St. Mary Catholic Church in Orange invites parishioners and the general public to join in celebrating the Feast Day of St. Joseph on Sunday. The Feast of Saint Joseph commemorates the end of a drought and looming famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. Sicilians usually build a “St. Joseph Table” and wear red as a symbol of the celebration.

This table is decorated with flowers and candles and is filled with abundant foods as a plea for good fortune and thanksgiving As Sicilians immigrated to the United States, they brought the tradition of the St. Joseph’s Day Altar with them. Today the artistic breads and pastries, which are baked in the shape of religious symbols, and rival the beautiful and delicious foods of the originals.