Italian Feast of SS. Crocifisso this weekend in Des Plaines
The 19th annual Italian Feast of SS. Crocifisso will be celebrated Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14, on the grounds of Maryville Academy, 1150 N. River Road, Des Plaines.
The festival is put on by people in the Chicago area who emigrated from Ciminna, a small town outside Palermo, Sicily, where it has been celebrated since 1651.
It will begin with Vespers at Marian Chapel 6 p.m. Saturday followed by live music and food. Sunday's events begin with an Italian Mass at 12:30 p.m. celebrated by the Revs. John Belmonte, John Smyth and Marco Mercado. It will be followed by a procession of the cross accompanied by the Sicilian Band of Chicago, the traditional horse parade, live music, entertainment and food. Fireworks will close out the festival.
The celebration was brought to the area by Philip Nigliaccio, who believes that he and his family were graced by God when on Dec. 23, 1995, they walked away from a terrible car accident without any injuries. He began the crusade to have a replica of the cross of SS. Crocifisso, associated with miracles in the Italian town, made and to have a procession here. Fred Scimeca traveled to Sicily to make an exact reproduction of the image and the local celebration of the feast began. The cross is kept at the main altar of Marian Chapel on the grounds of Maryville.
For more information, visit sscrocifisso.us or call (847) 577-8230 or (847) 255-6365.