Immersed in the unique tastes and flavors of Sicily, I stepped into the Sagra della Vastedda traditions of the Torettese on December 5, 2025. Nestled on 20th Avenue in one of Bensonhurst’s Little Italy streets, the Società San Calogero di Torretta (The Society of San Calogero of Torretta) has kept this sacred heritage alive since its inception in 1961.
Encapsulating more than flour and water, the vastedda carries whispers of love and secrets of the past.
As President Benedetto Prestigiacomo shares in a La Media New York exclusive, “A newer couple in Sicily is called i sìti. So the story is that u sìto, the boyfriend, during this holiday has to take a basket with fresh bread, called vastedda, and most importantly fresh olive oil, and bring it to his girlfriend, a zita. Without the fresh olive oil it would not be good enough for the family. I don’t know if it was like an approval or just a form of respect because back in the days olive oil was one of the main things that made money so it was very important, otherwise, it would be like a bad sign—the couple, they might not last!”
The Sagra della Vastedda is celebrated on December 8, coinciding with the national Italian holiday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It embodies both spirituality and devotion to Mary. Its feast day symbolizes the divine feminine, whose grace and protection serve as a guiding presence of restoration. It is an invitation for cleansing, renewal, and the birth of purity in the world. Devotion to the Immaculate, or l’Immacolata, is woven into the fabric of everyday life. Popular Sicilian names, like Nunzia, Nunzia Maria, and Annunziata, have long honored Mary and the sacred feminine. My own confirmation name, Annunziata—taken in honor of my sponsor, my Sicilian cousin Nunzia Maria Siciliano Spena—echoes this lived cultural lineage, connecting me to generations of devotion.
This devotion, carried across the Mediterranean, finds resonance far beyond Sicily, reaching places like Lebanon, showing the interconnection across cultures intertwined by faith and heritage. Last week, on the morning of December 2nd, during his first foreign trip, Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon, also part of my ancestral lineage. Andrea Tornielli, Editorial Director of Vatican News, captured a rainbow stretching over Mount Harissa, the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon, “Mother of All.” This imagery of good fortune resonates deeply with the Torettese, whose devotion to Mary has traveled across oceans to the place they now call home.
In Brooklyn, at the Sagra della Vastedda celebration, the traditional way to prepare the vastedda was with olive oil, which was imported fresh from Torretta, anchovies, grated Caciocavallo cheese, and ricotta. Each person prepared them to taste; I added a touch of ricotta to my fresh, delicious bread. An array of Italian treats was also served, including cream puffs, a favorite in Italian social clubs across New York. Downstairs, “Zucchero filato,” cotton candy, was made with a newly purchased machine for the occasion. Members of the Castellammare Social Club of Brooklyn were invited to attend the event for the first time. My dear friend Damiano Palazzolo, the Chairman of the Castellammare Club, experienced nostalgia as he shared with me, “I haven’t had cotton candy since I was a little boy back in Sicily.”
These special moments transported me through an evocative journey across time and memory. Children played and laughed, as did the adults. Men gathered in the backyard enjoying wine and beer, and puffing on cigarettes. Sicilian jokes and banter danced through the air, reminding me of my late father Filippo, known for his smile and witty ways. The oven stayed on all night, keeping the vastedda hot just like they did back home in Sicily. Thanks to an invitation by Board Member Calogero Mannino, I was able to experience the magic of sacred bonding—an experience that stirred a visceral sense of tribal connection within me.
Through every feast, with every prayer, and in every dish prepared, Sicilian identity is forged in Brooklyn. Here, woven together through the pillars of faith, family, and food, the Società San Calogero di Torretta upholds a rich cultural legacy that transcends the test of time.
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