Festival Time

 Most years, during festival time for Our Lady of Mt Carmel in Lowellville, I focus on the festivities and the Baby Doll dance more than the reason for the celebration in the first place. After the long year we have all had, I thought it was important this year to focus on the religious aspect of the annual Feast Day and give thanks in everything I am grateful for.

So how did it begin that Italians, especially Southern Italians, became so devout to Our Lady of Mt Carmel? A brief and short history lesson can answer this....

Way back in the 13th century, St Simon Strock, of the Carmelite order, professed to have had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary at which time she presented him with a brown scapular. During his vision, Mary promised that the faithful who wore her scapular would be saved. Today on the Feast Day devotees still don the scapular around their necks for the entirety of the festival week. This scapular is seen as both a sign of devotion as well as a pledge to the devotee of Mary's motherly protection. If you go back and look at previous year's festival pictures, you will begin to notice the scapular on the necks of those involved in the festivities as well. 

So how did Our Lady of Mt Carmel become so tied to Italy? She was adapted a patron saint in Southern Italy first in the Calabrian town of Palmi in the 1800s. The town suffered a massive earthquake during which and in warning of the statue of Mary was said to have moving eyes, a miracle that was recognized and affirmed by the Vatican. The immigrants from Italy brought their faith and devotion to Our Lady of Mt Carmel with them to America as well as their celebrations. 126 years later in the town of Lowellville, OH, here we are....

We still take the statue from her place of reference in the front window on a parade through town across the bridge to a mass which is read in Italian. The process itself draws many out from their homes to pin money on her banners in hopes of having a prayer granted for the year. The band plays as the devotees follow the procession to mass. 

Once mass has concluded, the procession continues back to the hall to take Mary safely back to her place of reverent display. Along the way many homes also have become stops along the way, offering wine, cheese, and other snacks for those in the procession. 

The whole day is just magical to experience. I couldn't imagine this magical week in July without this mass and parade any more than I could without a Baby Doll dance.