The Feast of St. Joseph, which always falls during Lent on March 19, is especially commemorated and celebrated in Italy in general, and Sicily in particular, where St. Joseph has been long-regarded as the island’s Patron saint. It is there, among Sicilians, that the tradition of the “Tavola di San Giuseppe” or “St. Joseph’s Table” has its origins.
In Italy, March 19 is also Father’s Day. As St. Joseph was the foster father of Jesus, this celebration is a symbolic “thank you” and a renewal of the Sicilian people’s devotion to Saint Joseph.
It is a shared celebration with the entire community where the riches of food are given as alms to the poor: traditional etiquette is that no one can be turned away from this table.
Legends from the Middle Ages attributed the end of a devastating drought to prayers and devotions that the Sicilian people made to St. Joseph.
During a time of drought and famine, no rain fell on Medieval Sicily. Food crops for both people and livestock withered and died. The people prayed to St. Joseph for help.
When the clouds opened, the desperately needed rain poured down, and there was much rejoicing! After the harvest, to show their gratitude, they prepared a table with special foods to honor St. Joseph and to share with the poor. After thanking and honoring the saint, they distributed the food to the less fortunate.
This celebration became an annual tradition. Each year, wealthy families prepared huge buffets. The less fortunate people of the community, especially the homeless and sick, were invited, and all the remaining food and proceeds were given to the poor.
Through the years, the tradition has remained throughout Italy, and is also prevalent in Poland, Malta, Spain, the Phillipines, and, with the influx of Sicilian immigrants to the US, here in our own country.
The festive nature of the table celebration is all about St. Joseph, but the primary focus is during Mass. When the “table” is part of a parish activity, the “celebration” follows Mass. Often at Mass, parishioners dressed as the Holy Family bring up the gifts in order to emphasize the stewardship of St. Joseph’s gifts to the Church. Food items for the table, such as hand-fashioned breads, are presented alongside the bread and wine.
Sometimes, the statue of St. Joseph is carried after Mass, procession-style, into the parish hall to be placed in a prominent spot on the table surrounded by lilies and other items.
A St. Joseph’s Day “table” or “altar” is a makeshift shrine/dinner festival that can be held in one’s home, or in a church hall or club hall. The host family or parish group creates what amounts to a living work of art.
A parish St. Joseph’s Table is typically a three-tiered display covered with white linen tablecloths. The three tiers represent the Holy Trinity, and the ascent from earth to heaven. A statue of St. Joseph is placed on the top tier.
The other tiers might hold flowers (especially lilies), candles, statues and holy cards. An array of symbolic breads and pastries are also displayed. There may also be wine, symbolizing the wedding feast at Cana; pineapple symbolizing hospitality; lemons and limes and other fruit. There is typically a basket in which the faithful place prayer petitions.
An at-home version of this can be simpler, but should follow the same themes, and is often the setting for a gathering of several families to celebrate together. For example, vigil lights of green, brown and deep yellow, representing St. Joseph’s attire, can be placed all around, and the table can be surrounded by palms reminiscent of the Holy Land.
In many parish celebrations, a special smaller table is set for the “Holy Family” right in front of the display. This is where those who portrayed Jesus, Mary and Joseph at Mass will eat—a place of high honor.
No meat is served at a St. Joseph Table because it takes place in Lent. Sesame-coated breads in symbolic shapes are also often served. If the celebration happens after an evening Mass, the food that is served may simply be desserts and coffee.
Breads, baked into symbolic shapes, are the centerpiece of the food table and the altar.
The breads themselves are made from the same dough that forms traditional Italian bread and are often made into interesting and symbolic shapes for St. Joseph’s Day, including:
As no feast is complete without dessert, no Saint Joseph’s altar would be finished without the some sweet treats. There is typically a plethora of cakes, biscotti and cookies, many of which are embellished with almonds.
Two particularly traditional desserts found at St. Joseph’s tables are sfingi (fried pieces of bread dough rolled in sugar) and zeppoli (a pastry shaped like a donut, fried or baked, and filled with a sweet pastry crème, then garnished with a dusting of powdered sugar and a maraschino cherry).