Tradition brought from Italian village continuing in Chatham for 55th year

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A tradition that began in Italy will continue for the 55th year in Chatham on Sunday when the Festa Della Madonna Delle Grazie takes place at St. Ursula Roman Catholic Church.

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Tradition brought from Italian village continuing in Chatham for 55th year Back to video

The origins of the celebration date back about 200 years when an elderly woman from the southern Italian village of Castelvetere sul Calore saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary.

The woman said the Madonna delivered the message that she wanted a church built in the village. After trying in vain to convince the local priest and others about the message, the tradition goes that the Virgin Mary told the woman there would be a sign on the spot where she wanted the church to be built.

On April 28, people in the village awoke to see it had snowed only on a single plot of land. Seeing it as a miracle, the church was built on that spot.

This also led to the feast in honour of the Virgin Mary held on April 28 in Castelvetere sul Calore, which still continues.

The first celebration in Chatham was in 1968 after a young girl, who immigrated to Chatham from Italy, was hit by a car and her father wanted a mass said on April 28. As a result, Joe Meriano organized a local feast day since many Italians still living in Chatham-Kent can trace their roots back to Castelvetere sul Calore.

Today, the celebration is held locally on a Sunday close to April 28.

Women, including many who are descendants of those who immigrated to Chatham from Castelvetere sul Calore, were busy Wednesday preparing bread at the Spirit and Life Centre in Chatham for Sunday’s celebration.

Lina DeMattia said the tradition is based on feeding the poor.

She said there was a gentleman in Italy who donated a plot of land for wheat to be grown that was used to make bread to help feed the poor as part of the annual celebration.

“It just kind of developed from there,” she said.

DeMattia said three to four generations of women take part in making bread, which is donated by a local family ever year. This year the Moccia family, including father Mario and his sons Mike, Tony and Dom donated the bread.

Anna DeVito said it is hoped the tradition of the feast continues on for many more generations in Chatham-Kent.

She said the families have a “strong faith to Our Lady of Grace because there’s so many blessings, so many miracles they’ve seen.”

When asked what she enjoys about the celebration, DeVito said, “It’s everything, the unity, the faith you share, the singing.”

DeMattia said, “For me, it’s rooted in my family.”

She said her grandfather and father were on the feast committee and now she is, along with some of her cousins.

“So, it’s this piece of faith and family that’s also part of our heritage,” DeMattia said.

DeVito said all are welcome to a mass at St. Ursula Church at 2:30 p.m. That will be followed by a procession carrying the Madonna through the neighbourhood before returning to the church.

“We place the Mother back up on the altar and then the blessed bread is distributed to people,” she said.

DeMattia said Italians who immigrated to the United States have come to the feast over the years as well as people from other ethnic backgrounds.

“Here, the beauty of it is, we have opened (the celebration) to whoever wants to come,” DeMattia said.