St. Bartholomew’s celebrates more than 80 years of Italian Catholic heritage
NORWICH – For more than 80 years, parishioners at St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church on East Main Street in Norwich have come together for an annual festival to celebrate the longstanding Itialian Catholic heritage in the area and help sustain a church that has become an unmistakable staple in the community.
Friday marks the 85th annual St. Bartholomew Italian Feast Celebration at the Monsignor Festa Parish Center, 81 E. Main St. in Norwich. The three-day annual gala - which began in 1927 as a fundraiser to construct the church itself - features an arrangement of music, games, raffles and – of course – some of the finest Italian cuisine to be found. According to organizers, the intent is to carry on a tradition passed down for more than three generations of parishioners and preserve the legacy of the Italian Catholic Church.
“This is such an important tradition for us,” explained JoAnn Testani, a longtime parishioner of the church. “We are trying to carry on the traditions passed down to us by our parents and our grandparents.”
“Every year, we have people who attend not only from our perish, but from all over,” added Teresa Biviano, a senior member of the church who has been involved with the festival since childhood. “It is something that has been supported for a long time and several businesses and parishioners have been very generous in donating to us.”
The festival gets underway at 5 p.m. Friday, when Italian foods are served up behind the parish center. The menu features some of the tastiest Italian foods, say organizers, including homemade sausage and peppers, meatball subs, pasta fagole, eggplant parmigiana, fried ravioli, polenta and gigi, and a variety of Italian pastries and homemade Italian cookies.
A special performance from “All Shook Up,” a Norwich Theater Company production based on the life of Elvis Presley, is also scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
Admission, as always, is free.
Friday also presents a chance to register for the Eddie Caputo Memorial 5K Run and Walk, set to take off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The 2nd annual Eddie Caputo Run is expected to have a grand turnout, said festival coordinators, as people come out not only to raise money for St. Bartholomew’s, but also to commemorate parishioner Eddie Caputo, a man who was dedicated to the church, his conviction, and the local community.
“I hope a lot of people are able to participate,” said Joseph Caputo, father of the late Eddie Caputo. “He was so good. He dedicated his life to the church and to the faith.”
Registration for the Eddie Caputo Run and Walk will continue from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday.
The festival continues that day with an array of entertainment including silent auctions, a book sale, cash raffles, a cake booth, and games for adults and children. Additionally, a performance from the Donna French Dance Studio of Norwich is set to take to the parish grounds at 2:30 p.m., and Italian foods will be offered until the event ends at 9 p.m.
At 9 a.m. Sunday, the celebration takes a different tone, beginning with a special Mass spoken in both English and Italian. The service will be followed by a procession of parishioners carrying a stature of St. Batholomew. Tradition is that parishioners bear the stature in a procession around the church grounds as people attach money to the streamers on the stature - the very same stature used in the first procession in 1927. Once again, all proceeds go directly toward the mission of the church.
Sunday’s Mass and procession will be immediately followed by a free-will offering breakfast brunch under the pavilion behind the parish center.
For additional information on the St. Bartholomew Italian Feast Celebration, visit the church website, www.stbartsnorwichny.com.
Friday marks the 85th annual St. Bartholomew Italian Feast Celebration at the Monsignor Festa Parish Center, 81 E. Main St. in Norwich. The three-day annual gala - which began in 1927 as a fundraiser to construct the church itself - features an arrangement of music, games, raffles and – of course – some of the finest Italian cuisine to be found. According to organizers, the intent is to carry on a tradition passed down for more than three generations of parishioners and preserve the legacy of the Italian Catholic Church.
“This is such an important tradition for us,” explained JoAnn Testani, a longtime parishioner of the church. “We are trying to carry on the traditions passed down to us by our parents and our grandparents.”
“Every year, we have people who attend not only from our perish, but from all over,” added Teresa Biviano, a senior member of the church who has been involved with the festival since childhood. “It is something that has been supported for a long time and several businesses and parishioners have been very generous in donating to us.”
The festival gets underway at 5 p.m. Friday, when Italian foods are served up behind the parish center. The menu features some of the tastiest Italian foods, say organizers, including homemade sausage and peppers, meatball subs, pasta fagole, eggplant parmigiana, fried ravioli, polenta and gigi, and a variety of Italian pastries and homemade Italian cookies.
A special performance from “All Shook Up,” a Norwich Theater Company production based on the life of Elvis Presley, is also scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
Admission, as always, is free.
Friday also presents a chance to register for the Eddie Caputo Memorial 5K Run and Walk, set to take off at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The 2nd annual Eddie Caputo Run is expected to have a grand turnout, said festival coordinators, as people come out not only to raise money for St. Bartholomew’s, but also to commemorate parishioner Eddie Caputo, a man who was dedicated to the church, his conviction, and the local community.
“I hope a lot of people are able to participate,” said Joseph Caputo, father of the late Eddie Caputo. “He was so good. He dedicated his life to the church and to the faith.”
Registration for the Eddie Caputo Run and Walk will continue from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday.
The festival continues that day with an array of entertainment including silent auctions, a book sale, cash raffles, a cake booth, and games for adults and children. Additionally, a performance from the Donna French Dance Studio of Norwich is set to take to the parish grounds at 2:30 p.m., and Italian foods will be offered until the event ends at 9 p.m.
At 9 a.m. Sunday, the celebration takes a different tone, beginning with a special Mass spoken in both English and Italian. The service will be followed by a procession of parishioners carrying a stature of St. Batholomew. Tradition is that parishioners bear the stature in a procession around the church grounds as people attach money to the streamers on the stature - the very same stature used in the first procession in 1927. Once again, all proceeds go directly toward the mission of the church.
Sunday’s Mass and procession will be immediately followed by a free-will offering breakfast brunch under the pavilion behind the parish center.
For additional information on the St. Bartholomew Italian Feast Celebration, visit the church website, www.stbartsnorwichny.com.
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