Appian Club Celebrates St. Joseph Feast

The Appian Club recently celebrated St. Joseph Feast in time-honored tradition with the help of Reading resident Connie Magro. Her mother started the tradition about 75 years ago. According to legend, during the Middle Ages, Sicily was affected by a terrible drought and famine. Many people died of starvation and Sicilians started praying and begging to St. Joseph, promising him to celebrate his day with the “St. Joseph’s table,” an altar with special foods, flowers and devotional objects, as their thanksgiving for his great miracle. And thus, the tradition was started in the province of Palermo, Sicily. Leaving her mother behind, Connie migrated to the United States in 1972.

Without any guidance as to how to proceed, Connie prayed with deep devotion and homage to St. Joseph for assistance to honor his legacy. The picture does not do justice as to the works of art she has performed. Upon the altar are loaves of bread, sculptured to depict the images of what her mother did years ago: the hammer and saw, Joseph’s burro, palms, fish, Mary’s heart and the staff. Starting in early February, Connie would start from scratch baking and then freezing her beloved figures until just before she set up her altar arrangements.

And so, on March 15, the Ladies of the Appian Club, with the help of the Appian Men, before a full house, prepared a delicious meal and topped it off with some zeppole and danced to the music of a DJ. The bread was auctioned off to the attending members, and the monies were donated to various local charities.

The Appian Club of Stoneham, which was established in 1985, is dedicated to promoting and cultivating Italian culture. For further details about club activities (monthly dinners, Italian classes for children and adults, scholarship awards), please contact John Nocella at jo*******@gm***.com or call 781-438-5687.