The Federation of Italian American Organizations of Queens replaced its annual Columbus Day parade with a memorial Mass in Italian at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church Oct. 6. The Mass was celebrated by the Rev. Carmelo Gagliardi, assisted by Deacon Giacomo Panessa, spiritual advisor to the Federation.

Although the Federation of Italian American Organizations of Queens replaced its annual Columbus Day parade with a memorial Mass in Italian at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, members of the Federation gathered at Columbus Square, 31st Street and Astoria Boulevard, to lay a wreath at the foot of the statue of Christopher Columbus, who is thought to have made landfall in the New World Oct. 12, 1492.

Photos Walter Karling Among the many attending Mass were Vincent Iannece, Assemblymember Michael Gianaris, Mary Butler, former Assemblymember Denis Butler and State Sen. George Onorato and Athena Georgiakakos–Onorato.