August 16, 2026

Assunta feast held in Springfield’s South End

REGIONAL
Story and photos by Carolee McGrath

The annual Feast of Maria SS dell’Assunta was held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Sunday Aug. 16.

SPRINGFIELD – Parishioners of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish celebrated the annual Feast of Maria SS dell’Assunta at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, Sunday Aug. 16. Four years ago, the Sons and Daughters of Italy’s St. Padre Pio Lodge 3013, the Assunta Society and the Calabrese community of Springfield brought back the Italian feast, in honor of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is celebrated in the church Aug. 15.

The procession followed the 10:30 a.m. which was celebrated by Stigmatine Father Robert White, the pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish.

“It’s special since 1930. This feast has been celebrated at this parish particularly by Italian immigrants from Calabria,” said Michael DiVenuto, a longtime parishioner and catechist at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish.

“Assunta, or Our Lady of the Assumption, is a great devotion to that entire region of Italy. So, we are carrying on that tradition,” he said.

The Assunta Feast began in 1930 on William Street in the South End. Maria SS dell’Assunta means Most Holy Mary of the Assumption. The early immigrants from Calabria chose St. Mary of the Assumption as the patroness of their society.

Before the procession stepped off, parishioners taped money to the statue, an old tradition which in turn supports the ministries of the parish. Children led the procession, followed by a marching band which played tradition Italian music. As the procession passed by, several bystanders stopped to take pictures and videos, with a few joining along the route.

“To me, personally, next to our Lord, who is greater than our Blessed Mother,” DiVenuto said. “I can say personally as someone who lost a mother in childhood, the Blessed Mother has always taken her place for me.”

An Assunta dinner, which featured tradition Italian food, was held later in the day at 5 p.m. in the parish center.

In July, the Sons and Daughters of Italy held the second annual Feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at Casa Italiana on Winthrop Street, which drew more than 19,000 people. This was the largest crowd in the history of the feast.

That celebration began and ended with rosary processions with Our Lady of Mt. Carmel through the streets of the South End.

For a listing of upcoming events, go to springfielditalians.org