Neighborhood News from Little Italy

APRIL 2023

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From Saint Leo's,

the heart of the 'hood

SAINT JOSEPH TABLE,

TRADITION FROM SICILY

And yet another beautiful Saint Joseph Table was displayed in Saint Leo's Church, this annual tradition honoring the Feast of Saint Joseph which began in Sicily, Italy, in the Middle Ages.

Legend has it that during a severe drought, the Sicilians prayed to Saint Joseph, their patron saint, for relief. When the rains came, the people rejoiced and in gratitude, prepared a special table with an assortment of food from their harvest. These tables, or "altars," offered traditional cookies and cakes, bread baked in symbolic Christian symbols, assorted confections, fruit, wine, fava beans, and beautiful decorations of candles, figurines and flowers. After paying homage to Saint Joseph, the food was distributed to those less fortunate and Saint Joseph's Day was born, celebrated annually in March.

Father's Day - La Festa del Papà - in Italy is celebrated in March. Known as Saint Joseph's Day - La Festa di San Giuseppe - it is recognized as an important time to commemorate fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the significant influence of fathers in our society.

St. Leo's table was on display for a week in March and created by Little Italy native, Tina Cricchio DeFranco, parish Administrative Assistant; with parishioners Joe Tusa and Carmela Serafini. Bakers providing items for the table were Carmela Serafini, Anna Brotto and Franco Ranieri.

VISIT ST. LEO'S FOR EASTER

Outdoor Stations of the Cross

Friday, April 7

(3 pm service; 3:45 stations)

Please disregard last month's incorrect

date announced for the Italian Festival.

The flyer below is correct.

Little Italy Neighborhood Association

hosts Sheriff

LINA / Little Italy Neighborhood Association thanks Sheriff Sam Cohen who spoke to a packed house of LINA members at its March monthly meeting, held at Amicci's restaurant in Little Italy (thanks to Jody and her staff for hosting). Cohen shared his plans to modernize the Sheriff's office and his initiatives to help keep Baltimore City safer. LINA also acknowledges Major Saunders, Officer Rivera, and Officer Levierge of the Baltimore Police Department for their continued partnership and informative presentations at LINA meetings.

St. Patrick's Day party

at Little Italy Lodge

Don't miss out on all the Little Italy Lodge fun -

become a member today!

Fee $60 annually. Not Italian? "Social memberships" now permitted.

Email the Lodge for more information.

Blast from the past

submitted by Sally Di Marco

"An appreciation for fashion and a curiosity about the historical aspects of Baltimore’s one-time illustrious garment industry is captured in this article about my aunts, Rose Valenziano-Matassa (left) and Josephine 'Pina' Valenziano-Greco (center), and my mother, Concetta Valenziano-Di Marco (right), all of whom immigrated to Baltimore from Cefalù, Italy. The post was researched and written for the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

In its heyday (19th to the early 20th century), Baltimore ranked fourth in the nation for the manufacturing of clothing. Eventually, it was second to New York City for the manufacture of men’s suits. With the movement of the fashion industry off shore in the late 1990s and early 2000s, there is a strong movement in the fashion industry to keep this shining part of Baltimore’s history alive."

Read the article by Jennifer Liles:

Designing a way of life in America:

Three sisters join Baltimore’s garment industry

submit your vintage photo >>>

Include caption, people ID, location, approximate year, and your name.

Photos must be Little Italy or Italian immigrant-related.

from our email box

"I was intrigued when I read the March issue of Neighborhood News. Concerning my Panzarella relatives - my grandfather came over from Sicily and lived with his uncle in New Orleans for a while before coming to Baltimore. I have not been able to learn anything about his time in New Orleans or how and why he got to Baltimore from there. When I read the 'blast from the past' information submitted by the Bova twins and it mentioned the Muffoletto family having a short stay in New Orleans before settling in Baltimore, I thought just maybe they may have some useful info. I would love to compare notes with them."

~ Many thanks, Larry Martin

Catonsville, Maryland

"Thank you so much for the monthly newsletter."

~ Rosemary Seminazzi

Cocoa, Florida