Hospitality might not be considered a virtue by Catholic church officials but for Italians hospitality was as important as any virtue that Catholics were encouraged to have. If a hostess didn't offer her Sunday visitors more sweets than they could possibly eat she would be considered a bad person -- a very bad person. Hostesses were not only expected to feed their guests but they were expected to make them feel at home. The rules of etiquette were well-defined, and everyone knew them. In the countryside rich and poor behaved in a very dignified fashion.

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