The Italian-American Catholic community of Whitestone was graced with the presence of the Sacred Image of Our Lady of Romitello for a visit to St. Luke’s Church for 10 days from Aug. 12 through Aug. 22.

The image is the sacred Madonna of Our Lady of Sorrows from the town of Borgetto in Sicily, Italy. Parishioners from St. Luke’s, many of whom come from Borgetto, turned out in droves to venerate the image.

“It is an image that has been venerated for several centuries,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. “It’s very important to the people from Borgetto. This is their Madonna, their mother, as they venerate Our Lady under this title.”

The Borgetto Cultural Association M.S.S. Addolorata del Romitello, Inc., facilitated the visit, which was only the second time the Italian church and government allowed for the icon to travel to the U.S. The first time occurred in the 1980s to St. Joseph’s Church, Astoria, which at the time housed the highest concentration of Borgetto in the diocese.

“There are many more Borgetto that live here in the United States than are left in Borgetto in Italy,” said Msgr. John Tosi, pastor of St. Luke’s. “They came for a better life; they found that better life, but their love and devotion always remains with their miraculous image of Our Lady.

 

A Real Visit

“She’s the one who protects them. She’s the one they pray to in bad times and good. They see it as a real visit. They see it as a visit of the Blessed Mother, and it means a great deal to them to see this image in the church.”

Fathers Francesco DiMariano, C.P., and Rosario Fontana, C.P., – two Passionist priests from the Sanctuary of Romitello in Borgetto – accompanied the image as it made its way from Aeroporto di Palermo, Italy, to John F. Kennedy International Airport Aug. 12.

The first stop was the Church of St. Mel, Flushing, where the image was unveiled and placed upon a float for a mile-long street procession of nearly 500 people up 154th Street to St. Luke’s, complete with a police escort and the “Association G. Catanzaro,” the 30-piece concert band of Borgetto.

The image was then placed behind the altar, where it was venerated for nine days. A rite of reception was held the first night, with welcoming speeches by Msgr. Tosi; Bishop DiMarzio; Gioacchino De Luca, mayor of Borgetto; Sal Giambrone, president of the Borgetto Cultural Association; and Father DiMariano, superior of the Sanctuary of Romitello.

“I believed this day would arrive,” Giambrone said. “We’ve been working for almost one year.”

Diocesan priests, including Fathers Gerard Sauer, pastor, Italo Barrozzi and Jun Hee Lee from St. Mel’s, and Fathers Michael Bruno, Peter Penton and René Manenti from St. Luke’s, also were present for the welcoming rite.

Parishioners from St. Luke’s and other surrounding churches lined the aisles for a chance to venerate the Madonna up close. All present received a prayer card with the image along with a cotton ball that had been rubbed on the glass protecting the image.

“For me it’s something unbelievable…beautiful,” said Claudia Morelli, a parishioner at St. Luke’s for 35 years whose family comes from Rome. “I’m very emotional because I love the Blessed Mother. I feel very, very happy that the Blessed Mother is with us.”

Throughout the visit, special Masses in English and Italian were held as well as confessions, rosaries, blessings and house visits by the Passionist priests. On Aug. 17, Archbishop Michele Pennisi of the Diocese of Monreale – the home diocese of Borgetto – celebrated a special Mass at St. Luke’s, followed by another street procession with the image.

A dinner dance at Russo’s on the Bay, Howard Beach, and a two-day outdoor festival in St. Luke’s schoolyard capped off the visit.

Privilege and Honor

In his welcome speech, Msgr. Tosi said he was privileged and honored to welcome the sacred image to his parish and community.

“I think it’s very appropriate that the image of Our Lady of Romitello should come to St. Luke (Church), not because there are so many descendants of Borgetto here in our parish and in our neighboring parishes but also because tradition tells us that St. Luke had a very warm and loving relationship with the Blessed Mother,” he said.

The monsignor also noted that St. Luke was an artist who composed the first painting of the Blessed Mother – also a fitting touch to the image’s visit.

“By imitating her (Mary),” he said, “we come to know, love and serve her son Jesus.”