Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
July 25, 2001
`Feast of St. Rocco' fest Aug. 17-19
Procession, Italian fare, music offered at Potenza Lodge
In a section of North Denver formerly known as "Little Italy" resides Denver's 103-year-old Potenza Lodge Hall, yearly sponsor of the Feast of St. Rocco. The three-day celebration begins Aug. 17, the day after St. Rocco's feast day, and runs from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily through Aug. 19.
The celebration honors St. Rocco who is credited with healing leprosy-plagued faithful throughout Italy and protecting the country from the onslaught of the disease in the 1400s.
Famous for its Italian sausage sandwiches complete with fried bell pepper, the festival yearly teems with favorites in Italian cuisine like the Italian pizzelle, a cookie, and the pizza fritta, fried pizza dough topped with sugar, said Publicity Chairman Al Santangelo. It also boasts games, raffles featuring Italian fare and cakes as prizes, Italian music, and crowds that, in years past, have swelled at 10,000 over the three-day period.
The festival's high point is a procession Aug. 17 beginning at 3 p.m. in front of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church at 3549 Navajo Street when festival attendees bid on the coveted honor of carrying a statute of St. Rocco in the parade, said Santangelo.
The festival is nearly as old as its sponsor, according to Santangelo, who explained that Potenza lodge, now a fraternal organization, started in 1899 when Italian immigrants came to Denver from the Basilicatta region in Italy — capitol city Potenza — and formed the organization to provide support for fellow Italian immigrants.
"There are now three generations of people who came from that region," he said. "It's a tradition and a chance to come back to North Denver, which years ago was called Little Italy. The thing that makes it so popular is that people have a chance to come back and enjoy the culture."
Especially the sausage sandwiches, he added.
"People really enjoy those," he said with a chuckle.
Potenza Lodge Hall is located in Denver at 1900 W. 38th Ave. Call 303-477-1722 for more information.
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