La Festa di San Giuseppe

Today was La Festa di San Giuseppe or the Feast of Saint Joseph. The Solemnity of Saint Joseph honors Saint Joseph, the Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Patron saint of carpenters, the family, married couples, a holy death (since he died before Jesus and Mary), the Universal church, cooks, religious orders and schools bearing his name, and the fava bean (or so I've read!).

In Italy and a few other pre-dominantly Catholic countries, the Feast of Saint Joseph (March 19th) is also Father's Day. You may notice that the feast is exactly seven days before the Feast of the Annunciation (March 25th) which commemorates Gabriel's visit to Mary announcing to her that she will give birth to Jesus.

The Orgin of the Feast of San Giuseppe

In the middle ages Sicilians were suffering from a great drought. So the Sicilian people prayed to Saint Joseph for his intercession. They asked for him to bring rain, and offered that in return they would reward him with a huge feast. The rain did come, and the people prepared a large banquet to honor Saint Joseph. Today's celebration of the feast of Saint Joseph continues this custom.

The Celebration

In Italy generally, and Sicily in particular (where they consider Saint Joseph their patron saint), for the Feast of Saint Joseph a large altar (la tavola di San Giuseppe) is prepared to which food is contributed. As the celebration takes place during lent, the dishes do not include meat. Essential items are: zeppole, bread, cakes, cookies, anything with breadcrumbs (like pasta) - to symbolize the saw dust that would have covered St. Joseph's floor, and fava beans - which were lucky because they survived the drought. There is considerable ceremony to the celebration with the blessing of the altar (which is in three tiers to symbolize the Trinity) by the priest, the feasting, the smashing of the altar (when all feasting is done), and a children's re-enactment of the holy family searching for housing just before the Christ child is born (this is called "Tupa Tupa" or Knock Knock). At the end of the day the feasters take home a bag of leftovers and one fava bean for luck (and to remind you to pray to Saint Joseph).

Our version!

Well, since we weren't invited to any real Saint Joseph Feast, we at least took part in eating the zeppole. These are Sicilian pastries that resemble a donut with cream covering the top and then drops of jelly on top of that. They are very good. We each enjoyed one zeppole from one of the good Patisserie's in Trastevere. Some of us were more messy than others as we enjoyed the treats.

Following our "light" snack, we did some walking to make room for lunch later on. After we grabbed a bite in Campo, we decided the other way (in addition to eating the zeppole) we'd celebrate Saint Joseph would be to visit his church. So we headed toward the Church of Saint Joseph on the edge of the Forum. This picture is from much too far away, but San Giuseppe is the church is the middle of this photo. Just to the right of the light post.

This church has a very interesting history. The church itself is a 16th century church which sits over a church, which was built over an ancient Roman prison in which Saint Peter and Saint Paul were said to have been imprisoned - the Mamertine Prison (Carcare Mamertino).

Okay, from top to bottom... To access the church of Saint Joseph of the Carpenters you walk up a large set of stone stairs. The church is very beautiful (my two terrible pictures of the inside do not do it justice). Let's just say that it is also very visually stimulating with many of the sculptures reaching out from the walls. The kids liked these and the large organ above the door in particular.

After you leave the church you return to ground level and walk through a gateway from which you may either take a couple of steps up into a smaller chapel church or take a set of stairs down into the prison. Much better pictures than mine are available at: http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-mamertime-prison.htm. I liked this small chapel and we said a few prayers here before heading into the prison.

When you enter the prison doors, the first room you enter (picture on left) dates to the 2nd century BC. Behind the altar if you look closely you can see busts of Peter and Paul. To the left of this altar is a set of narrow stone stairs which lead to the Tullianum, the lower room, below. This circular room was where the condemned were held (and sometimes killed). The room has an alter on one side showing a relief of Saint Peter baptising his fellow prisoners. (Saint Peter was said to have caused a spring to bubble up into his cell and it was with that water that he conducted the baptisms). You'll notice that on the front of the altar is an upside cross. That is the Cross of Saint Peter who was crucified upside-down. Peter and Paul were tied to the column to the left of the altar (behind the metal grate), and the hole in the ground in front of the altar and column provides access to the spring created by Saint Peter.

Again, sorry for the quality of the photos, but you can see the main features.

Celia and I thought this prison was a very powerful place. (Augustine was dozing when we were in there). You can still feel how dark and cold it is underground in that very small room. It is not hard to imagine it would have felt to be thrown into that cell as an enemy of Rome.

In honor of the Feast of Saint Joseph, I'm ending today's blog with the Litany of St. Joseph.

Litany of St. Joseph

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ have mercy on us.

Lord, have mercy on us.

Christ, hear us.

Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of Heaven, (have mercy on us.)

God the Son, Redeemer of the world, (have mercy on us.)

God the Holy Spirit, (have mercy on us.)

Holy Trinity, One God, (have mercy on us.)
Holy Mary,(pray for us)

St. Joseph, (pray for us)

Noble scion of David, (pray for us)

Light of the Patriarchs, (pray for us)

Spouse of the Mother of God, (pray for us)

Chaste Guardian of the Virgin, (pray for us)

Foster-father of the Son of God, (pray for us)

Sedulous Defender of Christ, (pray for us)

Head of the Holy Family, (pray for us)

Joseph most just, (pray for us)

Joseph most chaste, (pray for us)

Joseph most prudent, (pray for us)

Joseph most valiant, (pray for us)

Joseph most obedient, (pray for us)

Joseph most faithful, (pray for us)

Mirror of patience, (pray for us)

Lover of poverty, (pray for us)

Model of all who labor, (pray for us)

Glory of family life, (pray for us)

Protector of virgins, (pray for us)

Pillar of families, (pray for us)

Consolation of the afflicted, (pray for us)

Hope of the sick, (pray for us)

Patron of the dying, (pray for us)

Terror of the demons, (pray for us)

Protector of Holy Church, (pray for us)

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, (spare us, O Lord.)

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, (graciously hear us, O Lord.)

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, (have mercy on us.)

He made him the lord of his household. (And prince over all his possessions.)

Let us pray.

God, Who, in Thine ineffable Providence didst vouchsafe to choose blessed Joseph to be the Spouse of Thy most holy Mother; grant, we beseech Thee, that we may be worthy to have him for our intercessor in Heaven whom, on earth, we venearate as our protector. Who livest and reignest world without end. (Amen.)