La Nuova Sicilia Unita Lodge #1251

06/13/2026

Today, June 13, is the Feast Day of Saint Anthony of Padua, beloved patron saint of lost things, miracles, and the poor. May his example of faith, humility, and compassion continue to inspire us. 🙏

06/04/2026

St. Anthony of Padua is one of the Catholic Church's most popular saints, universally recognized as the patron saint of lost things and lost people. A brilliant Franciscan theologian and powerful preacher, his feast day is celebrated globally on June 13. Born Fernando Martins de Bulhões in Lisbon, Portugal, he initially joined the Augustinian Order before leaving to become a Franciscan friar to pursue a more austere life. Known for his deep scriptural knowledge and eloquent preaching, he was so effective at defending the faith against heresies that he earned the nickname "The Hammer of Heretics". He died at age 35 in Padua, Italy, and was canonized just a year later—making it one of the fastest canonizations in papal history.

He was beloved by many and the Patron Saint of lost articles, sailors, travelers, the poor, amputees and fishermen to name a few. After his death there were many stories of miracles performed by St. Anthony. Along with St. Francis they are two of the most important Saints for Italians.

The tradition of praying to him to find missing articles stems from a legend where a novice stole a valuable book of Anthony's psalms; after Anthony prayed for its return, the thief returned the book and repented. He is traditionally depicted wearing a Franciscan habit and holding the Infant Jesus, a lily (symbolizing purity), and a Bible. As for a local connection to the Tampa Bay area, the second oldest Catholic parish on Florida's west coast—St. Anthony of Padua—is located nearby in San Antonio, Florida in Pasco County.

05/27/2026

Before emperors ruled from their marble palaces and the Senate became the center of Roman power, legend tells us of seven kings who shaped the destiny of ancient Rome. Part history part legend, these rulers governed the city of Rome from its founding in 753 BC until the birth of the Republic in 509 BC. Blending mythology, politics, war, and divine destiny form the foundation for one of the most influential empires in the world.

05/14/2026

The Italian Club Ladies Auxiliary’s Campo Italiano is a week-long summer camp for children scheduled to take place June 1-5 at the Lodge. The five-day camp brings young people together to learn about Italian culture, food, music, language, sports and history.

05/09/2026

The Lodge is happy to announce we are resuming our Line Dancing sessions come June 11th and with follow on dance dates being planned. We hope to see our prior line dancers and a few new dancers on June 11th. Don’t forget family and friends are welcome as well.

04/20/2026

The Tampa Bay Toy & Comic Expo is offering a family-friendly event for collectors and pop culture fans, featuring over 60 tables of toys, comics, video games, and nostalgic treasures.

04/14/2026

04/11/2026

The Tampa Bay Coin Club has once again returned to the Lodge for their Coin Club Show on May 9th. Coin shows are events where coin collectors and coin dealers attend to buy, trade and sell coins. So, if you have some old coins laying around the house you may want to bring them over to the lodge to see if you have any hidden treasure.

04/11/2026

We are back!! Our bocce tournament has been rescheduled after several months of calendar event conflicts. Join us on June 13th for our Annual Sam Schiavone Memorial Bocce Tournament hosted by the Lodge and Richard Gonzmart's Casa Santa Stefano Restaurant.! See the below flyer for additional information regarding the bocce tournament. Don't forget to save the date and hope to see you at the Lodge.