Blessing and inauguration of the flag standard of the Societatea Banateana-Vasile Alecsandri photograph, 1938
Permanent ID:
10769Date:
November 24 1938Image Description:
This group portrait depicts members of the Societatea Banateana-Vasile Alecsandri in front of the parish, Descent of the Holy Spirit, facing Brown Street. The society's clubhouse was located directly across the street at 229 Brown Street.The sponsor ("nas") of the flag was Gavrila Milos (first row, fourth from left, wearing a sash bearing his name). His wife Irina stands directly to the right of the flag, and their daughter Sophie Milos Croiter stands in back of her mother, with her husband John Croiter behind her. The right to be a sponsor of an organization's flag standard was considered a great honor in the community, as well as a source of income for the organization, since the right was purchased at a society held auction. The flag bearer is Dumitru ("Mita") Bogdan who also wears a sash bearing his name.
The sashes are made of textiles designed in the three national colors of the Romanian flag (Tricolorul) and are located in showcases of the society's museum collection. [See Museum images #1, 2, 3, 52, 83.]
The society president, George Batejan, wearing a wide fringed sash and society badge, is standing in the front row, fifth from left. The parish priest of Descent of the Holy Spirit Romanian Orthodox Church, Fr. John Popovici, dressed in black, stands to the upper left of Gavrila Milos. The Romanian flag bearer on the far left is George Farca. His wife Catita and young daughter Marie are directly to the left of Gavrila Milos. Standing on the far left ledge is Ioan (John) Nemeth and next to him is his son, Peter Nemeth. On the lower right of the American flag is Anna Velici.