Our Lady of Mt. Carmel – the Traditional Pilgrimage

The Fifth Annual Traditional Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on East 116th Street, New York on Saturday, July 23. Over the last five years the number of pilgrims has steadily grown  – the ceremonies and music have also become much more elaborate.   The pilgrimage takes place a week after this parish’s patronal feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel –  a legendary festa which nowadays also prominently features the celebration of the Traditional mass. The pilgrimage involves individuals and Traditionalist organizations from all over the New York area.  The celebrant was Canon Matthew Talarico ICRSS.  The deacon was Fr Christopher Salvatore SAC and the subdeacon was Fr. Richard Cipolla, pastor of St. Mary Church, Norwalk.

(Above) The recently restored Image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, over the altar

Statue of Our Lady used in outdoor processions

(Above) Greetings from the pastor; (below) Bill Riccio at the organ!

(Above) The congregation gathers around sanctuary for presentation of flowers.

(Above and Below) The procession of pilgrims into the church on their knees.

(Above) The entrance procession.

(Above) Representatives of the Constantinian Order of St. George

(Above) Canon Matthew Talarico ICRSS was the celebrant.

The procession after the mass followed by benediction.

(Above and below) The celebrant and subdeacon with the members of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George before the image of S. Elena di Laurino.

(Above) S. Elena di Laurino. Our Lady of Mount Carmel church posseses an extraordinary variety of devotional images. (Below) In the baptistry note between two paintings of angels the framed image of the Madonna Incoronata, a devotion originating in Foggia in Apulia.

(Above and below). Sometimes the faithful grow too enthusiastic. A warning sign next to a statue of St. Ann – her book is the ideal place to write petitions to the Virgin in a place she can very easily read them.