North End Celebrates Annual Feast of Saint Agrippina
Patron saint of thunderstorms, leprosy, and evil spirits honored this weekend
Venerators of Saint Agrippina bestow monetary gifts on her statue in a tradition known as “wrapping the dollar bills.” Proceeds go to the Benefit Society of St. Agrippina di Mineo. Photo by Flickr contributor Jason Eppink
Each summer, Boston’s North End is transformed by a combination of street festival and religious veneration as the city’s old Italian neighborhood pays tribute to the saints that immigrants prayed to in their hometowns.
Over the next three days, Hanover Street will be filled with music, decorations, and the savory smell of Italian food as the neighborhood celebrates the 101st annual celebration of the feast of Saint Agrippina di Mineo. She was reported to be a beautiful blond princess, born to a noble family and tortured to death in 256 AD by Valerian, the emperor of Rome, because of her Christian faith. While not the largest of the religious festivals (that distinction belongs to Saint Anthony, whose feast is celebrated at the end of August), the festival honoring Agrippina is rich in both Italian and Catholic tradition.
Agrippina is known today as the patron saint of Mineo, Sicily, as well as of thunderstorms, leprosy, and evil spirits. Legend has it that her body was transported from Rome to Mineo by three holy women, their travels aided by angels and a miraculous cloud that protected them and offered cover during dangerous parts of their journey.
The festival kicked off yesterday, when a member of the Saint Agrippina Benefit Society ceremoniously removed a red veil from a life-size statue of the saint. This statue and its ornate canopy weighs 2,000 pounds; it is carried in procession down the streets of the North End by 20 men. Only men of Italian origin are granted the honor of carrying the statue, and places in the procession are generally passed down from father to son. Patrons affix dollar bills to the statue as it makes its way through the North End, and the proceeds are used to support the church on Hanover Street that bears Agrippina’s name.
Afternoons and evenings of the festival are filled with singing, dancing, food (Italian, of course), and festivities. Catch live performances of several bands, including Grammy-winning 70’s disco group The Trammps tonight, Grammy-award winning pop band All-4-One on Saturday night, and First Class Band featuring Concetta on Sunday. Processions with the statue take place tonight from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sunday starting at noon. A parade on Saturday, August 1, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., will include the traditional Sons of Italy Drum & Bugle Corps. Sunday’s closing ceremonies begin with a solemn morning mass at St. Leonard’s Church, followed by the grand procession, and capped off with a traditional tug-of-war at 8 p.m. and fireworks. The festival is sponsored by the Benefit Society of Saint Agrippina di Mineo .
The Feast of St. Agrippina began on Thursday, July 30, and continues until 11 p.m. on Sunday, August 2. The ceremonies take place at the intersection of Hanover Street and Prince Street in the North End, with live music from noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free and open to the public, but donations are appreciated. To get there by public transportation, take the Green Line trolley to the Haymarket stop, head southeast on Congress Street toward Hanover Street, and walk 0.3 miles to Prince Street. For a full schedule and updates click here, or visit the festival’s Facebook page.
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