The Hoboken Italian Festival, otherwise known as the Feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri (Our Lady of the Martyrs), returns to Sinatra Park Thursday, Sept. 8 through Sunday Sept 11.
The religious tradition began over 600 years ago in Molfetta, Italy, according to Danny Altilio, who does public relations for the festival.
A number of Italian-Americans in Hoboken trace their heritage to Molfetta. The Feast has been celebrated in the city for the past 89 years and reaches its 90th anniversary this year.
The four-day celebration offers musical entertainment, games, food, and fireworks.
This year the musical performances include Johnny Maggio, a jazz orchestra, a live DJ, The Giglio Band, and many more.
“Musical performances occur all four days,” said Altilio. “Thursday is three different varieties of music. Friday is dance music, and Saturday and Sunday are Italian-themed.”
Roughly 40 to 50 vendors will be at the family friendly festival offering food, games with prizes, and items for purchase such as t-shirts.
“We also have a cultural booth about what the heck this is,” said Altilio. “Because people walking by have no idea and just stumble into it.”
On Saturday, Sept. 10, a procession will carry the statue of Madonna Dei Martiri through Hoboken from St. Francis Church to the Lackawanna station and on to Sinatra Park.
“Last year we had lights come from Molfetta, which are beautiful.” — Danny Altilio
____________
On Sunday at 7:15 p.m., the annual grape stomping competition will take place between the Hoboken Fire Department and the Hoboken Police Department.
“They actually get up there barefooted and we measure out how much liquid they make,” said Altilio.
This year the beautiful lighted archways from Molfetta will make their second appearance at the festival.
“Last year we had lights come from Molfetta, which are beautiful,” said Altilio. “We only had four arches sent over here but it was a pain in the neck to do.”
According to Altilio, it was such a pain that a “documentary about bringing it over here and all the different trials and tribulations” was filmed.
This documentary will be shown at the Golden Door Film Festival in Jersey City, according to Altilio. The Golden Door Film Festival will air the documentary titled “We Light the Tradition,” at 5 o clock at the beacon theater in Jersey City on Sept. 23.
History
The celebration used to be called “The Feast of Madonna Dei Martiri,” according to Altilio, it was changed to the Hoboken Italian Festival to “Anglicize it just so it’s more inclusive.”
The tradition began in 1188 when crusaders returning to the port of Molfetta on Italy’s Adriatic coast found an icon of the Virgin Mary floating in the water.
The Madonna became the town’s patron saint in 1840 and was especially venerated by fishermen who asked for her protection.
The festival is rooted in religion and includes nine days of novena prayers and a solemn procession in honor of the Madonna Dei Martiri.
The first day of the novena began on Aug. 30, and ends Sept. 7 with a nightly prayer at 7:30 p.m. at St. Francis Church located at 308 Jefferson St.
On Saturday, Sept. 10 the church will host a solemn mass at 11 a.m.
“This year we have the bishop from Molfetta coming over to do the mass on Sept 10 in honor of the 90th anniversary,” said Altilio.
After mass, an all-day procession with the statue will commence throughout the streets of Hoboken much like it does in Italy. “You’ll save money not going to Italy,” said Altilio
The procession dates back to medieval times and the plague, according to Altilio
“During the plague, everyone was sick and dying, so they began taking the statue out and taking it to people in the town …so people could pray,” said Altilio.
The statue is life-size and weighs roughly 1,000 pounds. Men in teams of four carry the statue through Hoboken stopping at the Lackawanna station.
Traditionally in Italy the mariners carry the statue as a thanks to the patron. This year, “some mariners from Italy are coming with their boat oars as part of the procession as well,” Altilio said.
He said, “Following the tradition of Molfetta Italy, we put the statue on a boat at the Lackawanna station, place a wreath, and the boat then goes out and blesses the fleet.”
The statue then makes its way to Sinatra Park where it will stay for the evening’s festivities.
That night at 9 p.m. is the fireworks display which “is the most beautiful fireworks display you will ever see.”
The next morning at 11 a.m., mass will take place at Sinatra Park and after, another procession will bring the Madonna back to the church where she remains for another year.
Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com