St. Pancras in Glendale takes its Padre Pio devotion to the street: a statue of the saint is carried from the church at 72-22 68th Street along a loop of Cooper Avenue, 71st Street, Central Avenue and Myrtle Avenue. The parish's Padre Pio Prayer Group organizes it, and past years have brought banners, trumpet and sax, rose petals and shouts of "Viva Padre Pio." If you want to see an old-school Queens Catholic feast tradition up close, this is it.
What to expect
Expect a slow-moving procession behind the Padre Pio statue, with parishioners, prayer-group banners and music winding through closed residential blocks around the church. In past years the Knights of Columbus led the way, the walk paused at stops along Myrtle Avenue, and the parish invited everyone to refreshments in Pfeifer Hall afterward.
Good to know
- The procession starts and ends at St. Pancras Church, 72-22 68th Street in Glendale.
- The Q55 bus runs along Myrtle Avenue, which the route touches.
- Watching from the sidewalk is fine; you don't need to be a parishioner to join.
- Streets on the route close to traffic, so skip driving and expect little parking nearby.
- The parish's Padre Pio Prayer Group is English–Italian, and past feast Masses were bilingual.
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Common questions
Where does the St. Padre Pio Procession go?
It leaves St. Pancras Church at 72-22 68th Street and loops through Glendale along 68th Street, Cooper Avenue, 71st Street, Central Avenue, 67th Street and Myrtle Avenue before returning to the church.
Who organizes the procession?
St. Pancras parish's Padre Pio Prayer Group, which meets monthly at the church and holds the saint's feast-day celebration each September.
Can non-parishioners attend?
Yes. The parish has billed its Padre Pio feast celebration as open to all, and anyone can watch or walk along on the public streets.
