Festa di San Giuseppe a Lascari

The longest table of San Giuseppe in Italy

The feast of San Giuseppe in Lascari takes place in the month of March, on the occasion of the liturgical anniversary of March 19, and is an event rich in spirituality and symbolism.
The devotion to the Holy Patriarch in Lascari is very ancient and there are many traditions linked to this festival: on the eve of the festival the Burning of St. Joseph is lit which for some recalls the cold that Saint Joseph suffered in the cave in Bethlehem, and therefore the desire to warm him, for others the ritual of lighting the bonfire has pagan origins linked to the symbolism of the light of spring that defeats the darkness of winter; Furthermore, the traditional Altars of Saint Joseph are set up in private homes, adorned with embroidered fabrics and rich in every type of dish; on the afternoon of the festival the solemn procession of the Simulacrum of San Giuseppe takes place through the streets of the village; finally, the traditional Table of San Giuseppe is set up.
The Table of San Giuseppe in Lascari, also known as the Table of Virgineddi, is a rich banquet that in the past was offered by the rich bourgeois to less well-off people. According to tradition, 7 meals were offered: rice and beans, pasta and beans, pasta 'ncasciata with wild fennel, ghiotta with broccoli, sfinci di San Giuseppe and cassatelle with chickpeas. It was traditional for the wealthiest families to give a coin to all the guests at the end of the meal.
The name Virgineddi was linked to the tradition that at this table the children who had recently received their first Communion were served first, called Virgineddi. In order to revive this ancient tradition, every year a very long outdoor table is organized in Lascari, with around 500 seats, the Longest San Giuseppe Table in Italy, where they are served the typical dishes of the tradition of the feast of San Giuseppe to all diners.

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