85th Annual San Gennaro Feast Begins In 'La Piccola Italia'

Manhattan, Little Italy, September 15, 2011 - Despite protests by Yuppie shop keepers on Mulberry Street, the 85th annual San Gennaro feast began on Mulberry Street as always. Like all feasts that have their origins 'in the old country', the patron saint of the local city or town is honored by the populous for a little over a week in the streets. This year, it begins on Thursday, September 15th and ends 11 days later on the 26th which spans from Canal Street to Houston Street. It is a feast that has many ethnic groups as  participants that seems to grow every year, evidence by the swelling crowds. This year, it begins on Thursday, September 15th and ends 11 days later on the 26th which spans from Canal Street in Chinatown to NoLIta's Houston Street. It is a feast that has many ethnic groups as  participants that seems to grow every year, evidence by the swelling crowds.

According to a handout by the Most Precious Blood Church at 109 Mulberry Street, San Gennaro was executed under orders by Emperor Diocletian because he was a Christian sympathizer and gave comfort to other Roman prisoners. When San Gennaro was beheaded, someone saved his head and body and a good woman used a sponge to save his blood and filled a phial with it. The blood liquefies twice a year and is called 'the miracle of the blood'. San Gennaro's body is preserved in a church in Naples, Italy and is the patron saint of that city.

The feast is a popular celebration of San Gennaro by the masses complete with food, music and many Italian symbols. One symbol of Italians in America is the Italian American Museum on Mulberry Street whose mission is to tell the story of Italian Americans with their emmigration from Italy to America. It is the only museum with this mission. This week, the Museum is showing a video of the San Gennaro story in its main viewing room and features photos from a book of Italian American feasts. These are two of the many great topical subjects that are tackled by the IAM and it is worth the effort to visit it. Artifacts such as old passports, ship board passes and other vintage materials can be found in the old Banca Stabile building which still has its original vault and teller cages.

Attending and participating in this feast and you never know what you'll see. It could be the man walking around with his cat sitting on his head, a parade or a procession, cannoli-eating contest or maybe a human-sized tomato.

It is a great feast - stop by and maybe I'll see you there!!!