AIHA Digest
The AIHA publishes a very interesting and informative 16 page bi-monthly Newsletter in English. It contains information about Italian Americans, Italy, history, customs, traditions, recipes, events and other information of interest to Italian-Americans. Below you will find a sample of our digest.

February 3, Festa di San Biagio. There are several places in Italy that celebrate the Feast Day of San Biagio, but two festas in Tuscany are worth noting. In Castiglione d'Orcia the Festa di San Biagio Vescovo (Feast of St. Blaise the Bishop) is celebrated with a mass as well as with special dinners.

The town of Sinalunga celebrates the Festa della Mazza di S. Biagio (the Festival of the Staff of St. Blaise). A "mazza" is baked from Hour and eggs and blessed at a mass. There is a parade and music to accompany the festivities.

February 5, Festa di Santa Agata. In Asciano, in the Province of Siena, the Festa di Santa Agata is celebrated with a mass and a procession through the streets of the village. In Radicofani, this religious day is also celebrated with a mass and a procession in which a statue of the Saint is carried by her devotees.

San Quirico d'Vernia, North of Prato: During the first week of Lent, this small town that sits below a ruined castle holds its annual Sagra della Polenta. Held on the first Sunday of Lent ( February 29, 2004), this festival does not feature the cornmeal polenta that we have become accustomed to, but instead celebrates the chestnut meal polenta that is popular in the northern portions of Tuscany.

Foiano della Chiana, South of Arezzo in the Valdichiana. On Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday (February 24 this year), this modern town holds a charming pre-Lenten festival of its own. The Quattro Cantieri (representing the four divisions of the town) hold a daylight parade featuring floats and costumed participants, and the festivities continue into the night. After dark, there are illuminations and the reading of King Giocondo's Will. Attendees come with paper lanterns to hear the reading, delivered with mock solemnity.

Bibbiena, North of Arezzo in the Casentino area. Also on Shrove Tuesday (see above) the modern town of Bibbiena is drawn to its ancient center to celebrate the reenadment of 'La Mea.* According to ancient history and legend, the old town of Bibbiena was divided into upper and lunu quarters, where the rich lived above, and the working folk populated the lower town. The Stay of Mea is dot in 1359, she was drawn away from her poor lover, the tailor Cecco, and forced to marry the Count's son. But Mea couldn't live without Cecco, and eventually returned to him.

Notes & Facts From Our News Letter
June/July 07

 

The first newspaper was established in 1563. in the city of Venice.   It provided news of the war that was taking place with Turkey.

The International Journal of Cancer has reported that Italian scientists who examined the eating habits of 767 people with renal cell carcinoma, the most common type of kidney malignancy.   It compared with them those of 1,534 healthy individuals who took higher-than-average intakes of C and E led to 28% and 44% drops in cancer risk, respectively.   The claim is that tag-team antioxidants reduced rates of kidney cancer.

Olive oil helps give the Mediterranean diet its healthy glow, may help drop blood pressure among men who don't usually dine in southern European style.   Research shows a connection between a southern European died and increases in both longevity and cardiovascular health.

Italy has jumped to first place among the countries that export wines to the US.   The value recorded is; $500 million.   Italy exports of wine to the US has increased by 9.1% in value in the first six months of 2006 as compared to the same period of 2005.

The city of Rome. Italy is planning to build a new 15-mile subway line.    On one side you have much-needed subway line and the other side the archaeologist who are looking to protect ancient treasures buried in the bowels of the Eternal City.    There is a concern that a Roman treasure discovery would bring subway work to halt   Rome has a subway system but needs to be updated.

Celebrating St. Joseph's Day
by Prof./Cav. Philip J. DiNovo

February/March 2007 Issue
American Italian Heritage Digest

St. Joseph is very special. God thought he was, of all the men in the world, at the time he chose him to be the foster father of his son and the husband of the Virgin Mary. Wherever Italians have settled, they have made St. Joseph's Day, March 19, a day of celebration.

My grandmother had a very large picture of the Holy Family. Joseph looked more like a father than a spouse. Many theologians today think that Saint Joseph was only a few years older than Mary. It stands to reason that Mary's parents would only choose someone who would take care of her; someone pious, virile, who was to be the husband of their daughter. To protect Mary's virginity, especially among the uneducated, Joseph was depicted as an old man. My favorite image of Saint Joseph is a picture of a very young Joseph lifting the Christ Child high, playing with him as dads do; and they both have beautiful smiles.

In the Middle Ages, according to tradition, there was a severe drought that destroyed most vegetation and left many people in western Sicily dying of starvation. People began to pray to St. Joseph asking him to ask the Lord for rain. They promised if the rains came that they would honor St. Joseph for his intercession and perpetually honor him on March 19.

At the stroke of midnight, the Lord sent the rain; it was on this day the prayers were heard. The people had water, the vegetation turned green, and there were fish for the fishermen. The St. Joseph altars are based on this traditional legend, which has been handed down from one generation to the next.

