St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church will commemorate the 72nd anniversary of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier’s wedding with two presentations of “Return to Camelot” on Friday.
The event will be held at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church, located at the corner of Spring Street and Memorial Boulevard West. Doors open 15 minutes before each presentation.
The 30-minute program will feature vintage film clips, live organ music and hymns from the original Sept. 12, 1953, wedding ceremony, and the “first dance” music played at the reception at Hammersmith Farm, Jackie’s childhood summer home in Newport.
Following the presentation, guests can tour the historic church, view pew No. 10 where the couple prayed during Mass in Newport, and see the kneelers used during their nuptial ceremony.
No reservations are required and no tickets will be sold. A free-will offering will benefit St. Mary’s Hot Lunch Program, which serves community members in need three Wednesdays each month.
“The annual ‘Return to Camelot’ presentation is a primary funding source for our Hot Lunch Program, serving our Newport neighbors in need, and a wonderful opportunity to honor the Kennedy legacy in Newport,” said the Rev. Mark A. Sauriol, St. Mary’s pastor.
St. Mary’s is home to Rhode Island’s oldest Catholic parish, established in 1828. The current church was dedicated in 1852 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Gothic Revival structure attracts thousands of visitors annually from across the United States and worldwide.
The church is open to the public Monday through Friday year-round, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during peak tourism months and noon to 2 p.m. in the off-season.
For more information, contact StMarySecretary12@gmail.com, call (401) 847-0475, or visit www.StMaryNewportRI.org.
