Italian Harlem and Our Lady of Mt Carmel shrine, feast, devotions and TLM

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jpitera123
December 13, 2008

Italian immigrants who arrived in New York City during the last quarter of the nineteenth century came from a variety of southern Italian towns. Those from Polla (Salerno) arrived in 1878 and occupied the area around 115th Street. In 1881 a small community of Genovese settled south of 106th Street. Neapolitans chose the area between 106th and 108th Streets while new arrivals from Basilicata lived between 108th and 115th Street. The 1890s saw the arrival of a number of laborers from Calabria. Some immigrants were brought uptown by an Irish-American contractor, J. D. Crimmins, to work on the First Avenue trolley tracks. Others sought the cleaner air of northern Manhattan and the increased prospect of work in the growing construction trades. By 1884 there were approximately four thousand Italians in Northern Manhattan. Italian Harlem was known as one of New York City Little Italies. Typical of those Little Italies was the celebration of the popular feasts to which were reminiscences of their homes in their native lands. The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was first held in 1881. This feast enlivened the desire to have a church dedicated to the fulfillment of religious duties and to venerate the Blessed Mother. This church would be built by the Italians, and was to be called the parish of the Italians in New York. With the completion of the church came the arrival of the Statue of the Blessed Mother. The Statute came from Italy and was adorned with precious garments. Thereafter, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel became a sanctuary. Thousands of people took pilgrimages to visit the Sanctuary, each bearing gifts and devotion to the Blessed Mother. Italians offered wedding rings, earrings, and necklaces to the Blessed Mother; for they believed that it was the Blessed Mother who kept a watchful eye on them in this new world. Soon after, the statue was officially coronated by Papal Nuncio. The coronation of the Statue gave a new impulse to the devotion for the Madonna. One can truly say that there was not one Italian during that generation who did not visit at least once the Sacred Temple on the occasion of the feast during the month of July. People prayed to the Madonna, and miraculously sick children were cured, fatal injuries became scratches and bruises. Italians have prayed to the Madonna in times of despair and the procession from the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel through the streets of East Harlem is a way of honouring the Blessed Mother.

Mantilla twitch to The Society of St Hugh of Cluny blog for beautiful pictures including those of OLMC shrine and of Tridentine Mass celebrated in the shrine, to Angela from myitalianharlem.com for some of her beautiful pictures that adorned this movie, to Patrick from New York, who in the first place made me aware of the shrine's existence several months ago and who kindly visited the Church and took for me some photos there and also to Andrew from 'The Catholic Churches of Manhatan' blog for some info and photos included in this movie.
The background music is by 'Singing Nuns'.
The story of the shrine and devotions and NY Italian immigrants is based on the book 'The Madonna of 115th Street'.

Category: People & Blogs

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Italian Harlem devotion Our Lady of Mt Carmel Little Italy Catholicism

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beaubluenyc (3 weeks ago) Show Hide

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jpitera123: Correction to your vid post - the saint statue at 2:20 is not St. Lucy - that is St. Rita of Cascia.

Voodoomilio (2 months ago) Show Hide

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hi, I came from Polla (SALERNO)...I lived a couple of year over there in the bronx 10 years ago!...I have a old ant that was born in Harlem in the first years of 1920!...she talks to me a lot about Joe Rao a Great Man that makes a lot of good things when she lived there to all italian people ant to the people that came from Polla or Vallo di Diano!
I' m so happy to find this on You tube...have ya some contact of Pollesi that still lives in NYC?

thanx a lot

Greetings from Polla

Emiliano

jpitera123 (8 months ago) Show Hide

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The website that existed in the past is no longer available, I am afraid. Best wishes

ChicagoJoe57 (5 months ago) Show Hide

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Have you been up to Italian Harlem lately? I was wondering how much is left besides Rao's? I have heard less than 1,000 live there today?

nonstopclubber (8 months ago) Show Hide

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any links for the website for the church ?

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Italian Harlem and Our Lady of Mt Carmel shrine, feast, devotions and TLM

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