East Harlem Giglio ~ NYC

Ciao tutti!

Yesterday, I drove up to a section of Manhattan called East Harlem to attend the annual Feast of the Giglio and witness the “Dance of the Giglio.” Before I get into the history and details of this great Italian festival, you are probably wondering, what is a Giglio? 

Historic Basis of the Giglio

In Italian, the word “giglio” means lily. So, why is this tall tower of religious statues with a platform hosting an Italian band called the Giglio? Take yourself back to the 5th century in Nola, Italy (near Naples). On August 24 in the year 410, the Visigoths invaded Italy and sacked Rome. Pirate ships of these invaders moved south and took the people of Nola as prisoners. The Bishop of Nola, Paul was killed and the people invoked a man named Paolino as Bishop of Nola. The son of a grieving widow was captured, but Paolino offered himself as a slave in exchange for the widow’s son. Paolino was sent to Africa. While in Africa, he had a premonition that his master’s king would one day be killed. Paolino’s master had a dream in which Paolino appeared to him. In turn, the master began to question Paolino and discovered that he was Bishop of Nola. Astounded and with great respect, the master told Paolino that he would grant whatever Paolino requested. Paolino replied that he wanted the liberation of the people of Nola. Paolino and the now freed people of Nola were welcomed back to Nola with lilies when they returned on ships from Africa. In turn, this is where the tradition of the “Giglio” originated. 

Featured Story - East Harlem Giglio

As is the story with many neighborhoods in New York City, the area known as East Harlem in Upper Manhattan was no different to the influx of ethnic groups - including Italians - in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Specific to the Italians that came over were a group from Brusciano - on the outskirts of Naples and in the depressed (at the time) Southern Italy. Like so many other Italians, Irish, German, Polish, etc., these people came to the United States for a new and better life. They assimilated into American culture, but did so by bringing their own cultural aspects, traditions and devotion with them. One of the traditions they brought over was their Feast of the Giglio. In Brusciano, six Giglio’s are built in honor of their Patron, Saint Anthony of Padua in the August timeframe every year. 

In 1908, the new Bruscianese Society established the Giglio feast on East 106th Street. The feast became one of the largest street fairs in the United States. In 1957, the feast moved a few blocks to 108th Street until 1971, which is the year that the feast stopped. In 2000, the Feast of the Giglio returned in conjunction with a feast celebrated by the Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on East 115th Street between Pleasant Avenue and 1st Avenue. As described above, that feast is around July 16, which is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In 2006, the Feast of the Giglio separated from the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and moved the Dance of the Giglio to the second Sunday of August. The feast is currently located on Pleasant Avenue nearby the famous Rao’s restaurant.  

Like Brusciano, the Feast of the Giglio in East Harlem celebrates their patron, Saint Anthony of Padua (whose feast day is June 13). On the Saturday within the feast, there is a solemn procession of the statue of Saint Anthony and again - on the Sunday - is the Dance of the Giglio. 

There is a new Giglio built each year. Typically, the East Harlem Giglio is over 75 feet tall decorated with various saints and flowers - mostly lilies. This year, at the top of the Giglio was a statue of Saint Anthony. At the base of the Giglio is a platform where a multi-piece band performs. Weighing a few tons, it took about 120 people to lift the Giglio as it “danced” through the streets of East Harlem. The “dance” is also led by a “Capo,” and this person typically changes from year to year. The “Capo” is honorary and usually a long-standing and esteemed member of the society responsible for putting on the feast. In the case of East Harlem, it is the Giglio Society of East Harlem. Part of their mission is to preserve the Italian- American heritage, history and culture.

Anthony On The Ave Experience

I came upon the East Harlem Giglio through a social media search. After looking into it, the feast peaked my interest, so II decided to attend the feast. Being that it was the last day of the feast (started on August 6), I arrived just as Holy Mass was ending at the magnificent Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mass began at 1:00 pm and was the premier mass for the feast. Following the Mass, organizers prepared to start the Dance of the Giglio. As the lifters were getting ready, impassioned speeches about the history of this great feast were given. There were also remembrances for members of the society who passed away this past year and finally the singing of the National Anthem - because at the end of the day and despite our love of ethnic culture - we are still patriotic Americans. 

Following the National Anthem, the band kicked off with traditional Italian music to get the crowd going and the Capo readied and inspired the lifters. The Dance of the Giglio commenced on Pleasant Avenue. There were several lifts throughout the afternoon. One of the most prominent lifts was the Giglio moving from Pleasant Ave. to 115th Street and then proceeded in front of the Shrine Church for an impressive dance. You can watch some of the posted recordings of the “dance” @anthonyontheave Instagram and Facebook. 

Cibo (food) and More

As I walked around the feast, per typical, I got hungry. This is due in part to the sights and smells of the delicious foods at the feast. The food choices were very typical Italian feast cuisine and more. This feast featured not only sausage and peppers, but braciole! They also had Nutella crepes, pastries, torrone from Italy, fried zucchini flowers, homemade Italian cookies, fresh mozzarella, soppressata sandwiches, wine and peaches, beer, zeppole, arancini, cheese steaks, Italian ice, and pizza. I went with the braciole sandwich with peppers and onions. It was very tasty and not dry (which is good). The bread was okay - not the Hoboken standard. 

The feast also had some rides for the kids and games as well as some retail tents. They sold festival shirts and you could also purchase a sign where you would write the name of a deceased loved one and have it posted on the Giglio. 

As I was walking around, I also noticed a tent where two individuals were being interviewed. I recorded this and you can view it on Instagram or Facebook. These people were representatives of the Italian American Civil Rights League (IACRL). The League is “committed to preserving the Italian heritage, honoring our traditions, and confronting anti-Italian discrimination wherever it exists.” I spoke to one of the representatives and will be looking into a local New Jersey chapter where I can contribute to this worthy organization.

Finally, as I was walking back to my car, I saw a family sitting on the steps of their home on Pleasant Avenue. The bannister was decorated with Italian flags and the centerpiece (front door) had a large American flag adorned. I introduced myself and asked one of them if I could take a picture of the family. I also explained that I just started a blog and social media page and asked if I could record some words from one of them about the feast. They immediately referred me to Pasquale Cuomo, who is one of the Giglio officials. Long story short, but Pasquale grew up in East Harlem and still lives there. He is very proud of the feast, his Italian-American heritage and is motivated about the sustainment of the heritage and culture for generations to come. You can view his entire recorded statement on @anthonyontheave Instagram and Facebook.

Final Takeaway

The East Harlem Feast of the Giglio is a quintessential neighborhood New York City Italian feast. The organizers of the feast are driven, motivated and determined to keep their traditions alive. This tradition gets its roots from a bishop who lived over 1,500 years ago and carried over from the Naples region, across the Atlantic Ocean and into a small - but impactful - neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. As an aside, there are other Giglio feasts such as in Williamsburg, Brookly and Massapequa, Long Island. The people at the East Harlem feast are family oriented, proud of their culture and proud of their American heritage in the United States. 

It is amazing to me that even with an almost 30 year hiatus, the tradition in East Harlem could have gone into the passing winds of history. It did not. Descendants of the original organizers and others brought it back strong. 

Mark your calendars for next year and bring your family to this amazing Feast of the Giglio to witness a unique and longstanding tradition.

Buona Festa!