FESTA DI S. GIUSEPPE

 

Expression of a tradition which is renewed every year are the symbolic altars of San Giuseppe (Saint Joseph) which are set up in private houses on the 18th and 19th of March as votive offerings, la prummissioni. Covered with fine embroidered sheets, they are decorated with large rounded loaves of bread called cucciddati, and with typical squartucciati, sheets of pasta filled with minced figs in symbolic shapes, modelled by the expert women of the town, who with patience and great skill, create incredible cuttings allowing the layer of figs to show. On the 18th it is traditional to offer to those who visit the altar, pastries, bread and chickpeas: on receiving these, one must never say thank you, as the gift is an obligation of the host to the guest. On the 19th, a lunch is offered to three people, once poor people, alluding to the Sacred Family. It has a rich menu from which however, meat or fish is banned, but which must have a first course of spaghetti dressed with a special tomato sauce enriched with broccoli, asparagus and fennel, all over which breadcrumbs are sprinkled. The leftovers are offered to neighbours and relatives