WILLIAMSBURG — The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel fell on a brutally hot and humid day on July 16, but Tom Carlo was unfazed. 

He stood quietly at the back of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, remaining calm and composed as he awaited the start of the feast day Mass. Following the service, he would participate in a lengthy procession through the streets under the scorching sun.

“It’s funny how the feast day is always on the hottest day of the summer,” Carlo noted. “But I’m used to it.” 

He sure is. Carlo, 68, has taken part in the procession every year since he was 12. 

“I remember walking in the procession with my grandfather, and both of us were dripping in sweat,” he said. “But it’s worth it. You feel like you’re bringing your faith out to the street, to the public. It’s always a proud moment.”

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Carlo, a parishioner of the church, was one of the scores of faithful who took part in the procession. The church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in grand style, with a 12-day extravaganza from July 9 to 20 that includes the famous Dancing of the Giglio and a street fair featuring rides, games, and plenty of food.

But the feast day itself is steeped in faith. Its centerpiece is a Mass — this year celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Raymond Chappetto — and a procession in which the faithful walk behind a float carrying a statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Msgr. Jamie Gigantiello, the pastor.

Parishioner Joanne Manna sat out this procession, preferring to volunteer to sell souvenirs inside the church. She has, however, taken part in the procession for 50 years and remembers walking with her now-adult children when they were little. 

Manna, 72, added that her family history is also tied to procession, thanks to her maternal grandmother, Theresa Russo, who participated 100 years ago. After Manna was born prematurely in the 1950s, her grandmother vowed to walk the entire procession route barefoot if the baby survived. Manna lived, and her grandmother took her shoes off.

“We love the procession because we have a big devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel in my family. She has always been there to help us. She’s there for you, too,” she said, calling for people to pray for her intercession.

While Manna and Carlo have long histories with the procession, this year marked the first time for 18-year-old Tyler Quinones. A parishioner of St. Rita Church on Staten Island, he learned about the procession and wanted to participate in it.

Quinones, who is discerning whether to become a priest, said he hoped walking in the procession could help him move closer to a decision. 

“I’m going to be walking through the streets,” he said, “but I want to walk toward God.”