Cultural Diffusion:Relocation

Joe Naumann – UMSLGeography

• Definition• The actual movement of

individuals, who have already adopted the idea or innovation, who carry it to a new locale, where they proceed to disseminate it. Religion frequently spreads this way. For example, the migration of Christianity with European settlers who came to America.

• The decoration within churches, more so in small towns, might be described as exubrent.

• This religious exhubrence found its way into people's homes in the form of home altars – sometimes being quite elaborate. These particularly expressed the piety of the women in the family.– Might resemble a church altar– Display of religious statues or pictures– Lighted votive candles – often many– Vases of flowers

• Many immigrants brought this custom with them, establishing home altars in their new American homes.

• My Sicilian grandmother didn't have one in her home, but many of her friends did:– I particularly remember Dona Settefina

(Mrs. Settefina) – spelled phonetically as best I remember it 60 years later

• Hers had all the characteristics given on the previous slide.

• Religious procession in Castelvetrano and Syracuse, Sicily

Sic

ilian

Ch

urc

hes

• Main altar in the Duomo (cathedral) in Syracuse, Sicily

Treca

stag

ni, S

icily

• Main altar of a small town church in Sicily.

Treca

stag

ni, S

icily

• Elaborate, exuberent reliquaries

Cam

pob

ello

di

Maza

ra• Main altar and shrine in this small

Sicilian town between Castelvetrano and Mazara del Vallo

Rom

an

Ch

urc

h• Jesuit church

of St. Ignatius in Rome just off the Via del Corso.

RELOCATION DIFFUSION Ethnic Churches in St. Louis, Missouri

THE THE HILL HILL ININ ST. ST. LOUISLOUIS

LOCATILOCATINGNG THE THE HILL IN HILL IN ST. ST. LOUISLOUIS

The approximateThe approximatelocation of Little location of Little ItalyItaly

Litt

le Ita

ly• The last vestiges of Little Italy,

north of "Downtown" St. Louis were torn down to make way for the Americas Convention Center, including Our Lady of Christians Church. Our Lady of Christians was built as a Methodist church, then served as a Jewish synagogue, and ended its years of service as a Roman Catholic church for the Sicilian community in Little Italy.

Sh

rin

e o

f S

t. Jose

ph

Sh

rin

e o

f S

t. Jose

ph

• In a part of downtown St. Louis, Mo. that is in a former immigrant settlement area.

St.

Am

bro

se C

hu

rch • Modeled after Sant Ambrogio in

Milan, Italy

St.

Am

bro

se• Showing the bell tower modeled

after the one in Milan, Italy

San

t A

mb

rog

io in

M

ilan

• Model for St. Ambrose, particularly the bell tower.

St.

Am

bro

se C

hu

rch • Located in the still predominately

Italian part of St. Louis, Missouri.

St.

Am

bro

se C

hu

rch

• Main altar

St.

Am

bro

se• Stations of the Cross

St.

Am

bro

se C

hu

rch • Side walls lined with religious statues –

dozens of Saints are represented.

RELIGIOUS EXUBERANCE IN THE HOME

Home Altars

Rath

er

Ela

bora

te

Alt

ars• Set up to resemble a church side altar.

One dedicated to St. Joseph is on the left.

• The Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, the Mother of Jesus, are frequent themes for home altars.

• The run the gammot from formal to informal.

Sm

alle

r an

d less

ela

bora

te• Votive candles see to be very important

• A small and simple home shrine.

• Votive candle exubrance!

SYNCRETISM – CULTURAL BLENDING

Outdoor Christmas displays on the Hill, seem to be a blending of Italian religious exuberance and the American tradition of outdoor displays at Christmas time.

Resi

den

tial

• The homes tend to be small with very small front yards – this one is quite full.

Resi

den

tial

• A message from the angel

com

merc

ial

• Religious theme in a commercial display.

My F

avori

tes

• This is a year-round display on Shaw Avenue.

My F

avori

tes

• More of the year-round dislpay on shaw Avenue

My F

avori

tes

• Next door to the year-round display.

My F

avori

tes

• More of the previous one

My F

avori

tes

• More of the same house – the religious side of the decorations.

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