Feast of Saint Lucy to Kick Off Saint Anthony’s Feast Weekend in 2017
Celebration will begin Thursday evening and continue all weekend.
Gearing up for their Centennial Celebration in 2019, the organizers of the Feasts of Saint Anthony and Saint Lucy are announcing big schedule changes for the famous annual celebration. Beginning this year, the Feast of Saint Lucy will be celebrated on Thursday evening prior to the traditional start of Saint Anthony’s Feast on Friday.
The Feast of Saint Anthony began as a two-day weekend celebration in 1919, and two years later the first procession of Saint Lucy was held on Monday evening. The popularity of the two saints compelled founding members to expand the Feast of Saint Anthony to three days and begin celebrating a Feast of Saint Lucy annually on Monday.
This year, the Feast of Saint Lucy will begin Thursday, August 24, at 5:00PM on Endicott Street in the North End, followed by a solemn procession through the streets of the neighborhood. Thursday will be a traditional feast night, featuring live entertainment, culinary demonstrations, outdoor seating and vendors.
After a full day of activities on Friday, the Statue of Saint Lucy, carried by her members will begin the procession to commence the opening ceremonies of Saint Anthony’s Feast. To preserve one of our most treasured customs, the transition of the two saints will take place at 7:00PM, when the Statue of Saint Anthony makes his annual debut to begin his feast weekend, greeted by the Statue of Saint Lucy which will return to her chapel.
We invite you to join us in August as we begin a new tradition and celebrate the weekend honoring our two patron saints!
This is a smart and long overdue move. Having the Feast of St. Lucy on a Monday following St. Anthony’s Feast made no sense.
Marie Fabiano. Great
Great move by the younger generation as to something none of us old timers ever even thought of…….Congratulations on your willingness to try something different…………….