Friday, July 18, 2025
The Sons of San Paolino celebrated 20 years of Italian-American tradition with its annual Dancing of the Giglio last Saturday. The event was the highlight of a four-day festival held at West Hempstead’s St. Thomas the Apostle Church.
The Dancing of the Giglio has roots in Italian religious traditions. For over 1,000 years, the feast has honored Saint Paulinus, or Paolino, the patron saint of Nola, Italy. The celebrations, which take place in various Italian towns and cities, typically include the carrying of large papier-mâché towers, and lots of joyful music.
The tradition became prominent in the United States, specifically in New York, as Italian immigrants settled in the city. There are large Giglio festivals in East Harlem and Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
About 20 years ago, the Sons of San Paolino organization banded together to bring the tradition to Long Island. According to SOSP Inc. President Phil Bruno, the celebrations began in Glen Cove, before making their way to Franklin Square and now West Hempstead, where the feast has been held for the past three years.
“We got a great group of men that know each other from different feasts throughout the New York area, and we’ve all become friends,” Bruno said. “We have a common goal to keep up this tradition of the Dance of the Giglio.”
During the dance, more than 100 men carried a 54-foot-tall wooden structure, along with a full band on the bandstand, around the church’s parking lot for nearly three hours. They took breaks after each lift to celebrate their heritage and to stay hydrated on a hot first full day of summer.
This year’s number one “capo” for the dance was Ralph Santorelli, SOSP’s vice president, who directed the lifters of the Giglio around the St. Thomas the Apostle parking lot.
“This has been passed on through generations of my family,” Santorelli explained. “I’ve been a lifter for quite a long time. From lifter I became lieutenant, and today I was finally honored to be number one capo. To me it is an honor above all honors because when you reach capo status, it means you’re beloved, you’re honored, you put in your time, and for me this is beautiful.”
Bruno, 75, said that his grandfather helped begin the East Harlem feast in 1908, and he has celebrated the tradition his whole life. “To have it on Long Island, my home for many years now, to have my sons involved and all my friends, it’s like Christmas in June,” he said.
Planning for next year’s Giglio has already begun. Months before the festival, members of the SOSP begin building the structure from scratch — the tower, decorations, and handmade papier-mâché patron saints displayed on the front of the structure.
“I hope this can continue for another 20 years,” Bruno said. “Even if I’m not around, I hope my sons will continue this. I don’t want to see this festival die. We need more participation from the local community and the parishioners, and we’re going to make it happen.”
This year, Bruno’s grandson Vince Bruno helped lift the Giglio for the first time. At age 11 he was the youngest lifter. “It hurt my neck a lot,” Vince said. “It was about a thousand pounds.” But, he added, he plans to continue lifting in the future.
