'People's pope' moves New Yorkers

By Matt Wells
BBC, New York

Worshippers at the oldest Roman Catholic building in New York City held a memorial service for Pope John Paul II in the heart of Little Italy.

Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral opened its doors almost 200 years ago, and was the centre of Catholic life in the city until the new cathedral on Fifth Avenue was completed in 1879.

Tourists have replaced mafiosi in the restaurants of Little Italy

Today, the dwindling congregation at the boyhood church of film director Martin Scorsese is a sign of the times - but that did not stop people in this still predominantly Italian-American community from offering up prayers and deep thanks for the pontiff's life.

"He was a Pope of the people," said Jack Cheney, 46, a native of Little Italy who now lives in New Orleans. He was in New York to see his beloved Yankees play the Boston Red Sox in the opening game of the baseball season.

"We're all one people, be it Catholic, Jewish, Muslim. He was revered everywhere and he reached out to people. I want the next pope to be just as engaged and outward-looking," he added.

"We're with all the people who are gathered at the Vatican right now, and I'm feeling bad," said Josephine Teristi, who has lived in the neighbourhood all her life. She works just a few metres from the church, at the original Ray's Pizza parlour, which became notorious a few years ago when its mobster owner was sent to prison for selling heroin.

'Dignity of humanity'

The bad old days of the 1970s and 80s, when the restaurants of Little Italy were mafia shooting galleries, are over. The eateries remain, but hungry tourists fill the tables these days, not wise-guys.

Everybody loved him, we were crazy for him Sal Canglaosi Barber

One local resident who knew the Pope is Monsignor John Kozar, who officiated at the St Patrick's memorial service. Currently the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, he was a frequent visitor to Rome, and had an audience with the Pope just a few weeks ago.

"One time when I was with him, he called New York the 'Big Apple'. You can't help but be impressed when you see the Statue of Liberty, and I think he understood that, being an immigrant to Rome himself. I think the city resonated with him," said Msgr Kozar.

"He taught us the dignity of humanity. There were no religious or colour lines with him. He loved everyone."

The Most Precious Blood Church lies at the southern end of Little Italy and the congregation is planning a special service of remembrance later in the week.

"At the very beginning, people in Little Italy looked upon the Holy Father with a bit of suspicion, as the first non-Italian Pope," said Father Fabian Grifone, talking over his cluttered desk, in a break between morning masses.

"But the first time he spoke with that impeccable Italian, they accepted him as their own. The fact he was Polish didn't matter any more."

Italian exodus

For many of the older residents, the Pope's death was an opportunity to reconnect with relatives and friends in Italy. Sal Canglaosi, 60, has been a barber on Grand Street for 35 years, and he was on the phone to Turin when I stopped by.

It's very sad but we all know he's gone to a good place Jerese Kambrough Store manager

"They are saying everything is closed there, and Papa has died. I went to hear him speak both times when he came to New York, at Madison Square Garden and the Bronx. Everybody loved him, we were crazy for him," he said.

In the last few decades, many Italian families have moved out of their historic base in Lower Manhattan for more space and comfort in the suburbs. The full-time pastor at St Patrick's hails from India, and the best attended masses in the area are in Spanish and Chinese.

A sign of how much assimilation is changing the old insular character of Little Italy can be seen just across the street from the cathedral. La Coppola Storta is a small designer boutique that sells Sicilian-made hats, and one of the two store managers is 22-year-old Jerese Kambrough, who is of Irish-Cherokee-African heritage.

She is also Catholic, and wears a Celtic cross around her neck.

"I was following news on the Pope's health here on the internet. It's very sad but we all know he's gone to a good place," she said.

"Since he was Polish it meant a lot to me. It showed that a new generation could come in and blend with tradition."