Assumption Catholic Church will celebrate St. Joseph’s Day Saturday.

St. Joseph’s Day is a Catholic feast day commemorating the life of St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus and the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The tradition of St. Joseph’s Feast Day began during a famine in Sicily, when food was scarce and many people were starving. The poor people had only their faith to rely on.

St. Joseph was known as the protector of the Holy Family, thus Italians with strong family relationships prayed for St. Joseph to intercede for them in an effort to ensure successful crops. Their prayers were answered, and the famine came to an end.

In gratitude, people promised to make annual offerings of their most precious possession — food — in St. Joseph’s honor.

Those of southern Italian descent typically celebrate this feast day with elaborate  tables and altars filled with beautiful flowers, foods, pastries, candles, written petitions, photographs of families and donations of money or non-perishable food items to be donated to the needy.

Those who visit a St. Joseph’s Altar often receive gifts of fava beans and bread. Fava beans play an integral part of the celebration because this was the food that saved the Sicilians from starvation. The bean is said to bring good luck, and it is believed that if the bean is kept in the home, the family will never starve.

Parishioners and friends of Assumption invite you to celebrate with them on this feast  day. The Altar dedication begins at 9:30 am. Your personal items will be placed on the Altar, along with written personal petitions which will be kept private and burned after the altar is dismantled. A short program on the life of St. Joseph will be at 11:00 and the rosary will be prayed at 11:30. Music for the occasion will be played by Dickie Butler. A meatless lunch consisting of soup and sandwich will be served at 12:30. After lunch, the celebration will end.

At the end of the celebration, St. Joseph’s Altar will be stripped and all non-perishable items and donations will be taken to the Community Stew Pot. We the members of Assumption Parish, through prayer, petition and thanksgiving, dedicate this day to all of those in need.

Won’t you join us?

Carolyn Verucchi is a parishioner of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, 10 Morgantown Road, Natchez.