Preview for the 2006 Feast of San Gennero in LA (September 21-24th) and Prima Notte Gala review

About the Feast:
History of San Gennaro
Community Stage
Entertainment
Activities
Kids Corner
Vendors
Volunteers
Directions
Schedule

The Fifth Annual Precious Cheese Feast of San Gennaro LA Presented by Ralphs will take place September 21-24, 2006 and is being hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla. The Feast offers three days of enjoyment for the entire family. "Prima Notte," the opening night gala that raises funds for underprivileged children in Los Angeles, will take place on September 21st.

Just like the 76-year old New York City tradition, the 2006 Feast of San Gennaro will celebrate Italian culture, entertainment and food and will feature live music, carnival games, street performers and strolling musicians in addition to wine from local wineries and food from Los Angeles’ best Italian restaurants. Guests will be invited to learn recipes at the cooking stage, play bocce ball with some of Hollywood’s most prominent Italian-American celebrities and much more!

Throughout the three days of Italian-themed fun for the entire family, guests will enjoy fine food and wine from some of the best Italian restaurants in Los Angeles including Frankie’s On Melrose, Rocco’s, Taste Chicago, So Cal Seafood, Tanino’s Restaurant, Il Pastaio, Piccolo Paradiso, Brooklyn Feast & Tuscan Grilled Chicken. In addition famed area chefs will demonstrate their favorite Italian recipes at the Precious Cheese Cooking Stage. Spicing up the weekend with special appearances will be event host, Jimmy Kimmel, and a variety of celebrity guest chefs!

Weekend attendees will also be invited to participate in a variety of authentic Italian activities and games, such as Bocce Ball. Musical entertainment will be provided throughout the weekend from authentic Italian entertainers and musicians both on stage and strolling through the crowds. Last year, entertainers included Frank Tenaglia, Bill Conti, Romina Arena, Lauren Jelenovich, Mike Marino and many others.

Ianuario Gennaro, born in Naples, Italy was the bishop of Benevento during the persecution of Christians spearheaded by the Emperor Diocletian around 300 A.D. A deacon named Sossio, believed to be a relative of Gennaro, along with another deacon, Procolo, and two laymen, Eutichete and Acunzio, were imprisoned for their Christian beliefs. Gennaro, hearing of their arrest, went to visit them in jail to comfort them and provide spiritual support, without the slightest concern for the danger in which he may be placing himself. When the prelate of the region, named Timoteo, heard about Gennaro’s visits to the imprisoned Christians, he ordered the arrest of Gennaro, along with his deacon Festo and his lecturer Desiderio.

Timoteo had Gennaro and his associates transferred to his own city’s prison in the city of Nola, where he lived and could have complete control over the fate of Gennaro. Timoteo tortured Gennaro. He threw him in a blazing furnace, but Gennaro came out unhurt. Infuriated, Timoteo ordered Gennaro to be placed on a torture rack. The executioner turned the rack’s iron wheels, trying to snap Gennaro’s limbs apart by pulling his arms and legs away from his torso. Even this form of torture did not have any effect on Gennaro. Then, Timoteo tied Gennaro, Festo and Desiderio to his chariot and dragged them to the city of Pozzuoli. He placed them in the same prison as the two deacons and the two laymen, and condemned them all to be fed to wild beasts.

The next day, they were all thrown into an amphitheater to be preyed upon by the wild beasts, most likely lions and tigers. However, instead of ripping Gennaro to shreds, the beasts crouched in submission at his feet. Timoteo, attributing Gennaro’s miraculous survival to some type of black magical spell, condemned all of the survivors to capital punishment. But as soon as Timoteo made this declaration, he was struck blind, hardening even more his desperation toward the Christians. Seeing this, Gennaro turned to God and called upon Him to restore Timoteo’s vision, and immediately, his sight was restored.

Even after having experienced the grace of God firsthand, Timoteo’s cruelty was still intact. In his final act of injustice toward Gennaro and his Christian associates, Timoteo ordered that they all be decapitated. Their martyrdom came in 305 A.D., on the 19th day of September in Pozzuoli, near Naples.

They say that a woman named Eusebia, who once breastfed Gennaro, along with other Christians collected Gennaro’s blood in glass vials, similar to those used for oil and vinegar. Legend also states that an old man gathered up the Gennaro’s body and severed head and placed them in a special cloth. The body of Gennaro was buried in a secret location and moved often, so that the pagans could not find it. He was buried somewhere in Marciano, in the proximity of Naples between Fuorigrotta and Agnano.

Under the rule of the Emperor Constantine, in 313 A.D., the persecution of Christians came to an end. At this time the Neapolitans exhumed the glorious remains of their martyred Saint and they were transferred to the catacombs of Naples. On this occasion, Eusebia displayed the glass vials of San Gennaro’s blood and it is believed that this day was the first time his dried blood became liquid.

Through the centuries both the vials of blood, his skull and his skeletal remains were moved between various cities, for both political reasons and the prestige that came with their possession. Finally in May of 1497, Cardinal Alessandro Carafa had San Gennaro’s remains moved to Naples. San Gennaro’s skull and vials of blood were placed in the Royal Treasure Chapel of San Gennaro, a.k.a. the "Real Cappella del Tesoro di San Gennaro," located near Pozzuoli, where he was beheaded. The skeletal remains of his body, without the skull, were placed in the main altar of the Cathedral of Naples, a.k.a. the "Cattedrale di Napoli."

