NEW YORK - The church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Williamsburg is canceling its annual Giglio Feast over safety concerns related to the ongoing pandemic.

The festival, which normally takes place in July, started in 1903 and is the oldest feast of its kind in the country.

The last time it was cancelled during World War II.

 

The church usually relies heavily on profits from the feast.

In a Facebook post, the pastor says the cancellation is "a financial burden we cannot stand to bear."

The church is now asking the community for donations, and to participate in their raffles to fill the gap.