From Italian Wikipedia

Tavole di San Giuseppe
In Sicilia e nel Salento sono diffuse usanze denominate “Tavole di San Giuseppe”: la sera del 18 marzo le famiglie che intendono assolvere un voto o esprimere una particolare devozione al santo allestiscono dentro casa un tavolo su cui troneggia un’immagine del santo e sul quale vengono poste paste, verdure, pesci freschi, uova, dolci, frutta, vino, sono poi invitati a mensa mendicanti, familiari e amici, tre bambini poveri rappresentanti la Santa Famiglia. Si riceve il cibo con devozione e spesso recitando preghiere, mentre tredici bambine con in testa una coroncina di fiori, dette “tredici verginelle”, cantano e recitano poesie in onore di S. Giuseppe.

Talvolta è un intero quartiere a provvedere e allestire le tavole all’aperto. Alimento tradizionale di questa festa è la frittura, nota con il nome di “frittelle” a Firenze e a Roma, “zeppole” a Napoli e in Puglia, “sfincie” a Palermo. In alcune parti la festa è associata all’accensione di falò. In Canton Ticino sono tradizionali i "tortelli di San Giuseppe".

Text, Italian Wikipedia; machine translation, Google

Tables of St. Joseph

In Sicily and the Salento customs are widely known as "boards of St. Joseph": the evening of March 18 the families that wish to fulfill a vow or make a special devotion to the saint inside the house provide a table on which an image of the saint enthroned and which are put pasta, vegetables, fresh fish, eggs, cakes, fruit, wine, are invited to beggars banquet, family and friends, three poor children, representing the Holy Family. You receive food with devotion and often reciting prayers, and thirteen girls in the head with a wreath of flowers, the "thirteen verginelle", sing and recite poems in honor of St. Joseph.



Sometimes it's an entire district to provide and set up tables outside. Traditional food of this festival is the fry, known as "pancakes" in Florence and Rome, "zeppole" in Naples and Puglia, "sfinci" in Palermo. In some parts the festival is associated when the bonfire. In Canton Ticino are the traditional "tortelli of St. Joseph."

As noted on numerous internet sites on The Feast Day of St. Joseph the traditional meal for this saint is supposed to be displayed in three layers (Each layer represents a member of the Holy Trinity). The layers are generally decorated with flowers and religious icons of the Holy Family, in particular, Saint Joseph. Generally these tables which are laden with foods are called "St. Joseph's Altars" though they are also called "St. Joseph's Tables." In some areas of Italy the Feast Day of St. Joseph is celebrated with friends and members, whereas in other areas, in particular, in Sicily, the event is a communal one. Tables are set up in town squares and the entire town comes out to celebrate. In any case, The Feast Day of Saint Joseph's festivities emphasize the inclusion of a great deal of food because this particular saint was credited for bringing an end to a major famine in Italy where thousands starved to death. However, because St. Joseph's feast day arrives during Lent Italians decided meat dishes would be too extravagant to include in the Saint Joseph's altars (or tables). Prior to World War II theatrical skits were a traditional part of the celebrations. In Casacalenda three of the guests dressed up as the Holy Family, and a fourth guest represented an angel......... The St. Joseph's Table seen in the photo attached to this entry was decorated by no other than this contributor, in part, because she wanted to show off the beautiful and exotic flowers that her niece, Carol Alfieri, presented to her for doing the "Saint Joseph Feast Day Meal." In the past this contributor's mother always did it, as her mother and her mother's mother had done before her, but now she claims she is too old to take the trouble. Of course, this contributor's mother is not too old (A mother is never "old"!), but what can one do... except make a small attempt to continue the old traditions in the hope that they'll help bond the extended family together and give each one a sense of not being so alone in the world.

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