~`+`~`POPE FRANCIS INAUGURATED ON ST JOSEPH'S FEAST DAY`~`+`~

The Feast Day of St. Joseph Is Celebrated
On March 19 Every Year.

St. Joseph's Day is a Roman Catholic feast day
commemorating the life of St. Joseph,
the step-father of Jesus and husband of the
Blessed Virgin Mary.
People with very strong religious association,
often those of southern Italian descent,
typically celebrate St. Joseph's Day.
March 19 is said to be St. Joseph's birthday.

During a famine in Sicily, when food was scarce
and many people were starving,
the poor people had only their faith to rely on.
St. Joseph was known as the protector of the Holy Family
and Italians had strong family relationships,
so they prayed for St. Joseph to intercede for them
so they could have successful crops.

Their prayers were answered, and the famine
came to an end. In gratitude, people promised to make
annual offerings of their most precious possession – food –
in St. Joseph's honor.

Today, the faithful erect "St. Joseph Tables,"
which are set to honor St. Joseph. They are filled
with beautiful and often elaborate foods,
including meatless dishes such as stuffed artichokes,
pasta and fish, as well as breads, cookies,
pastries, cakes and other delicacies.
Each table is blessed by a priest and presided
over by a statue of St. Joseph. A stalk of lily blossoms,
votive candles and a lace tablecloth are other typical
items used to decorate the feast table.

When you visit a St. Joseph's table,
you often receive gifts of fava beans and breads.
Fava beans play an integral part of the celebration
because this was the food that saved the Sicilians
from starvation. The bean is said to bring good luck,
and it is believed that if the St. Joseph's bread
is kept in the home, the family will never starve.

The altars often feature fava beans, which were very important in keeping people alive during the famines in Sicily. Now they are considered symbols of good luck, and I can certainly use all the good luck I can get.

But for the food on the altar, well, there's a traditional use for that as well.

"And then to carry out Joseph's spirit of poverty, and then to help the poor, so all of the food on this altar will ultimately be given to the poor," Aymond said.

====================~`+`~===================

Pope Francis chose to officially begin his papacy on the Feast Day
of St. Joseph.

"Pope Francis, who was just inaugurated this morning,
is calling us in a new and very powerful way
to be for the poor."

Pope Francis I
Roman Catholic Church

============~`+`~============

*©*Mar*19*2013*
Source Excerpts:
`...Breaking News from NPR...
`Morning Edition`

====================~`+`~====================

*©*Mar*19*2013*
*NPR NEWS* Excerpt Display by:
`angelic`heavenly`atar`
'Angel Star'
a.k.a.~'MJB'~

Vote for this poem

~` `~`POPE FRANCIS INAUGURATED ON ST JOSEPH'S FEAST DAY`~` `~

[ Control Panel ]
Last 100 Poems