The very first official written testimony of the liquefaction of San Gennaro’s blood was recorded on August 17, 1389. The text can be found in a book called the "Chronicon Siculum." Originally written in Latin, the passage is accompanied by an Italian translation. Benedetto Croce is the man credited as being the author of the testimony.
An excerpt of that text stated, "…and on the 17th day there was a huge procession on commemoration of the miracle that Our Lord Jesus Christ showed us through the blood of the blessed Gennaro, kept in a vial which liquefied as if it had just come out of the blessed body of Gennaro…"

The Annual Feast Day Activities Of San Gennaro, 19 September, Naples, Italy:

At 9:00 a.m., at the Treasure Chapel of San Gennaro, there is a novena, nine consecutive prayers which consist of three "Our Fathers," three "Hail Marys" and three "Glory Be’s," during which the shrine to San Gennaro, in the form of a gold ring with a cross on top, containing the martyred Saint’s vials of blood, is brought out of its vault, and placed on the altar for people to see during the day. At this time everybody prays for the prodigious miracle of the liquefaction of San Gennaro’s blood.

When the blood liquefies, the miracle is announced with the firing of a 21 cannon salute and the people of Naples cheer and cry as if they had just scored the World Cup goal. After the first hour, as is customary, the Sacred Relic is transported by a procession, to the main altar of the Cathedral of Naples, where it remains until it is returned to the Treasure Chapel of San Gennaro that evening. It is tradition to kiss the bottles for good luck. For the next 8 days the people of Naples celebrate the Feast of San Gennaro. On the eighth day they close the ceremony with the song "Te Deum" and with the blessing of the sacred relic of the blood of San Gennaro. When the vials are returned to their safe, it is said that once it is reopened you will find San Gennaro’s blood in the same solid physical state in which it is normally found.

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You can become a "Precious Cheese Feast of San Gennaro LA presented by Ralphs" vendor by downloading and filling out the form below.
We are proud to welcome our 2006 Restaurants & Vendors:

• Albanos Pizza
• Calzones
• Espresso coffee bar
• Frankies on Melrose
• Gelato Paradiso
• In Cono Gelateria
• Il Pastaio
• Italian lemon ices,
• Ketel Corn
• La Piazza
• Le Zeppole
• Palermo’s
• Panzanella
• Piccolo Paradiso
• Precious Cheese
• Ralphs
• Roccos Pizza
• So Cal Seafood
• Sicilian Pizza/Italia Bakery
• Sicilian Steak Sandwich,
• Sweetbrook Beverage
• Tanino’s Restaurant
• Taste Chicago
• The Cravery
• Tuscan Grilled Chicken Precious Cheese

To promote your business complete the form below and mail to:
Frankie’s on Melrose Attn: Frankie Competelli
7228 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, Ca 90046

Download the form

Applications may also be submitted in person Monday through Friday, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the same address. The deadline to apply is 9/13/06.
Please call with any questions: 323-937-2801 or FAX (818)360-6678.

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San Gennaro Volunteers
“The Heart of our Foundation”

Volunteers are the Heart of the San Gennaro Foundation and you can be a part of it! Thousands of Volunteer Man hours are dedicated each year to both the Feast Production and the other San Gennaro programs throughout the entire year, including the Celebrity Golf Tournament in November! We are currently looking for dedicated volunteers for all committees. Please take a minute to read through the list and let us know where you’d like to help!

Here you will find information on volunteering, and an application to become a volunteer. Simply fill out the application and tell us where you’d like to help! Our volunteer coordinator will be in touch with information regarding group meetings and Volunteer opportunities! For a schedule of upcoming events, please see our calendar.

The Feast of San Gennaro 2006 is the 5th Annual Feast. It will take place September 21-24 at an exciting new location in Hollywood! The Feast is run by dedicated Volunteers just like you! We are very excited about the many events and programs being held this year- and as always, there are many ways for you to participate in the festivities. Please take a look at the list of committees below to see where you’d like to volunteer your time, and then be sure to submit your Volunteer Application. A volunteer coordinator will be in touch very soon with meeting schedules

Committees:

• General
• Art Exhibition
• Author Lecture Series
• Bingo
• Bocce Court
• Business Forum
• Cinema Al Fresco
• Community Relations Outreach
• Communtiy Stage
• Cooking Stage
• Concorso Di Italiano – Hollywood / Car Exhibit
• Cultural Affairs / Geneology
• Decoration
• Entertainment
• Entrance $ Collection
• Fashion Committee
• Field Trip Friday AKA "Prima Mattina"
• Golf Tournament
• Friends Sharing & Giving
• Information Booth
• Kid’s Corner
• Prima Notte
• Prima Notte Gift Bags
• Procession & Mass
• Rides, Games & Circus
• Silent & Live Auction
• Street Team
• Theater
• Tribute Book/Ad Sales
• Vendors
• Volunteers
• Wine Tasting/Grape Stomp
  
  DOWNLOAD VOLUNTEERS APPLICATION FORM

Volunteer Contact
If you have any question, please contact Lisa Di Santo at
[email protected]
or Karin Londgren at:
[email protected]
Thanks for your interest!

VOLUNTEER NOW!!!
Fill out this form to receive information via e-mail.

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