{"id":1161,"date":"2026-03-01T04:09:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T04:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cracosociety.net\/blog\/?p=1161"},"modified":"2026-01-08T01:39:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T01:39:53","slug":"march-in-craco-vecchio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cracosociety.net\/blog\/march-in-craco-vecchio\/","title":{"rendered":"March in Craco Vecchio"},"content":{"rendered":"

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March in Craco was a a time of reawakening.\u00a0 In keeping with the seasonal cycle followed by the inhabitants of Craco Vecchio they tended to the fields and to their spiritual needs.<\/p>\n

The Earth<\/i><\/b>:\u00a0 As the earth re-awakens, life is renewed in the fields.\u00a0 The warm March sun begins to caress the grain. \u00a0 In the fields, grain was tended and fertilized, and people began preparing the soil for vegetables and fruit to be planted.<\/p>\n

The Church<\/i><\/b>: March 19th\u2014San Giuseppe, was celebrated on this saint day by having large bonfires \u2013 the largest one in the piazza.\u00a0 It was also customary to make \u201cfecazzol\u00eb\u201d \u2013 flat fried dough pieces \u2013 and bring these to the church to be offered to the poor people.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, this feast day is also celebrated as Father\u2019s Day in Italy (as it is in Spain and Portugal).\u00a0 But the day also has other far reaching connections to customs and celebrations throughout the world.<\/p>\n

In Sicily, where St. Joseph is regarded by many as their Patron Saint, and many Italian-American communities, thanks are given to St. Joseph for preventing a famine during the Middle Ages. According to legend, there was a severe drought and the people prayed for rain. They promised they would prepare a\u00a0 large banquet.\u00a0 The fava bean was the crop which saved the population from starvation, and is a traditional part of St. Joseph’s Day altars and traditions.<\/p>\n

In the US, New Orleans, Louisiana, which was a major port of entry for Sicilian immigrants during the late 19th century, the Feast of St. Joseph is a city-wide event. Both public and private St. Joseph’s altars are traditionally built. There are also parades in honor of St. Joseph and the Italian population of New Orleans, which are similar to the many marching clubs and truck parades of Mardi Gras.\u00a0 In the Mid-Atlantic regions, St Joseph’s Day is traditionally associated with the return of anadromous fish, such as eels and striped bass, to their natal rivers, like the Delaware.\u00a0 St Joseph’s Day is also celebrated in other American communities with high proportions of Italians such as New York City; Buffalo, NY; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; Gloucester, MA; and Rhode Island.\u00a0 St. Joseph’s Day is also the day when the swallows are traditionally believed to return to Mission San Juan Capistrano after having flown south for the winter.<\/p>\n

A common element to these events is St. Joseph\u2019s Bread (Pane di San Giuseppe).\u00a0 But it takes many forms from the fried \u201cfecazzol\u00eb\u201d of Craco or zeppole of Sicily to baked breads that are elaborately shaped and sculpted to represent crosses, staffs, wheat sheaves, braids or images of St. Joseph.<\/p>\n

Historic Dates in Craco<\/span><\/h3>\n