Celebrating St. Joseph's Day

The celebration of St. Joseph's day as it was done in my mother's family started in the small towns of Italy. Those who wanted to participate in the "devotion" would prepare a feast of meatless dishes, with a minimum of 13 dishes. Three people were chosen to represent Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Before starting the meal they would say special prayers to St. Joseph invocating his help in caring for family. The special dishes were served one at a time to the each of the three "saints" who would taste each one, but didn't have to finish each dish. It was more of a symbolic action. The leftovers of the feast would then be given to the poor of the village.

Bread at the feast was very special, my mother's cousin Antonietta saved her bread from her very first feast; about 40 yrs. Other dishes that would be served were antipasto, white beans, spaghetti (with meatless sauce or with bread crumb topping), baked and fried codfish, broccoli rahb, salmon balls, stuffed peppers, rice pudding, orange salad, rum cake, wine and of course zeppole di San Giuseppe.

Recipes

Links

Feast of St. Joseph
From the Fish Eaters website. Information about the customs, prayers, as well as recipes for many traditional foods.
Non-Stop New York
Celebrating St. Joseph's Day in NYC. Includes history, where you can attend mass, Italian bakeries and more.
St. Joseph's Night in New Orleans
A 1997 article about the celebration in New Orleans by John Sinclair.
International House Hotel
This is just a gorgeous picture of a St. Joseph's Day table created by the Internation House Hotel in New Orleans.
St. Joseph's Day
Wikipedia's entry for St Joseph's Day
St. Joseph's Table
Information about St. Joseph's Day Tables in Sicily and elsewhere. Several very nice pictures, inclufing those sent in by readers.
St Joseph's Day Altars
A great page with a thorough explanation about St. Joseph's Day altars and their place in Louisiana culture. Includes history, symbolism and pictures of altars.
St. Joseph's Day
The tradition of St. Joseph's Day in the Czech Republic.
St. Joseph's Day
Polish traditions of St. Joseph's Day.

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