The horns of a marching band pushed past the breeze in my front room tonight but I wasn’t concerned until the impatient yellow cab horns started to over power the music. Out my window I see a slow procession of a hundred or so elderly lead by white pickup with a statue in the bed and a 10 person band dressed in festive Italian green, white and red.
I went down stairs after hearing it again 20 minutes later and they were proceeding back up Sullivan St to St. Anthony’s Church. I learned from a reveler today that on June 13th, the feast for the Catholic Saint Anthony of Padua is celebrated. From Wikipedia:
One of the most beloved of saints, his images and statues are ubiquitous. Proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on January 16, 1946, he is sometimes called the “Evangelical Doctor.” He is especially invoked for the recovery of things lost; as well as against starvation, barrenness; patron of amputees, animals, boatmen, Brazil, diocese in Beaumont, Texas, domestic animals, the elderly, expectant mothers, faith in the Blessed Sacrament, Ferrazzano, fishermen, harvests, horses, lower animals, mail, mariners, oppressed persons, Padua, paupers, Portugal, sailors, scholars, sterility, swineherds, Tigua Indians, travel hostesses, travelers, and watermen.
St. Anthony is attributed by The Book, bread, lilies and of course lil’ baby Jesus. I caught a few pictures before it went dark.
“Dear 8 pounds 6 ounces baby Jesus, new born, not even spoken a word yet…”