Utica Celebrates 112th Cosmas-Damian Feast

Devotion to Saints Cosmas and Damian, remembered as early Christian physician brothers who treated the poor without charge, continues to inspire religious observances and community traditions. In Utica, New York, the 112th annual feast brought people together for Italian food, music, prayer and the purchase of candles for loved ones, sustaining a tradition passed down through generations. The saints are also honored in Naples’ Secondigliano neighborhood, where organizers planned two days of religious events, music and a procession in 2026. Their example of offering medical skill freely has made them revered as patrons of physicians, surgeons and pharmacists, and a lasting model of practical compassion.