St. Lucy's Church in Newark, NJ - Christmas 2007

This is the parish church of my great grandparents, grandparents and my mother when she was growing up in Newark, New Jersey. The pictures show much of the old architecture of a late 19th century church. I thought some might enjoy the Italian Christmas music and pictures from last Christmas.

From You-tube:

St. Lucy's Church in Newark, New Jersey has preserved many of the traditions of the Italian immigrants who founded the parish in 1891. Generations of families have worshipped here and have been strengthened by the teachings of Jesus Christ and by the examples of the lives of the saints. The pastor, Msgr. Joseph Granato, has long-served the parish with his dedication and faith.

The parish namesake, Saint Lucy (Santa Lucia), martyred in Syacuse (Siracusa) in third-century Sicily, is the patron of those afflicted with diseases of the eyes.

The church is the National Shrine of Saint Gerard Maiella, who lived in eighteenth-century Italy. He has a special devotion from expectant mothers. In 1899, immigrants from Caposele, Italy introduced the annual October feast in honor of St. Gerard, which continues to be a highlight for the parish each year.

Another cherished tradition, depicted in this video, is that of the Christmas Presepio, an elaborate Neapolitan Nativity scene with "the Bambino" (the infant Jesus) surrounded by a multitude of figures including Mary, Joseph, angels, shepherds, and wise men, as well as, the people of the town of Bethlehem engaged in their everyday activities. (There is even a figure of a woman carrying a plate of pasta to the manger, symbolic of the wonderful hospitality of generations of St. Lucy's parishoners.)

These photos were all taken on January 6, 2008, the Feast of the Epiphany. The background music is Adeste Fideles (Andrea Bocelli), Tu Scendi Dalle Stelle (Sergio Franchi), and Ave Maria (Luciano Pavarotti).