Fr. Steven Bell, CSP, makes his video debut (and eats a lot of sausage and peppers) while celebrating the San Gennaro Festival in New York’s Little Italy. The festival, which celebrates the patron saint of the people of Naples, is well known as one of the largest religious street festivals in the United States.
San Gennaro, a.k.a. St. Januarius, was an Italian bishop martyred in 305 AD. His remains were brought back to Naples, where he was celebrated for his faithfulness. When the Napoli people immigrated to New York in 1926, they continued the celebration, which has expanded from a simple afternoon event into what is now an 11-day-long festival of food, fellowship and fun (and once again, a lot of food.)
Join Fr. Steve as he makes his way through the festivities, samples quite a few treats, talks to the locals and discovers the deeper meaning of the feast.
Originally published October 2013
