FATHER’S DAY IN ITALY

Father's Day in Italy March indeed is a time of festivity and feasting for the Italians. From celebrating new blooms to weather changes, March is also the time when Italians celebrate St. Joseph's Day or their Father's Day.

The Italians honor their dads on the 19th of March, known as St The Italians honor their dads on the 19th of March, known as St. Joseph's Day, to commemorate San Giuseppe - a fatherly symbol of love, compassion, kindness, generosity and acceptance. The Italian name for Father's Day is 'Festa del Papa'.

San Guiseppe or Saint Joseph, father of Jesus Christ is honored on this day. This day is celebrated mainly in the Roman Catholic countries. In Italy, it is usually celebrated with grand feast and fanfare. Households prepare traditional spreads of special Italian breads and cookies. This is the day when families show their gratitude to their fathers with favors and gifts.

Florence and Rome, this festivity is marked with several days of live music and dancing, and of course, food and drink. Earlier, this day was a national holiday in Italy. People also wore shamrock or green attires to commemorate this day. The contemporary celebrations include people going out on street parades, a yearly ritual, on this day. .

In a village very close to our town, Itri, every year the celebration of San Giuseppe attacts a bigger number of visitors. The event is known as “ I fuochi di San Giuseppe”

On the night before the spring equinox the anniversary took place which, for years, has been attracting people from all the neighboring centers: many gathered in the various districts around the fires of popular music, songs and dances. An opportunity that the districts of Itri have always greeted with auspicious fires in which the winter season "burn" to welcome spring and its fruits.

A popular event that has fused, over the centuries, aspects of paganism with Christian religiosity, thus bringing to us the archaic rituals of fire. The festival therefore has very ancient origins and actively involves the local community. Tradition, typical gastronomy and local folk music, a mixture that manages to interest thousands of people who come to Itri to participate in this spectacular popular festival.

Father's Day in Italy is celebrated with family get- togethers and traditional San Giuseppe desserts that vary from region to region. In the south, zeppole (deep-fried dough balls) and bigné (cream puffs) are prepared and in the north, frittelle (fritters) are eaten to mark the occasion

There is a tradition of sharing gifts There is a tradition of sharing gifts. Children usually buy gifts to their fathers as a sign of honor and reverence. people go to church and offer their prayers to Saint Joseph, a reverend father figure on this day. After daily mass, they go out on the streets and greet their fathers as a symbol of love, compassion and respect.  

Indeed, today Italians are offering up handmade cards, recited poems, little gifts, and good food to their fathers. Many are shouting, “Auguri” to the fathers they see in the piazza or at the pranzo (lunch) table. Wives make homemade gnocchi and a promise for a dinner out to their husbands, the father of their children. The meal would be incomplete without dolci, some sweets. On this day the cream adorned zeppoles that either fried or baked are the traditional dessert.