As we reflect on the custom of the Saint Joseph's altar, it was the rich who first held them. When we realize how elaborate they were, it is easy to see that poor people would be unable to have one.

The saints cannot themselves give us anything - God alone can do that. But since the saints have loved and served God while on earth, we believe that He honors them now - by granting requests made through them. God is the only one who answers our prayers; actually a prayer can end only with God, and to believe different would be idolatry.

We ask the saints to pray with us, through Christ, to the Father. We honor Saint Joseph, the patron saint of the Church, an outstanding member of our Christian family. He is a Christian hero, and we ask him to intercede for us because we know he is deeply loved by Jesus. Joseph gave Jesus His name, taught Him the trade of a carpenter, and was the head of the family.

He served Jesus and Mary for the love of God. Saint Joseph is honored all around the world. I know of no people who love and honor Saint Joseph as much as the Italians. Wherever they went, they brought their Saint Joseph traditions with them.

There are many St. Joseph's altars in New Orleans, Hammond, Amite, Independence, and many other Italian-American communities in Louisiana. One can still see a beautiful ceremony that begins at 12 noon. The pageant begins with three persons representing the Holy Family parading around the exterior of the house, where there will be a St. Joseph's altar.

There is an old ritual that takes place - prayers for the blessing of the food and then the feast. The raw fava beans are always on the table and reminds people of the legendary famine when it was one of the few foods available. The bean serves as a reminder of the famine and now the bounty to be enjoyed. Saint Joseph's altars are also very big in many California and New York Italian-American communities.

Zepoles originated in Calabria; they have become rich and elaborated and are served to families and friends in honor of Saint Joseph. Across the nation, Italian pastry shops sell this once-a-year specialty. The Feast Day is celebrated at Don's 21 Restaurant in Newark, N.J. In Syracuse, N.Y., a restaurant has a pig roast with all the frills to celebrate the Feast Day. In Providence R.I., there is a week-long celebration of the Festa di San Giuseppe. The feast is celebrated the last week of April when the weather is good, and an outdoor procession is held.

For nine years my wife and I have held a very special St. Joseph dinner in our home. Across the nation clubs, lodges, etc., have brought back the Festa di San Giuseppe. The celebrations not only honors a great saint, but is a fund raiser, often the money going to feed the hungry.

Saint Joseph's Day is a wonderful opportunity to keep alive a beautiful tradition. Even if you have to modify your celebration to fir your situation, it still can be a special day.
All over the United States, Saint Joseph's Day celebrations are taking place once again and bring us all closer together as a people.

Buon Festa di San Giuseppe!!

Are Our Italian Christmas Traditions Outdated ? by Prof./Cav. Philip J. DiNovo
December 2006/January 2007 Issue American Italian Heritage Digest

I have written so many articles about our Italian Christmas traditions, that you may ask what more could I write about? Almost twenty-four years ago I wrote my first article. It seems to me there is such an emptiness in people's lives today. Often the Christmas season is a time of depression, loneliness and materialism. In my opinion, no wonder there is too little real joy during the Christmas season.

When I was growing up, all the members of my extended family were very close by. When one close member is not home for Christmas, there is a void in the heart. Traveling long distances for the holidays causes great stress and is often very exhausting!

My parents and grandparents would not buy anything unless they could pay for it. My father told me he received an orange for Christmas. My generation had nice gifts for Christmas but my parents would not go into debt. Today I see so many people buying more gifts than they can afford and have taken gift-giving to the extreme. Have you noticed how spoiled many children are today? What are we teaching them?

Growing up, we spent Christmas at my grandparents, which was full of Italian traditions. Today Christmas is a winter holiday devoid of traditions. Many women have so much to do these days they are too tired to bake. I have seen with my own eyes finger foods served Christmas Eve. Eating in a restaurant on Christmas Day is no longer considered unusual. Do you wonder why the Christmas foods of yesterday are becoming rare? "Grandma and Granpa are gone," "I don't have the time," or "I don't know how to make it" are the reasons often heard.

I am convinced that in our fast changing world we need continuity and stability, and I know we are able to find them within our traditions. Our Italian traditions are not just the realization that Christmas is the birth of Christ, it's a celebration as a religious holiday. So much in our society pushes out the real meaning of Christmas. Our ancestors had it in the right order: religious celebration with family and traditions.

Growing up I felt our heritage demanded too many obligations. I now realize the values of sacrifice, obligation and respect adds so much to life. Each generation learns from the past and the later receives the benefits. Recently I wrote to someone who lost her mother. I hoped her children would do for her what she did for her mother.

The Holy Season of Christmas should be a time of great joy. It was for our immigrant grandparents because they knew how to truly celebrate and appreciate its importance, and I long for those wonderful memories. Are we making memories that will last for this generation? Pass on our Italian Christmas traditions, as they are many and so enriching. I wish you and your family a blessed Buon Natale of traditions!



© 2006 Prof./Cav. Philip J. DiNovo

© 2006 Prof./Cav. Philip J. DiNovo
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