AVA RAGUSA AND HER TWIN PHILIP “PHIL” RAGUSA are shown with their award certificates upon moving on from Lynnfield Middle School in June. (Courtesy Photo)

By GAIL LOWE

LYNNFIELD — Ava Ragusa will be performing as an angel at this week’s Fisherman’s Feast in Boston’s North End.

The annual event is scheduled this year for Friday, Aug. 15 through Sunday, Aug. 18. The soon-to-be Lynnfield High School freshman was chosen to be one of the two side angels at the Fisherman’s Feast. Being chosen is an honor unlike any other.

For the past six months, Ava has been in training to learn a special prayer in Italian and hand movements the angels make to an adoring crowd.

In addition, Ava was required to demonstrate her dedication to learn the Italian devotion and recite it for other members to prove her readiness to perform.

The Fisherman’s Feast began in 1910 and is based on a tradition that goes back to the 16th century in Sciacca, Sicily — the devotion of the fishermen to the Madonna del Soccorso (Our Lady of Help).

As is the custom, after a day-long procession of the Madonna statue through the streets of the North End, members of the Fisherman’s Club bring the Madonna to North Street where two angels on balconies on either side of the street recite the Italian devotion. Their readings culminate in the entrance of a flying angel descending from a third-story window to meet the Madonna and finish with a rainfall of confetti on the festive street celebration below.

Ava’s counterpart is Sadie VanSteensburg of Ipswich, while the flying angel will be Gemma Teresa Gonzales of New York City.

Ava’s mother Carolyn Ragusa said that the angels are chosen based on their lineage that can be traced back to the original immigrant fishermen from Sicily who came to America in the early 1900s.

As a commercial fisherman, Ava’s grandfather Philip Ragusa Sr. was an active member of the Fisherman’s Club, and it was the wish of her grandparents that Ava become an angel at the Feast.

“My husband Phil’s parents — Phil Ragusa Sr. and Anna Ciulla — were descendants from Sciacca, Italy where the tradition was founded,” Carolyn explained. “One of the first fishing fleets in Boston was founded in the 1930s by Ava’s great-grandparents Melchiore Ragusa and Charlie Ragusa.”

The Fisherman’s Club supported families of fishermen throughout the years.

The 14-year-old Ava enjoys playing soccer and softball. Ava’s mother said she is “very proud” of her daughter.

“Ava has brought forth an unwavering commitment to succeed in the role of angel for the Feast, and she has had a great deal of support from the family members of past angels in her preparation. We are very grateful,” said Carolyn.

Ava’s father Phil agrees with his wife.

“This is a significant honor for Ava and I am immensely proud of her achievement. Being chosen as an angel at such a renowned event is a testament to her dedication, hard work and community spirit,” said Phil. “She has been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time, and I couldn’t be happier for her to participate in such a prestigious tradition.”

In addition to her parents, Ava has a twin brother Philip “Phil” Ragusa III, named for his father and grandfather.

The young man is also involved in the Feast.

“He is a passionate and hard working volunteer who will be by his Dad’s side to help run the Feast with other members,” said Carolyn. “Phil is also an honor student and plays football and baseball for town teams.”

He will also participate in winter track as a freshman at Lynnfield High School.

Like her twin, Ava is an “extremely dedicated student” and achieves high honors on a regular basis.

Carolyn and Phil Ragusa have been married for 25 years, and together they founded the successful real estate company Boston Premier Properties, based in Quincy, for the past 16 years.

Phil has also worked for American Airlines for the past 30 years.

Before Carolyn became a mother, she was a marketing director for a major construction firm.

“Once the twins came, I took a step back from that career path and raised my children while also participating in our estate firm as vice president,” she said.

The family also have a beloved goldendoodle. He is their “Buddy.”