For 24 years, the community at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Mt Evelyn has celebrated an Italian festa, a joyful day of festivities that begins with Mass and a procession in honour of Our Lady of the Annunciation.
The statue of Madonna Maria SS Annunziata is a special one for the parish, hand-crafted in Italy after the original in Oppido Mamertina, a town in Reggio Calabria. It has been in the parish since the year 2000, the fruit of an initiative spearheaded by parishioner Carmelo Costa and made possible by the whole Italian community in the Yarra Valley.
The story is also a very personal one for the Costa family, especially for Nina and Frances, Carmelo’s daughters, who are parishioners at St Mary’s. Nina shares how her father was diagnosed with cancer in 1995. Growing up in Oppido Mamertina, he always had a special devotion to their local Madonna—he and his wife were even married in front of the original statue at the cathedral where it is kept.
‘They were always praying, “Our Lady, please give us strength to get through this”,’ Nina says, ‘or “Our Lady, thank you for helping us through this.” They didn’t just pray through the bad times; they prayed through the good.’
Their devotion to Mary became even more pronounced when they emigrated to Australia in 1967. ‘There was a heartache in them … They always prayed, “Give me the strength to get where I need to get.”’
Nina says that a lot of Italians resettled in the Yarra Valley, where the soil is rich and they could work the land. Carmelo was a market-place farmer. Everyone knew everyone, and the community bond between immigrants was strong. They looked out for each other.
Shortly after his cancer diagnosis, Carmelo and his wife Giuseppa returned home to Oppido Mamertina for a holiday, bringing back an enormous print of Maria SS Annunziata for the parish. They had it framed, and it remains at the parish today. But Carmelo started thinking about something bigger: getting their own statue.
‘He thought it would make our lives feel more like we’re back at home,’ Nina says. ‘So he got a committee together to raise funds by knocking on doors and asking for donations. My father never got a knock-back from anyone, Italian or not.’
‘His smile would make people smile. His laughter would make you want to dance. He played the tambourine in his own time. He was a character—absolutely a character. He would always shout, ‘Viva Maria!’ Joy to Our Lady!
It took them some time to raise sufficient funds, but once they had the money, an artist in Italy was organised to produce a replica of the original Madonna Maria SS Annunziata. On 24 September 2000, the parish hosted an unveiling, and the first festa of many to come.
In terms of size, Nina explains, St Mary’s statue is only a ‘newborn’ in comparison to the original. ‘We needed six to eight people to carry this one, and everyone was welcome to participate. In Italy, you’d need about 30.’
Nina remembers the first festa vividly. ‘The church was full of all different emotions … I honestly couldn’t even put it into words.’
‘My father would stand by the side of the Madonna as if he’d just been told he’s going to have a baby, or his first daughter got married. The shine in his eyes … You couldn’t fault it.’
‘He was only 5 foot 2,’ she says, ‘but his voice would echo … His smile would make people smile. His laughter would make you want to dance. He played the tambourine in his own time. He was a character—absolutely a character.’
‘He would always shout, “Viva Maria!” Joy to Our Lady!’
For many years, the procession outside of the church was accompanied by a marching band, complete with tubas.
Every year for the festa, almost without fail, there have been predictions of rain to dampen the celebrations. ‘My dad used to say, “No, Madonna is going to help us”, and lo and behold, when she came out of the church, it would not rain,’ says Nina. The same was true for this year’s celebration—despite predictions of rain, the fine weather held for the festa.
He started life with Our Lady, and he ended it the same way.
Although COVID has affected the size of the celebrations, they remain a staple of the community’s life, and the Madonna has a special place in the church. There is also a plaque dedicated to Nina’s father.
Carmelo Costa died in 2007. At the funeral, his coffin was placed in front of the Madonna, and Nina couldn’t help but think how fitting that was. Not only were her parents married in front of the original statue, but for their 50th anniversary, they renewed their wedding vows there too. Finally, they celebrated his entry to eternal life by this statue.
‘He started life with Our Lady, and he ended it the same way. I thought, “You’re where you want to be,”’ Nina says.
While the community at St Mary’s was rallied by Carmelo’s strong devotion, Nina also honours the whole Italian community in the Yarra Valley who made it possible. ‘If it wasn’t for the Italian community who helped, it wouldn’t have gone ahead.’
Banner image: St Mary’s parishioners participate in the annual procession in honour of Our Lady of the Annunciation.
