"The Flying of The Angels": Festival of Maria SS Lauretana

One of my first YouTube videos.
Uploaded by dogstar7 on Sep 4, 2007


108th Annual Festival Honoring Maria SS Lauretana Society of Altaville Micilia

This festival and it's tradition began in Altaville Micilia, Sicily. It was first brought here to America in 1900 when the procession and the "Flying of Angels" made it way to the near north Chicago neighborhood of Cabrini Green.

In recent years this tradition is continued every Labor Day Weekend in the western suburb of Berwyn, Illinois.

The Maria Santisima (S.S) Lauretana Society
is composed of three groups:

The "Deputazoine", who administer the festival wear yellow; The "Sorelanza", the Womans Guild, wear maroon dresses; and "The Fratalanza" or Brotherhood, or "The Maroons", who's job it is to carry the shrine.

The music was supplied on scene by the Sicilian Band of Chicago, who accompanied the shrine through the fest.

This was shot hand-held with the Canon Elura 100
Wild audio in 16 bit.
Edited and mixed to MPEG4 on Final Cut
Thanks to Ed Pitts of Absolute Video, Oak Park, IL.

Thanks to emtfire62 for information.