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| Every
August the community holds a celebration for the Feast of Saint Rocco.
The article below, originally published in the September 2001 Il
Postino, describes one such event. |
| The
Feast of Saint Rocco |
| By
Il Postino Staff |
The
story of a Frenchman who made a pilgrimage to Rome, curing many of
disease along the way through religious acts, draws people to churches
every August to celebrate his life. This man would later be proclaimed
a saint – Saint Rocco.
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| Photo:
Laura D'Amelio. The Ottawa Firefighters Band led a procession
to celebrate the Feast of Saint Rocco. |
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On
August 12, the Italian community in Ottawa gathered at St.
Anthony’s Church to celebrate the Feast of St.
Rocco. Though the sweltering summer heat challenged the stamina
of those who attended, St.
Anthony’s Church was filled beyond capacity for this religious
and cultural tradition.
After
mass, the Ottawa Firefighters Band led a procession through the surrounding
area of the church. The band was accompanied by local women and children
dressed in traditional Italian outfits and carrying flower arrangements.
A statue of St. Rocco, carried by four
local men, was followed by a procession of people singing and praying
in honour of the saint.
This
Sunday scene is typical of the Feast of St.
Rocco, and for that matter every Saint’s Feast Day. While
the event may seem predictable, it is steeped in the past of the Italian
community not only in Ottawa, but across the country and around the
world.
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On August 16 the city of Roccamontepiano
in Chieti, Italy, celebrated the Feast of St.
Rocco with the same fanfare and traditions as Ottawa. The Ottawa
Firefighters Band had the honour of performing at this feast as well
and Canadian visitors got a chance to experience the feast day in
a town that honours St. Rocco as their
patron saint.
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| Located
on a wooded foothill on the eastern side of the Maiella, near the Alento
River, the town of Roccamontepiano has a population of around 2,000
inhabitants. The town dates back to the Middle Ages when people were
attracted to settle there because of the abundance of water. |
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| Photo:
Laura D'Amelio. Women and children dressed in traditional
Italian outfits to celebrate the Feast of Saint Rocco in
Ottawa and, like those in Roccamontepinao, balanced conche
on their head. |
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| Theologians
consider Saint Rocco’s statue unique because of its
pose – he points to a sore on his leg. Few images
of saints expose any afflictions or
handicaps. |
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| The
Ottawa Firefighters Band led a procession to celebrate the
Feast of Saint Rocco. |
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Each
year on August 16th, people flock to the town to drink water from
a spring which is a part of Saint Rocco’s
Sanctuary, the location of a miracle performed by the saint. The festivities
in Roccamontepinao also began with a religious ceremony and led to
a procession much like that seen in Ottawa. Women in traditional dress
and a statue of the saint proceeded through the city followed by a
large crowd. The women balanced conche, traditional water-carrying
vessels, on their heads. For the festival they fill the conche with
bunches of colourful flowers. The Abbruzo region, where Roccamontepinao
is located, is known for its abundance of flowers because of the fertile
soil. Later, food and fun were served up to complete the celebration.
Though
thousands of miles apart the similar festivities convincingly prove
the connection Italians maintain with their culture. And the inclusion
of young Italians in the festivities ensures the continuance of this
tradition. |
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