London: Our Lady of Mount Carmel Procession in 'little Italy'

Image by Alice Ross

Thousands gathered this weekend for the Our Lady of Mount Carmel procession in Clerkenwell, central London, thought to be the oldest post Reformation outdoor expression of the Catholic faith in England.

In bright sunshine, people came from all over London and beyond to 'little Italy' for the procession, the Benediction and Mass at St Peter's Italian church, and to sample the Italian food and drink available in the streets nearby. Beginning with prayers for peace and the release of doves, a brass band accompanied the solemn yet joyful walk through the streets.

The procession, which dates back to 1883, included statues and banners of the Saints, such as Our Lady of Fatima, St Lucy, St Rita of Cascia and St Antony of Padua.

There were floats depicting scenes from the Bible and the Stations of the Cross. Several Italian and Catholic community groups were also involved, walking alongside the statues, and the clergy followed from the back of the procession.

For one mother and son, the annual procession has been a life-long commitment, a source of pride, and a rich expression of religious faith.

Enrico Ferro, aged 27, depicted Jesus, and has been in the procession since he was four. He also helps build the floats. His family has organised the day's events for generations.

"My family has been running the procession for as long as I've been alive," he said.

Asked how he feels about being part of the historic tradition, he said: "I love it. It's part of the culture, and it is part of my heritage. It's a nice way of giving back." The sense of community is clear, with many families involved in the preparations for the day: "There have been a lot of different families involved, a lot from the community."

His mother, Caterina, started walking in the procession at the age of three and has continued to be involved in the day's events for over half a century. She said: "It is a privilege to be part of the procession." As well as being a day that carries a sense of "belonging and tradition", the procession holds immense religious significance for her and is a way of expressing her faith. She takes part "because of my faith, because of being a Catholic", saying the same prayers that she used to pray with her parents. She often looks to the spot that her late grandfather used to hold in the procession.

See more pictures on ICN's Facebook page.

LINKS

St Peter's Italian Church: www.italianchurch.org.uk/

Watch videos of the procession in 2023: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocyxpOLFUso

and 2018: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn1JXhKsZ1M