The Giglio Feast 2022 in Williamsburg is an Italian American summer festival. “Giglio” means lily in Italian. White lilies, Italy’s national flower, grow in summer.
The feast has been celebrated since 1903 by families from Nola, a neighborhood in Naples, Italy. Lifting the Giglio is an almost literal expression of the strength of community. It takes more than 100 people to life the 4-ton, 70-foot tall statue.
NYC celebrates two Giglio Feasts: in Williamsburg and East Harlem. They are now related, but East Harlem celebrates in August.
Giglio Feast 2022 Williamsburg
The Giglio Feast 2022 in Williamsburg is a religious festival and street fair around the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Brooklyn, from Wednesday, July 6 to Sunday, July 17, 2022. The festival peaks on Saturday, July 16, 2022. 🇮🇹
There is food, games, crafts and live entertainment. It’s a small town carnival like patron saint festivals all over the Latin world.
These are some highlights:
OPENING NIGHT
The Giglio Feast 2022 Williamsburg opens with a Coronation Mass and Procession at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at 7pm. Free. 🇮🇹
It’s Children’s Giglio Family Night (1) at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Thursday, July 7, 2022 at 6:30pm. Free. 🇮🇹
There is Giglio Sunday Dancing of the Giglio and Boat at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Sunday, July 10 at 1:30pm. Free. 🇮🇹
It’s Children’s Giglio Family Night (2) at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Tuesday, July 12, 2022 at 6:30pm. Free. 🇮🇹
There is a Night Lift of the Giglio at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 7pm. Free. 🇮🇹
Celebrate the Mount Carmel Feast with a Mass and Procession at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Saturday, July 16, 2022 at 2pm. 🇮🇹
The Giglio Feast 2022 Williamsburg ends with an Old Timers Day Giglio Lift at the Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg, Brooklyn on Sunday, July 17, 2022 at 3pm. 🇮🇹
Giglio Feast Williamsburg
The Giglio Feast in Williamsburg honors our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Paulinus of Nola.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the patroness of the Carmelite Order of Christian hermits. She is also the patron saint of Chile.
Saint Paulinus of Nola (354-431) was a French-born Roman poet who became a leading senator before abandoning is wealth and rank to become a monk.
Saint Processions
Religious processions are as old as humanity. Saint processions in the Americas are mostly Italian traditions or syncretized (blended) with Italian traditions from colonial times.
The faithful take saint processions very seriously, and believe that the saint is present in the representative object. This idea is pretty much universal to humanity.
Today, saint processions have become a time to gather with family and friends in the community. They are opportunities to teach our children about their heritage cultures.
Community gatherings are how people socialized in the time before phones, internet, television, radio and books. It’s still a wonderful way to get to know the community.