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=Name:= Jillian DeDona

Name of Research Topic:
OLMC Feast and history

Describe location
Runs between Union Ave. and North 6th St.

List links

 * http://www.olmcfeast.com/
 * [the first link will take me to the history page]
 * [insert text here]

What have you learned?
The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Feast has been a tradition for over 100 years. The Italian feast takes place for about 10 days in the beginning of July. This year the Italian feast starts on July 8th and ends on July 19th. During these 11 nights people flock to the Feast for many reasons. Catching up with old friends, revisiting childhood and Giglio Sunday. The two sundays which occur during these 11 days are very significant to the feast. These sundays are named Giglio Sunday. On Giglio Sundays the streets are crowded beyond beliefe. Over a hundred men lift a 65ft., 4 ton steel structure named "The Giglio". The Giglio was made of wood up up until 1966, when it was decided it would be made of steel. The Giglio is lifted by over 100 men on these two sundays, lifted and walked through the streets, where it meets with a boat being carried by other men. In this boat is a man which is elected to be Turk. The Turk is commemorative to a man who saved an Italian who was kidnapped by West African pirates in Italy. The word giglio means lillies in English. Calling the Giglio is not just a pretty name it goes back to when the captured Italian made his return to Italy. People flooded the streets with lillies in hand, because they symbolize love and purity. Naming the structure the Giglio was no mistake and was done so to honor the people as well as the man.

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