Historic Pipe Organ Film Concert in New Bedford

A special program is happening on November 1 at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford.

As part of a fundraising effort, the church will be showing the 1926 silent film classic The Ten Commandments at 5 p.m., accompanied by music from the church's historic pipe organ played by renowned organist Peter Krasinski.

Krasinski and Concert Committee Chairperson Gisele Pappas stopped by Townsquare Sunday to promote the performance and discuss the fundraising effort.

Get our free mobile app

Live Pipe Organ Accompaniment by Peter Krasinski

"Peter has played music for films at St. Anthony's twice before," Pappas said. "When he suggested we show The Ten Commandments, we jumped on it. His expertise in providing music for silent films makes that film come alive."

"I've always liked making up music," Krasinski said. "These films are amazing stories, and what I do is basically memorize the movie, and become very familiar with the organ so I can get the sound I want, and then I improvise. I'm inspired by the instrument, the building, and the audience."

The film will be shown on a big screen inside the church.

Cecil B. DeMille’s 1926 Classic 'The Ten Commandments'

"The Cecil B. DeMille version of this film was released in 1926," Krasinki said. "It starts with the biblical version of the Commandments, but halfway through, it switches to life in San Francisco in the 1920s, and that's when the excitement happens."

Here's a little-known fact: the St. Anthony pipe organ being used in this performance is actually older than the film. The Casavant organ was built in 1912. The movie was released 14 years later.

Ticket Details and Stained-Glass Restoration Fundraiser

Tickets for this performance are $20 and are available online. Tickets will also be sold at the door. Children accompanied by a parent will be admitted free. You can also call (508) 264-8010 for tickets.

All of the money raised will be used for an important restoration project at St. Anthony's. "We have some beautiful stained glass windows at St. Anthony's, but the wooden frames on the outside need replacing," Pappas said. "We are putting up-to-date window protection over all the stained-glass windows, and it's quite an expensive job."

Pappas said the window project will be launched on November 1, the evening of the performance.

If you would like your nonprofit or charitable organization featured on Townsquare Sunday, please email the host at jim.phillips@townsquaremedia.com.

20 Things You Probably Didn’t Know Were Official Massachusetts State Symbols

Massachusetts has plenty of familiar state symbols, but some of the official picks get surprisingly specific. From a state donut and dinosaur to an official groundhog, polka song and even soil, here are 20 of the Commonwealth’s most unusual designations.

Gallery Credit: Gazelle

FIrst Look: Damage Caused by Hurricane Isaias

The first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season was named Isaias. It formed just off the coast of Mexico and moved eastward across the Gulf. The storm became a major hurricane but eventually weakened to a Category 2 storm before making landfall near Destin, Florida. Here are some of the early photos from the area impacted by the storm.

Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells