103rd Mother of the Rosary Procession to be held

PITTSTON — The 103rd annual procession honoring the Mother of the Rosary will wind its way through the streets of Pittston today (Sunday) from Orioles Park on Pine Street, Pittston Township, beginning at 3 p.m.

The procession, sponsored by the Montedoro Society of Greater Pittston, will constitute the climax of a two-day celebration that began Saturday evening with a dinner, and which carries forward the traditional dedication of the Italian-American community to the Feast of the Mother of the Rosary.

Since 1916, the Montedoro Society of Pittston was formed as a fraternal and civic organization by immigrants who had come to this country from Montedoro, Sicily, to make their homes in the Pittston area, and who, for the most part, worked in the coalmines in the Wyoming Valley.

Today, the society has transformed into an organization to carry on the traditions of the ancestors of Montedoro and their descendants.

Among the customs and traditions brought forward is the honoring each year with appropriate festivities of the patron saint of their native village.

In 1922, the immigrants from Montedoro decided to commission the construction of a statue of the Mother of the Rosary to be used during festivities that began in Pittston that year. Funds for the statue were raised by solicitations sponsored by the Montedoro Society.

The statue, made in Sicily, arrived in Pittston in 1922 and was originally housed at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Francesco Castellino, Pittston.

It was later brought to St. Rocco’s Church and is on display at St. Joseph Marello Parish on William Street, Pittston, where it remains, except for the yearly procession.

Mr. Salvatore Licata, who personally embroidered the first cape used on the statute, beautifully adorns the statue with handmade clothing in the tradition that began in 1922. The capes were made by Mrs. Rose Chiarelli and are now in the care of Johnna Casper.

For the first few years of the procession, men of the Montedoro Society carried the saint statue on a platform.

In 1926, the first truck was used to carry the saints and the distinguished men of the society would escort her and St. Dominick. Joseph “I” Infantino, Ralph Battaglia, Tony Attardo, Paul Zaffuto and Charlie “I” Infantino were all men that have escorted the saints on the truck in the past.

Tony Traglia, Ryan Joyce and Salvatore Infantino, DMD, escorts the saints.

Money is pinned to ribbons to support the prayers and intentions of the patrons. Over the past 60 years, Mrs. Dolores Infantino had been faithfully decorating the truck in honor of the Mother of the Rosary; the tradition of decorating the truck is now by her daughter and granddaughter, Lisa Joyce and Kelly Dougherty, respectfully.

During the procession, Cino Paci Band plays Italian and American marches while serenading the people in the streets along the way. Traditionally, led by the priest, the rosary will be said along with the people following in the procession.

The miracle of the pinky finger

When the saints were shipped, the pinky finger of the Mother of the Rosary was missing.

The story is that when the saints were shipped from Sicily to Pittston, they were shipped in wooden crates.

The crates were burned for disposal and when the ashes were cleaned up, the pinky was found unsinged amongst the ashes.

The miracle is that the statue is made of paper mâché, hence the miracle that the pinky was not burned. Today, you can see the repaired pinky on the statute.