October is an important month in the Craco calendar and for us it represents another opportunity to gather and experience historic cultural traditions. On October 26, the fourth Sunday of the month, there will be a special Mass on the regular feast day for San Vincenzo at St. Joseph’s Church, 5 Monroe St., New York. This church, which houses a replica of the San Vincenzo statue in Craco, has been holding this Mass for years, but this is going to be the first time in over half a century that the upright form of San Vincenzo will make an appearance. The Society will be bringing the San Vincenzo statue that was donated by the Niceoforo family to the church to receive a blessing from Father Tonelotto, and to share the day with the Crachesi attending the event.

               

 

After Mass, a luncheon will be held at Forlini's Restaurant, located at 93 Baxter St.  It will be a prix-fixed meal for $50 per person, wine, tax and tip included.  Please send your name, number of persons attending and a check to:  The Craco Society, c/o Fred Spero, 14 Earl Rd., East Sandwich,  MA, 02537-1407 .  We hope to see you there! 

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Additionally, San Vincenzo's connection to the Crachesi in Italy and New York has been documented in a booklet preserving two Italian language publications from Craco that give background on the saint and the festival in the town and have been translated into English. Information about Cracotan immigrants efforts to maintain this cultural tradition in New York is included.  The booklet will be provided to members attending the event on October 26th.

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A thank you message from the Society to the residents of Craco was posted in the town for their hospitality during the visit and reads as follows:

 

 

"On behalf of The Craco Society I want to thank you for the warm and welcoming hospitality that we experienced on our visit. Every one of us was touched by our contact with you and left with such wonderful feelings. We now know that the heart and soul of Craco is you.
All of our members have strong feelings for Craco which we will continue to cultivate in future visits to Craco. Until we visit again, many thanks." 
 

Warm regards,
Joseph Rinaldi
President

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During our Second Annual Reunion, held this past August in New York City, we were sought out by an individual after he learned the Society was attending the San Rocco Mass, to share a photo of the Annual Banquet and Dance of the San Vincenzo Martire di Craco Society from 1938!   We  give our sincerest thanks to Paul Tocce for his thoughtful contribution to the Society.  An enlarged version of the above photograph is available by clicking here .   

 

 

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The Society continues to receive feedback from the Reunion, including a very kind note from Stephen LaRocca, the President of the San Rocco Society of Potenza and member of the Craco Society, thanking us for our participation in the feast of San Rocco. The Society was in position to make a donation on behalf of members recognizing, “the devotion to San Rocco by all the people of Craco – past and present” which Stephen also acknowledged. You can read his letters by clicking here.

 

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The Craco Society was recognized in an America Oggi news article that is translated below. America Oggi is an Italian language daily newspaper that is the successor to the historic Il Progresso which served the Italian-American community since the early 20th century.  You can view the original article by clicking here.

 
Crachesi From The United States And Canada Return To Their Origins For A Nostalgic Trip

 
From 1970 to the present, Italians have not immigrated to the United States. There are five thousand visas that are unutilized. Many old clubs and societies do not exist anymore while other prestigious societies celebrate seventy, eight and one hundred years of existence. Last year a new generation wanted to consolidate their spiritual identity with from Italy so a new society was founded and is growing.
Our subscriber to America Oggi, Salvatore Francavilla from Staten Island, NY informed us that this new society was founded a year ago. From the nostalgic remembrance of their grandparents’ stories about the town of Craco, situated in the province of Matera, The Craco Society was created.
In June of 2008 the love story with the town became a reality. The younger generations of Italian-Americans and Italian-Canadians in the Society organized a trip to Lucania and Basilicata with a stop in Craco.
The older Italian immigrants and the new generation visited Craco to see what their grandparents told them about the town and enjoyed the vibrant colors of the land. With great emotion and joyful affection, the Mayor of Craco, Domenico Copeti greeted each member.
Everyone left with deep appreciation for the vibrant experience shared by
Crachesi from both sides of the ocean; their hearts were vibrating with their cousins in Craco from the fusion of affection that unified three continents.
After their nostalgic trip to Craco, the Society held their second reunion. At Forlini’s Restaurant in NYC, the Italian-Americans and Italian-Canadians ex-changed their impressions of the magnifi-cent trip and the experience they had in Craco. A proposal for another trip to Craco was discussed for next year. Coincidently, during the reunion the feast of San Rocco was being celebrated in Manhattan, in which the Society participated. (Translator’s note: the journalist incorrectly reported that San Rocco was the Patron Saint of Craco, we are aware San Rocco is the Patron Saint of Potenza.) The feast and the procession through the streets of Little Italy, was organized by the Stephen LaRocca, Esq. who is the president of the San Rocco Society of Potenza. Mr. LaRocca is also a descendent of Craco and a member of the Craco Society. Craco Society members attended the Mass for San Rocco at the Church of Saint Joseph, Five Monroe Street, Manhattan where the one hundred nineteenth feast of San Rocco was celebrated thanks to Stephen LaRocca.
For anyone who has origins from Craco or Lucania and wishes to join the Society, please visit their website at www.thecracosociety.org.
The two photos that were submitted: The first photo is a group of the members in Craco with the castle in the background. The second photo is with the Mayor of Craco, Domenico Copeti and Municipal Police Officer, Franco Tuzio.
 

 

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