Escorts of the Mother of the Rosary are, left to right: Tony Traglia, Sal Infantino and Ryan Joyce.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The 100th anniversary of the procession of the Mother of the Rosary marched down Pine Street, Pittston, to people marching behind the statue and along the procession route.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Ryan Joyce, right, adds a touch of 21 century to the 100-year-old tradition of the Mother of the Rosary procession by the Montedoro Society of Pittston, by taking a cellphone photo. Left is Sal Infantino, Tony Traglia, center.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Mother of the Rosary escorts adorn the state with a cape and crown are Tony Traglia, left, Sal Infantino, right, Ryan Joyce, hidden.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Cino Paci Band follows the procession of the Mother of the Rosary down Pine Street, Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON – The Montedoro Society of Pittston conducted the 100th annual Mother of the Rosary procession on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m.
The procession was held at the exact same time it was conducted at Montedoro, Italy.
The procession stepped off from Orioles Park on Pine Street in Pittston Township and paraded around several neighborhood blocks chanting in Italian, “Long live the Blessed Mother of the Rosary.”
The tradition has been a part of the Italian-American community to honor the Feast of the Mother of the Rosary.
To mark the century long event, the Montedoro Society held a dinner the night before where approximately 150 people attended at Mt. Carmel Hall of the St. Joseph Marello Parish Church, Pittston.
The Cino Paci Band entertained attendees at the dinner.
“This tradition is something my ancestors valued,” Lisa (Infantino) Joyce said. “The tradition died out for a bit and my dad (Joey Infantino) brought it back. After my father passed away, my brother Charles and I took it over. Since Charles passed away, it’s been pretty much up to me and some committee members.”
Joyce said she wanted to see the tradition get to its 100th anniversary and hopes it continues on.
“We don’t want these things to die out,” Joyce added. “We want our children to remember of what our ancestors brought from Italy and it’s a big connection to Montedoro (Pittston’s sister city) and it’s important to me.”
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 coal mines 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 those traditions is honoring the patron saint of their native village. Thus 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, 62 E. Railroad St., Pittston. It was later brought to St. Rocco’s Church and is currently on display at St. Joseph Marello Parish on William Street, Pittston, where it remains, except for the yearly procession.
Traditionally, the statue is adorned with a handmade cape that began in 1922 by Salvatore Licata, who personally embroidered the first cape used on the statute. The current capes were made by Rose Chiarelli and are now in the care of Johnna Casper.
Money is pinned to ribbons to support the prayers and intentions of the patrons.
Over the past 60 years, Dolores Infantino has been faithfully decorating the truck in honor of the Mother of the Rosary.
During the procession, the Cino Paci Band plays traditional Italian and American marches while serenading the people in the streets along the way.
For the first few years of the procession, men of the Montedoro Society carried the saint 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, Charlie “I” Infantino escorted the saints on the truck in the past.
This year, Ryan Joyce, Tony Traglia and Salvatore Infantino, DMD, escorted the saints.
