Celebrating 100 years of the Madonna Dei Martiri in Hoboken
The 100th anniversary of the feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri (Our Lady of the Martyrs) was observed on Sept. 12 during a joyous Mass at St. Francis’ Parish in Hoboken. Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R, Archbishop of Newark, was the celebrant. He was joined by Auxiliary Bishop Pedro Bismarck Chau and Bishop Domenico Basile of the Diocese of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, along with many priests from the Archdiocese of Newark.
The devotion to the Madonna Dei Martiri can be traced back to 1188, when, according to tradition, returning crusaders landed in the Apulian town on the Adriatic Sea and witnessed an icon of the Blessed Mother floating on the water. The icon was taken to a local infirmary, where some patients were miraculously healed. Those who died — most of them returning crusaders — were regarded as martyrs.
Italian immigrants established the Società Madonna Dei Martiri in 1926 to organize a yearly devotion and community celebration that has since evolved into the Hoboken Italian Festival, a staple of the city ever since.
An immigrant experience that reflects the Holy Family
Reflecting on the Annunciation, Bishop Basile’s homily in Italian emphasized the hope that Saint Joseph and the Blessed Mother had in bleak, unpredictable circumstances, drawing a parallel with the story of Italian immigration to America.
“Looking back, you can gratefully acknowledge that God was present in that great dream and that He blessed your tenacity, helping you keep alive the hope that — when placed in Him — never disappoints,” said Bishop Basile.
He also referenced Pope Leo XIV’s homily at the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality in October, in which the Holy Father advocated for a spirituality rooted in Marian devotion to “bring God’s tenderness into the Church”
“Authentic Marian spirituality makes God’s tenderness and motherhood present in the Church today,” said Bishop Basile. “The Pope’s words offer a healthy challenge: to recognize that devotion to Mary not only keeps us following Jesus but also enables us to reach out to our brothers and sisters, to stand with one another, and to help each other.”
Remembering where we came from
At the end of the mass, Cardinal Tobin offered a reflected on the various Marian devotions in the Archdiocese of Newark and on being open to those who are different, sharing a story about his Irish immigrant grandmother.
“What she did not have patience with were people, particularly the Irish, who persecuted the people around them, who thought less of them because they were different,” said the cardinal. “She would say they ‘forgot where they came from.’ The Molfettesi here in Hoboken have not forgotten. Thanks be to God and to the Virgin, the Madonna dei Martiri.”
Cardinal Tobin and Bishop Chau also received books with photographs and detailed descriptions of the Bari cathedral as gifts from Bishop Basile, along with an invitation to visit his diocese.
By tradition, after Mass the statue is always carried in procession through the streets of Hoboken to the Hudson River waterfront, where it is taken by ferry onto the river for a reenactment of the “Blessing of the Fleet.”
Later that evening, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the feast, there was a spectacular drone show which paid tribute to the experience of Italian immigrants and their devotion to the Blessed Mother.
To view a gallery of photos from the Madonna dei Martiri Mass CLICK HERE.
You can view a video of the Mass below:
Featured image: Cardinal Tobin blesses the statue of la Madonna dei Martiri on the centennial of the celebration on Sept. 12 at St. Francis’ Parish in Hoboken. (Photos by Julio Eduardo Herrera / Archdiocese of Newark)
