Larry Racioppo

The Feast of San Gennaro

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Inside Street Photography

The official newsletter of Street Photography Magazine

Friday, 26 Sep 2025
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Reading time:
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The Feast of San Gennaro

Larry Racioppo

Fifty years ago this month, I spent some time with my friend John Rossi at the San Gennaro Feast in Little Italy, NYC. My Italian-American Brooklyn family members were content with Brooklyn’s own feasts and paid no attention to one across the river. I spent one evening and one afternoon photographing the Feast and found it similar to the ones in Brooklyn, just bigger. It had the same mix of religiosity and commercialism.

San Gennaro trinkets for sale
San Gennaro at Night
San Gennaro banner

On a warm afternoon, John and I joined a procession of men carrying San Gennaro’s statue to downtown Manhattan, then back to its base in Little Italy.

San Gennaro banner on procession
Three Priests
Boy with San Antonio banner
Pushing the San Gennaro float
Returning to Little Italy

Shortly after the statue was settled back home, a young tourist approached and asked John, “Who gets the money attached to the San Gennaro statue?” John quickly replied, “The Saint’s relatives,” as we burst into laughter.

San Gennaro statue at Home

About the Columnist

Larry’s portrait by Anna Delaney

When I returned to South Brooklyn in 1970 after two years in California as a VISTA Volunteer, I was 22 years old with no plans and a $30 camera I barely knew how to use. I took a course at the School of Visual Arts, a job with the telephone company and began to photograph my family and friends. Things worked out better than I could have expected. I’ve been making photographs for over 50 years, and have some things I’d like to share.

Check out my book, Here Down on Dark Earth, here.

Readers can respond directly to me – larryracioppo@gmail.com.

Published by Street Photography Magazine