Charles Sant’Elia, left, and John Napoli, both knights of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George, hoist the icon of San Gennaro in a three-hour procession honoring the Catholic martyr on Sept. 19.
BY COLIN MIXSON
Supplicants hailing from across the city convened at the Most Precious Blood Church on Mulberry Street to honor the martyred saint San Gennaro on his feast day on Sept. 19, as dozens of devotees took turns baring the Catholic saint’s prodigious icon through the streets of Little Italy in a three-hour procession.
Congregants and special guests gathered at Most Precious Blood for a special feast-day mass, before the devotees bore the sacred statue of San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples, on its procession, as supplicants took turns hoisting the massive statue on his long march through Little Italy.
The procession is the latest incarnation of a tradition that’s endured for 90-years, and which draws thousands of worshippers and sightseers every year for the holy spectacle.
A notable drop in participation was felt at this year’s event, likely due to safety concerns sparked by the bombing in Chelsea the night before, according to a long-time feastgoer and knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George, who was invited as an honored guest of the church.
“I thought this year was the smallest I ever saw it,” said Cav. John Napoli. “Just listening to people, I think they were worried about terrorism, with that recent incident with the bombing in Chelsea.”
Despite concerns, a beefed-up NYPD detail left devotees and feastgoers at ease on the day, which organizers of the Figli di San Gennaro managed to pull off without incident.
“There was a strong police presence and it went off without a hitch,” Napoli said. “It was a lot of fun.”
The Feast of San Gennaro is a 10-day affair running from Sept. 15–25 that invites food vendors, performers, and revelers of all faiths and creeds. In addition to the procession, the festival features live music, a parade, and eating contests.
A few, however, still hold to the old traditions and values of the feast honoring the Catholic martyr and saint, and prefer acts of supplication over fits of indulgence, according to Napoli.
“I’m just devoted to San Gennaro,” the knight said. “I’m religious. I go out of faith and devotion.”
