By Giovanni di Napoli As I have done so many times before (and hope to do for years to come), I dropped by 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn yesterday for the opening of The Feast of Santa Rosalia. Making my way through the crowd to the outdoor chapel, I pinned my donation on to the Saint's ribbons and picked up some prayer cards for my loved-o...

By Jonathan Sperling A celebration in Bensonhurst will bring the spirit of Italy to the heart of southwest Brooklyn. The Feast of Santa Rosalia will begin August 20, stretching from 68th Street to 75th Street on 18th Avenue (aka Cristoforo Colombo Boulevard), and end on August 30.   The feast, which is the largest Italian-American feas...

Last Sunday (May 31st), my friends and I joined members of the Società San Calogero di Torretta in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn for the 53rd Annual Feast of San Calogero. Starting from the society's clubhouse on 20th Avenue, the procession made its way through the neighborhood to Saint Dominic's Church, where we celebrated Mass in Italian. On 18th Avenue...

Hundreds gathered at St. Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn Sunday morning (May 3rd) for the Festa del Santissimo Crocifisso di Ciminna. Mass was celebrated in Italian with Father Graziano in the basement chapel, accompanied with sacred choral music by the church choir and organist. I was happy to see our friends from the Congrega San Vito...

Yesterday kicked off the 2015 Feast of Santa Rosalia in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. A neighborhood staple for 40 years, the celebration features nightly entertainment, games, rides, and plenty of delicious food. The festivities continue until Sunday, August 30th. Enjoy the many amusements, but please don't forget the true reason for the celebration and...

Last weekend (Sept. 26th–27th), members of the Società Santa Fortunata di New York celebrated the 115th Feast of Santa Fortunata, beloved patroness of Baucina, Sicily. The two day celebration, full of pomp and pageantry, began at the society clubhouse (7701 17th Ave.) in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and culminated with Mass at Regina Pacis Church (1230 6...

by Paul Vitello   The Rev. Vincent J. Termine, a Roman Catholic priest who helped revive a dying parish in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, in the 1960s and '70s, then angered members of his predominantly white flock when he let black youths from another neighborhood participate in organized basketball at the church, died on Dec. 26 in Johns Island, S...

by Max Jaeger   They got your community service right here. Bensonhurst's Federation of Italian-American Organizations celebrated local activism during a fund-raiser gala at Mill Basin catering hall El Caribe on April 12. The organization celebrated 40 years of community service and honored folks who have contributed to their neighborho...

The largest Italian American population in the United States is found in New York and New Jersey. The new two-part series Italian Americans of New York and New Jersey - premiering on Tuesday, February 17th and 24th at 8 p.m. on THIRTEEN, Sunday, February 15th and 22nd at 9 p.m. on WLIW21 and on Thursday, February 26th and March 3rd at 8 p.m. on NJT...

It was a beautiful Sunday for the Festa di Sant'Antonio at St. Athanasius Church in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn (2154 61st Street, Brooklyn, NY 11204). As always, there was a fantastic turnout.   I saw many friends, and members of several Societies were in attendance. A popular event, many locals came out of their homes to watch and greet the marc...