Area Catholics practice age old tradition of worshiping the patron saint of workmen

By KERI CHAMPION

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE- The blending of cultures and the predominance of Catholicism in the River Parishes has made unique contributions to the lifestyles of South Louisiana.

One of these contributions is the building of and worship at St. Joseph’s Altars.

St. Joseph’s Altars are built to honor the father of the Holy Family, Joseph the Carpenter. Because of his role as the protector to Jesus and Mary, he is honored as the patron saint of workmen, family and the dying.

The feast day of St. Joseph is March 19.

In the mid 1200s, a series of droughts beat down upon the Italian Island of Sicily and the overbearing heat of the sun destroyed the grain crops. A famine had come over the land and Sicilians were in dire need of aid. The people had resorted to eating fava beans to sustain themselves, which had normally been reserved as fodder for livestock. Hence, the fava bean became known as the &#8220lucky” bean because it had survived the droughts and had fed the people in their time of need.

The Sicilians, whose patron saint was St. Joseph, prayed to their patron and felt that he would heed their prayer because of his role as patron of not only the island, but of family and workmen as well.

According to historians, in exchange for relief from the drought, the wealthy landowners would agree to open their doors to feed orphan children and the poor, elderly or infirm.

When the rains came to save the Sicilians the wealthy landowners harvested the crops and then did just as they promised, and opened their homes to the poor and elderly. They built great altars in thanksgiving to St. Joseph and put upon the altars a variety of fruits, vegetables, sweets and breads. A priest was then asked to bless the altar so that afterwards, the people could partake of the feast.

On the first tier of the three-tier altar, a statue or portrait of St. Joseph is surrounded by a garden of greenery full of lilies that represents the purity of St. Joseph and palm leaves celebrating life and resurrection. The second and third tiers are filled with traditional, meatless Italian foods since the feast day falls during Lent and petitions to St. Joseph. The three tiers represent the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Traditionally, a group of children will re-enact the Holy Family’s search for shelter and food as they were escaping from King Herod by knocking on several doors requesting assistance before they are finally admitted inside a home to eat. This also represents the current tradition that everything for the St. Joseph Altar be asked begged for or volunteered because of the plight the people of Sicily faced during the famine. After the holy family has eaten then others are invited to dine and the leftovers are usually distributed to the poor.

St. Joseph Plantation will have a St. Joseph Altar on display beginning with a blessing of the Altar at 12 noon on Sunday, March 18 from noon to 5p.m. and Monday, March 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

As part of the celebration of the Feast of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Plantation will have a special tour of the home where the altar will be displayed.

People who visit the plantation while the altar is on display will receive a small goodie bag of cookies, a fava bean and a small medal or holy picture to take home with them as a souvenir. People with the name Joseph or Josephine will receive free admission for the tour of the house that is available to visitors. Altar viewing is free.

A St. Joseph’s Altar is full of symbolism. Cakes and breads made of holy shapes adorn the altars. A Bible cake is usually included along with cookies and pastries baked in shapes such as a lamb, symbolizing Jesus; a chalice, symbolizing turning water to wine; a staff, symbolizing Joseph’s strength; and a ladder, a tool Joseph uses in his trade as a carpenter. These items will be part of the altar at St. Joseph Plantation. Other symbols include a cross, hammer, nails, and doves.

&#8220We wanted to do a St. Joseph Altar at the plantation because not only is the plantation named for St. Joseph, but because during the early 1900s the plantation employed many Italians who worked in the fields and the sugar mills to make money to send home to Italy so they could bring their families to America,” said Joan Boudreaux, a tour guide and descendant of the owners of St. Joseph Plantation.

&#8220Italians made many contributions to the plantation and to regions, so we thought we would adopt the Italian-American custom of the St. Joseph Altar,” she said.

According to a book entitled &#8220St. Joseph’s Altars” by Kerri McCaffety, New Orleans has the largest population of Sicilian immigrants in America, and every year, parades are held in honor of the Feast of St. Joseph.