Procession Revived After 80 Years
San Vincenzo statue outside the Church of the Most Precious Blood
Last week, a cherished tradition returned to the streets of Manhattan’s Little Italy. The Craco Society marked its 125th annual celebration honoring San Vincenzo with a Mass at the Church of the Most Precious Blood and the first procession in 80 years.Society president Joseph Ronaldi, together with members Fred Spero and Stephen LaRocca, worked to ensure that this year’s observance included both the Mass and a procession with the saint’s statue. Their efforts brought a remarkable piece of the neighborhood’s Italian heritage back into public view.
Society President Joseph Rinaldi
Original Society Standard
The celebration carries the history of immigrants from Craco, a town in Basilicata that today stands largely empty. Many arrived in New York in 1902–1903 and the years that followed, settling along Elizabeth Street on the Lower East Side. Through their societies, they maintained the religious traditions and community ties they had brought from Italy.
The Statue of San Vincenzo pinned with donations.
The procession makes it way down Mulberry Street
For me, this history is also personal. My grandfather’s cousin, Raymond Guarini, after whom I am named, played a key role in helping establish societies like these through the Guarini Candela Bank. Speaking both English and Italian, he helped immigrants navigate the practical demands of life between two countries, facilitating document notarizations and payments between Italy and the United States.
Seeing San Vincenzo carried through Little Italy again connects those early generations with the people preserving their traditions today. After 80 years, the procession’s return is a meaningful reminder that this heritage endures because people continue to give it their time, faith, and care.
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