104th Our Lady of Mount Carmel procession traverses Shenandoah streets

KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SENTINEL PHOTO - The Divine Mercy/Our Lady of Mount Carmel procession makes its way down Penn Street in Shenandoah on July 22, 2018.

By Kaylee Lindenmuth

SHENANDOAH – A Shenandoah tradition marked it’s 104th year Sunday as the Our Lady of Mount Carmel procession traversed the streets of Shenandoah’s west end.

Parishioners from the Divine Mercy Roman Catholic Church, as well as area residents, and the Upper Schuylkill Marching Band participated in the event, which began after 9:30am mass at the church on Cherry Street.

In the procession, some families carried homemade “cintas,” or small shrines, some of which have passed from generation to generation, while other families volunteered for the honor of carrying the statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or the canopy held over the statue. 

Along the way, donations were made to the church via bills pinned to the statue.

The procession began at the church, and moved East on Cherry Street to West Street, north on West to Lloyd, west on Lloyd to Catherine, north on Catherine to Penn, west on Penn to Walnut, south on Walnut to Coal, west on Coal to Belmont, east on Coal to Jardin, south on Jardin to Cherry and west on Cherry back to Divine Mercy Church.

The procession was led by a Shenandoah Police escort and the Upper Schuylkill Marching Band, and was followed by a Shenandoah Ambulance chase vehicle.

EMTs and ambulances from Shenandoah Ambulance were staged throughout the parade route.

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