The 88th Nonantum Festa Italiana was a mix of summer celebration, nostalgia, and a community coming together for mutual support — especially this year following the recent murder of three cherished residents. For five days — July 12-16 — Nonantum village was a mix of carnival rides and booths, evening entertainment, and spontaneous fireworks, all organized by the St. Mary of Carmen Society. At the same time, the Society paid tribute to those of their deceased members, whose pictures were on display on utility polls throughout the village area known as “The Lake.” Among those honored were the Commonwealth’s Auditor Joe DeNucci, former Newton Alderman and longtime Society member Andrew Magni, as well as City Councilor Jay Ciccone, another Society member. Although the actual lake no longer exists, the concept of the “The Lake” still lives. As Tony Gentile, life-long Nonantum resident and the Society President Emeritus, said in a 1981 video about Festa, “The Lake is a state of mind,” uniting its residents.
Teresa Gentile Sauro — Chair of the Nonantum Neighborhood Association, daughter of one of the Society’s founding members, and Tony Gentile’s sister — emphasized the enduring significance of the Sunday finale attracting family and friends from the neighborhood and beyond. Although last Sunday’s drenching rain forced many of the traditional backyard barbecues indoors or under tents, hundreds of people gathered along the Society’s traditional route to pin money on the statue and give food and drink to the participants. A West Street family provided a seemingly limitless quantity of prosciutto sandwiches to those accompanying the statue.
The Festa finale always begins with a procession, including the Society, supporters, and a marching band — this year, the North End Marching Band — all of whom meet in front of Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church on Washington Street. Promptly at 2PM, the procession moves through the church gates onto Adams Street and traverses the streets of Nonantum. The procession stops at the homes of recently departed community and Society members as well as at the homes of longtime and founding members who died many years ago. As is the custom, the procession and statue stop in front of these houses while the band plays Ave Maria.
This year, Society’s statue of St. Mary of Carmen was covered in two thick layers of plastic rain protection. Several band members wore yellow, plastic rain gear. Remarkably, ignoring the inclement weather, more than 100 people assembled for the procession, including City Councilors John Oliver (a Nonantum resident), Tarik Lucas, Julia Malakie, and Pam Wright. Mayor Ruthanne Fuller walked the route with Our Lady’s pastor Father Dan Riley.
The Society concludes its afternoon procession at Pellegrini Park, usually the site of the carnival and entertainment. This year, the procession arrived at the designated time (4:45PM), but the carnival was packing up because of the very wet ground and continued rain. Nonetheless, the Society carefully placed the statue in its special “chapel” next to tents set up for the Society’s Scholarship Fund and “Lake” memorabilia.
Sitting in the Society tent, Festival Chair Chuck Proia, a third-generation Nonantum resident, explained that the Society is expanding and recruiting new members. Members must be at least eighteen, be recommended by a current member, and must also join one of the Society’s committees. He said membership is an excellent way for young people to learn about civic and community engagement.
By 10PM, the park was crowded with families, friends, and neighbors. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan — a regular Sunday night Festa participant — and Mayor Fuller both appeared in time for the return procession with the statue. In its return trip, the Society moves from the Pellegrini Park to Adams Street, where members have painted the median strip green, white, and red. Police cars blocked off traffic as the procession of more than 600 people moved toward Our Lady’s. This year, because of the rain, the Society did not distribute the usual candles for participants. In the rainy, foggy night, occasional firecrackers and fireworks sent sparks along the route. When the procession reached the side of the church parking lot, it halted with the statue as a stunning 10-minute display of fireworks lit up the haze.
As the crowd filled the front of the church, Nico Pisano, the eight-year-old son of the Society’s Treasurer, Jason Pisano, who was dressed as an angel, moved across the front to the church in a cherry picker and halted as the statue slowly made its way to the church entrance. When it was almost at the church stairs, Nico threw rose petals over the statue as confetti machines sent clouds of green, white, and red strips into the air.
Then Society members carefully carried the statue to the church altar for Father Riley’s Benediction service. Mayor Fuller spoke of the recent tragedy in Nonantum and another homicide that had taken place the night before. District Attorney Ryan thanked the Society and the community and emphasized the importance of “faith, family, and friends” in times of tragedy. The audience applauded her remarks. Both the Society President Frank Battista and Festival Chair Chuck Proia thanked the community for its support, and Mr. Proia paid tribute to the newer residents who have become active in the neighborhood. His message was that it really does take a village to sustain people.
Fig City News gratefully acknowledges the generous assistance of Festival Chair Chuck Proia and the Nonantum Neighborhood Association Chair, Terry Sauro.
