As traditions go every July for the annual St. Mary’s Feast in Cranston, the most popular event on Sunday will host the processional of the Madonna. Also true to tradition for one veteran feast member is the spot on the corner of America and Cranston streets.

For Alessandro Giacomo Amalfitano, age 30, the special corner where he and his family watch the processional is highly coveted.

“We stand there because 100 years ago when my great-grandparents came from Itri, they settled in this part of Knightsville. My great-grandfather purchased the land on America St. and built his family a beautiful home. That yard over the years had wonderful parties every year celebrating the feast of la Madonna Della Civita,” said Amalfitano. “That corner is special to me because that's where for four generations we would go to see and offer flowers to our patroness Madonna Della Civita.”

Amalfitano is third generation Italian descent. For 93 years his family sat at the corner of America and Cranston streets, and this year will be his 30th year.

I remember as a child watching on the Friday night on that same corner for the statue to come all lit up and all the women holding candles. They were all dressed in black. They were singing and crying. They use that night to remember the people from the years past that are no longer part of the feast. But the Sunday morning procession is the time to make the new memories.

As told by Amalfitano, the Santuario of Maria SS. Della Civita is on top of Mount Civita, which is located in the town of Itri in the province of Latina in the region of Lazio. The Sanctuary is one of the oldest in all of Italy.

“The Madonna holds a special place in my heart because of my family's devotion to her,” said Amalfitano. “I had traveled to Italy several times. This past year I stayed with my cousins in Itri, Italy where we took pilgrimages up Mount Civita to the Santuario. We met the local priest who gave us a beautiful tour and spoke to us about the miracle. This was my second pilgrimage to the Santuario. So for me the feast is more special now having seen where this all took place back in the 8th century.”

The miracle story, as told, says that on July 21 in 796, a poor blind mute shepherd lost an ox. He could hear his ox so he followed the sounds up the Mountain until he found it kneeling at the foot of a great tree. Looking up, he saw between the branches of a tree, a picture of Our Lady who seemed to smile at him. Instinctively he fell on his knees and instantly he regained his speech and sight. Greatly moved, he eagerly descended the mountain to relate with tears and trembling voice the vision. The people hearing the blind mute, and they all knew that he was a blind mute, ran to the place of the apparition and they were all able to verify the vision.

With great respect and devotion the picture was removed from the tree and carried in procession to the main church of Itri. The following day, to the great astonishment of all, the picture could not be found in the church, and without anyone having removed it, again it was found between the branches of the tree on the Mount Civita. This happened three times.

The church authorities and the people then understood that the Madonna wished to be honored in the place where she had deigned to appear. A chapel was then built there. In 1492, the Bishop of Gaeta consecrated the first church that was to become the great Santuario Della Civita.

“My nanna, Filomena [Zuena] Amalfitano, passed in 2011 at the age of 90 and since then it has been hard, because she was the one who held the feast together in my family. Now, I try very hard to get the family together for this great day so we can celebrate this miracle that happened long ago,” said Amalfitano.

According to Amalfitano, the Zuena family was one of the founding families and the feast was very important to them since their roots are from Itri.

“It was faith in the patron Madonna Della Civita that brought them through [a] very difficult time. That is why the feast was so important and we never forgot where we came from,” he said.

The St. Mary’s Feast features amusement rides, food, musical entertainment, a processional parade at noon on Sunday and fireworks at 8 on Sunday night. Dozens of food vendors sell classic Italian, Rhode Island and carnival cuisine. Others sell toys, tickets, tattoos and other services.

Based on last year’s attendance, it is estimated that more than 40,000 individuals will attend the Feast over the five-day period.

The annual St. Mary’s Feast will be held July 17 through July 21 with the parade on Sunday after Mass and fireworks on Sunday evening behind the former police station on Atwood Ave. The St. Mary’s Feast Society in Rhode Island runs the festival.