Ingredients
MAJOR FEAST DAYS -- Italy (National)
JANUARY
Capao D'Anno/ New Year's Day
La Vigilia Delll' Epifania, Epiphany Eve, January 5
Epifania, Epiphany, January 6th
San Antonio Abate, January 17th
Carnevale, Carnival, January 17th to Ash Wednesday (40 days before Easter (Date changes)
FEBRUARY
Santa Agata, Saint Agatha, Feb. 3-5
Carnevale, Carnival, 40 days before Easter (Date changes)
MARCH
San Giovanni Giuseppe della Croce, St. John-Joseph of The Cross, March 5
Madonna di Costantinopol, March 8th
San Giuseppe, St. St. Joseph, March 19th
MARCH OR APRIL
Domenica Delle Palme, Palm Sunday
Giovedi Santo, Holy Thursday
Venerdi Santo, Holy Friday
Sabato Santo, Holy Saturday
La Pasqua, Easter
APRIL
Madonna della Stella, April 22
St. George, April 23
Saint Leo, April 30
MAY
San Nicola, Saint Nicholas, May 7-8
Madonna del Monte, May 20
San Pardo, Saint Pardo, May 25th-27
[Corpus Domini, Corpus Christi, Thursday following Trinity Sunday -- date changes]
JUNE
St. Anthony of Padua, June 13
St. John the Baptism, June 24
St. Peter and St. Paul, June 29
JULY
San Rosalia, July 15
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, July 16
San Basso, July 26th
Santa Anna di Cantalupo
San Vittoriano, last Sunday in July
AUGUST
St. Basso, August 3
Madonna of the Snow, August 12
SEPTEMBER
St. Rosalia, September 4
Feast in honor of the Sacred Heart, September 16
La Madonna della Difesa, last Sunday in September* [in Molise, in Montreal, Canada the day is celebrated the 3rd Sunday in August]
San Gennaro, September 19th
OCTOBER
St. Teresa, October 15
NOVEMBER
La Festa dei Morti, All Souls' Day or Feast Day of the Dead, Nov. 2
2nd Feast of Madonna di Costantinopoli, Nov. 8
San Trifone, Saint Trifone Nov. 10
St. Frances Cabrini, Nov. 13
San Martino, Saint Martin, November 11
DECEMBER
San Nicole, Saint Nicolas, Dec. 6
Santa Lucia, Saint Lucy, Dec. 13
La Vigilia, Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th
Natale, Christmas Day, Dec. 25th
Santo Stefano, Saint Stephen, Dec. 26
*Dates of actual celebrations for the Feast Days may vary from region to region in Italy, as they do in North America
Directions
MAJOR FEAST DAYS -- by Region -- Molise
"Spectacular popular celebrations take each year in Molise. They include: a race of ox-drawn carts in honor of Saint Leo takes place at San Martino in Pensilis on April 30th, at Ururi on May 3rd and at Portocannone on Whit Monday. These races have taken place each year since the 14th century. Other popular events include the "Cart Procession" at Larino in honor of Saint Pardo, the Fair of the "Mysteries" [living pictures representing episodes from the Bible] held on the feast of Corpus Christi at Campobasso [see photo], the Wheat Fair at Jelsi on July 26th and the Saint Basso procession at Termoli, and the "Palio delle Quercigliole" a horse race in honor of the Madonna of the Snow on August 12th at Ripalimosani. All these traditions express the soul of the people, revealing a leitmotif of passions, events and beliefs that have never dulled...." [Text from Molise tourist brochure]
Notes
Italy has more feast days for la Madonna, the mother of Jesus Christ, than all other saints combined. Many people in the countryside went on pilgrimages to famous shrines or churches on the Madonna's or a favored saint's feast day. Prior to World War II most people only went to those places that were within walking distance as no one had cars, and few could afford train tickets. Generally, individuals brought their own food on these pilgrimages.... For list of Saints' Name Days see "X Lists of Desserts and Foods by Region." |
