VENICE FILIPINO COMMUNITY HOLDS FLORES DE MAYO-SANTACRUZAN 

The Filipino community in Venice took to the streets around San Marco Square its famous Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan procession on Sunday, 27 May, drawing interest and admiration from locals and tourists alike. 

The annual event, organized by the La Communita Filippina di Venezia headed by Mr. Darwin Gutierrez, and the parochial community of Fava Church headed by Fr. Luigi Ramazotti, is one of only three events that the local commune allows to pass through the busy San Marco Square in Venice.  

Monsignor Luigi Ramazotti leads the Santacruzan procession through the famous San Marco Square in Venice and is joined by Consul General Irene Susan Natividad,

Honorary Consul for Venetto, Giorgia de Biasi , and  Vice Consul Flaureen Dacanay.

The three-hour procession featured around 50 “reynas”, 16 little girls and boys dressed as angels and parishioners donning long gowns and colorful Filipiniana attire. It started at 4:00 p.m. at Chiesa di San Moise and concluded at the beautiful Pietro al Castello for the flower offering to the Blessed Mother, followed by the celebration of the Holy Mass.   

Consul General Irene Susan B. Natividad in her message exhorted the “nanays, lolas and titas” to explain to the younger generation of Filipinos who have been raised in Italy the true meaning of the Santacruzan and to continue to promote the richness of Philippine culture in the commune.  

After the mass, the Consul General was invited to present plaques to the outgoing and incoming Reyna Emperatriz, and joined the community in a salu-salo and short program which featured a visiting choral group from Cavite, the Regina Coeili Choir.   END