a Bible and the infant Jesus in his hands. This symbolizes the
great love he had for Jesus and for the Word of God.
One day, the preacher at an
ordination ceremony failed to appear. No one else was prepared to
speak, and the duty was given to St. Anthony.
Those gathered where astonished by his knowledge of scripture
and theology and his skill as a speaker. St.
Anthony. is known to be the patron saint of lost objects because he once found
himself after losing himself totally to God. |
The Feast of St. Anthony in Mt. Carmel Parish again has been a tradition in
Belmont for almost 100 years. Italian immigrants, due to their great love and
devotion to St. Anthony held annual Feasts in his honor and the tradition has
continued over the years. The Church also holds the 13 Tuesday Devotion to
St. Anthony prior to the Feast and the ever popular Tredicina (13
days of devotion with Mass and homily prior to the actual Feast day) which is
usually preached by a Franciscan from Italy.
OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL CHURCH
CELEBRATING
102 YEARS OF TRADITION
1906-2008
627 East 187th Street Bronx, N.Y. 10458
Tel: (718) 295-3770 Fax: (718) 367-2240
Official Parish Web
Site: www.ourladymtcarmelbx.org
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