Giving food to the needy is a St. Josephs Day custom. In honor of my brother Joseph Boutsikaris, my loving Grandfather, uncles, nephews, cousins and friends named after Saint Joseph. In Sicily, where St. Joseph is regarded by many as their Patron saint, and in many Italian-American communities, thanks are given to St. Joseph (San Giuseppe in Italian) for preventing a famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. According to legend, there was a severe drought at the time, and the people prayed for their patron saint to bring them rain. They promised that if he answered their prayers, they would prepare a large feast to honor him. The rain did come, and the people of Sicily prepared a large banquet for their patron saint. The fava bean was the crop which saved the population from starvation and is a traditional part of St. Josephs Day altars and traditions. Giving food to the needy is a St. Josephs Day custom. In some communities it is traditional to wear red clothing and eat a Neapolitan pastry known as a Zeppole (created in 1840 by Don Pasquale Pinatauro in Napoli) on St. Josephs Day.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 12:06:05 +0000
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