Temas de Capa

Little Portugal/Little Italy – Good Friday procession…

Ever since l can remember, on every good Friday my family and l would attend the traditional good Friday procession hosted by St. Francis church located at 72 Mansfield Avenue. As far back as l can remember, it was mandatory in my family to either attend or participate in this amazing street procession. Growing up many of my friends and neighbours were of Portuguese background and we would attend together or participate in the festival.

For some reason l can always remember as a child that on good Friday it would generally always be a grey sky and sprinkle of rain was fittingly sombre weather for St. Francis of Assisi’s annual Good Friday procession through Little Italy. Crowds of three or four deep lined either side of College Street to solemnly reflect on events leading up to and following the Jesus Christ’s crucifixion.

For hundreds of Catholics and other Christians, the procession, which takes about three hours from start to finish, is a reminder of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The crowds grew sober as the march drew near, Little Italy prior to the procession was very lively earlier in the afternoon as people from all over Ontario gathered for one of the holiest days of the year.

This procession is a time to reunite with family, friends and people from their past. People set up chairs and children get very comfortable to enjoy watching the parade and see some familiar faces. This is a destination for many friends and families to meet at the Good Friday procession and share some memories of the neighbourhood or exchange some well wishes.

For more than the last 50 years people have participated in the march itself, walking, singing hymns and saying prayers with other people from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds.

Little Portugal and Little Italy seem to have blended well over the years to celebrate this Good Friday event and have become one family enjoying all of its fruits.

With St. Francis of Assisi and St. Agnus church who has predominantly a Portuguese congregation, the two churches have worked very well together over the past 15 to 20 years.

These two churches have worked through changing demographics to ongoing renovations at Fr. Francis where some of the mass had to take place at St. Agnus Church. Many parishioners have at one time or another attended both churches. On a personal note I am one of those parishioners who have attended both churches at one time or another.

The Portuguese and the Italian communities have embraced the Good Friday procession and both communities have a presence in this procession. The Portuguese community is represented by its national band, it has some floats, and most importantly many followers are of Portuguese background.

The first Good Friday procession was held more than five decades ago at St. Agnes Parish which is located by Grace Street and Dundas Street. For more than 53 years local and international folks have attended, prayed and reconnected with their past or have developed new relationships.

For these two communities, it’s just part of growing up with it, and part of the cultural and part of being Catholic. This procession and everything that it represents is one fabulous means to have two great communities flourish together. This day brings many people together, but more importantly this day bring two communities together that have produced many success stories.

What’s amazing to me on a personal level is that this Good Friday procession brings not only people and communities together, it brings personal satisfaction on so many levels to so many people.

Father Jimmy Zammit who is the Pastor at St. Francis Church and Father Conrad Fernandes who is the associate Pastor have done an amazing job to continue this fabulous event. This day is not just a one-day wonder, but a yearlong preparation that starts about one month after Good Friday. As Father Jimmy has always said “it’s the volunteers that make this work and not the Churches”. The volunteers from the Portuguese and the Italian communities continue to make this event a very successful day that is covered globally.

Blessing to all for a wonderful Easter.

Vince Black

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