ST.Joseph 's Day
Is
a deeply felt feast celebrated on March 19th. A lot of Bisacquino families prepare altars in honour of the Saint
as a thanksgiving for some received grace. A St.Joseph altar consists of
some steps with a picture of the Saint hanging on the top. Loaves of
bread, which
differ in size and shape, are scattered on the steps
with oranges, fennels and plates full of "pignolata"
and "sfince" - both typical
St.Joseph's day sweets-while an intense scent of laurel
coming from the branches at the side of the altar spreads all around. Some
bread shapes represent Christian symbols ( fish, sheep…), the letter "M" stands for the name of
the Virgin and there are also St. Joseph's beard and stick. At midday some
poor people are invited to have lunch; they sit around a sumptuous laid
table and their number must be not less than five and not more than
thirteen. They symbolize the Holy Family
and all those saints for whom the host family has a special
devotion. The first course is pasta added with sugar and toasted crumb
followed by fried food and every kind of sweets , especially "pignolata" and "sfince". At the end every guest receives
loaves like those on the altar. On St. Joseph's day the town streets are animated until late in the afternoon by
people visiting the altars prepared by their friends or relatives.
altar prepared by the students of Bisacquino Scuola Media
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