The forgotten “delicious” Italian holiday

St. Joseph is honoured with feasts and parades especially in the South of Italy. It’s the “onomastico” (Saint’s name day) for all those named Giuseppe and Giuseppina.

It’s celebrated mostly by Italian-American Catholics. The tradition was brought over with the first Italian immigrants and there are parades in many big cities such as

New Orleans.

In America the dishes served are similar to those eaten in Italy and are meatless because the holiday is celebrated during Lent. It consists of bread, pasta, spring vegetables frittatas’, fava bean soup and desserts.

A big Altar called , St. Joseph’s Table, is laden with food, bread and fruit.

St. Joseph’s Bread is a bread that is traditionally served on St. Joseph’s Day. Traditional forms are crowns and crosses. It’s a good home-style white bread with sesame seeds. Since St. Joseph was a carpenter, sesame seeds signify sawdust. This bread is nice with butter or jam.

St. Joseph’s Day ends with eachparticipant taking home a bagcontaining an orange, a lemon, a St. Joseph roll.Oranges represent sweetness of life;

Lemons the good and the bad; The rolls mean you will never go hungry.

Fava bean is given to each participant to the feast. They say:

“Keep your lucky bean and let it remind to pray to St. Joseph.”

In the Middle Ages St. Joseph saved the Sicilians from a famine.

The only crop that grew and saved them was the fava bean.

So in his honour the custom is for all to wear RED.

March 19th is above all St. Joseph’s Zeppole Celebration!

A zeppola is an Italian pastry.It may be fried or baked and

filled with cream or custard.

The custom was popularised in the early 19th century by Neapolitan baker Pasquale Pintauro. Zeppole are special sweets you can find not only in Italy but also in Italian American bakeries.

Since 1968, 19th March is not only St. Joseph’s Day but also Father’s Day in Italy, Spain and Portugal.On this occasion, children make gifts for their fathers and

say poems dedicated to their parent.

We chose a poem. We dedicate it not only to our fathers but also to our teachers.

Cammina con me papà

Cammina accanto a me, papàE tienimi per mano.

Ho tante cose da imparareChe ancora non comprendo.

Insegnami le cose che mi salvino dai pericoli di ogni giorno.

Mostrami come dare il meglioA casa, a scuola, nel gioco.

Ogni fanciullo ha bisogno di una mano gentile Che lo guidi nella crescita.

Così, cammina accanto a me, papàAbbiamo una lunga strada da fare insieme.

Power Point Presentation

By Paola IorioSchool Year 2013/2014

Class IV D