San Giuseppe’s Celebration in Lascari: the “tavulata di virgineddi”
19 March is Father’s Day and St Joseph’s Day, which in Italy is called “Festa di San Giuseppe”. This feast is still very much felt in the village of Lascari where a certain programme is observed during the period of 18-19 March.
The tradition includes the classic ‘Vampa’ (fire) on 18 March with the subsequent distribution of the sausage sandwich to all participants.
For the actual feast of San Giuseppe, a banquet is set up with local products (pasta with wild fennel, cassateddi stuffed with chickpeas, cocoa and cinnamon, sfinci di San Giuseppe). The banquet is blessed by the priest and, afterwards, the food displayed there is offered to all the faithful.
In the past, the nobles were responsible for preparing the table and distributing the food to the poor, in honour of San Giuseppe. Although the table is no longer set by the nobility, the order of food distribution has remained the same.
All children who have recently received their First Communion are the first ones to take their portion of food. Precisely because of this custom, San Giuseppe’s table is also known as a ‘tavulata di virgineddi’ (the table of virgins).