CLEVELAND, Ohio — In Cleveland’s Little Italy, August means more than just summer heat. It’s the time when the scent of garlic and the sound of hymns mingle in the air, and people gather shoulder-to-shoulder for one of the neighborhood’s oldest traditions: the Feast of the Assumption.
Now in its 126th year, “The Feast” draws thousands to Mayfield and Murray Hill roads from Thursday, Aug. 14 through Sunday, Aug. 17. What began as a solemn Catholic observance of the Virgin Mary’s ascent to heaven has grown into a four-day neighborhood festival combining religious devotion and street party.
At the heart of the celebration is Holy Rosary Church. On Friday, Aug. 15, parishioners and visitors crowd inside for a 10 a.m. solemn Mass. Then, in a ritual unchanged for generations, the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be carried through the narrow streets…