Lavin was knighted by Prince Carlo for his work

Cavaliere Eric J. Lavin

2023 Renaissance Man

Eric was born in Hackensack to Victoriano and Elisabeth Lavin on Nov. 18, 1994. He is a lifelong resident of North Arlington. Growing up, Eric spent all his weekends, holidays, and vacations with his maternal grandmother, Antonia Calello, in the Ironbound section of Newark. The Spilingesi immigrated to Newark in the early 1900’s.

He grew up around Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and worked closely with the late Very Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Ambrosio who was a mentor and a second father to Eric. As such he has had and continues to maintain many roles at OLMC including being its pastoral associate and business manager.

He has recently spearheaded the annual Feast of Madonna della Fontana and St. Michael and that of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, one of the oldest in the state of New Jersey. For his efforts, he was knighted by Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies in April of 2019 as Cavaliere in the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George.

In November of 2022 he was appointed by His Eminence Joseph William Cardinal Tobin to be the coordinator of the Italian Apostolate, the first layperson in the Archdiocese to hold such a role.

Eric is a graduate of Seton Hall University with a degree in modern languages and secondary education and most recently a graduate from Columbia University with a degree in Italian. Currently, Eric teaches Italian and Spanish at James Caldwell High School in West Caldwell. He also presents at conferences with the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission/ Department of Education on current trends in the Italian classroom, and lessons pertaining to various aspects of Italian language and culture.

Eric attributes his passion for Italian language and culture to his grandmother, Antonia Calello. Having been raised in the Ironbound section of Newark, amidst the last vestiges of the Spilingese community there, he credits all the many individuals who made an impact on his appreciation and love of that community and of the City of Newark.

He was instrumental in organizing the Sister Cities of the City of Newark and Comune di Spilinga on July 6, 2022 and in October of 2022 organized the first Italian Flag Raising at Newark City Hall in some decades. On Oct. 1, 2023, the City of Newark will once again raise the Italian flag in honor of Italian heritage, culture and traditions.