According to legend, the St. Joseph Altar originated in Sicily many centuries ago. During a period of desperate drought and famine, the Sicilian people turned to St. Joseph asking his help and intercession. When the rains came and crops prospered, their prayers were answered.
In thanksgiving, the community made offerings to St. Joseph of their most prized possession -FOOD! In his honor, they erected a lovely altar with three levels to represent the Holy Trinity. They draped it simply and beautifully in white, adorned it with flowers, the finest grain, fruits, vegetables, seafood and wine. The poor were invited to share in their prayer and festivity.
Even though at times it was a great sacrifice, the tradition continued as a labor of love and devotion on the feast day of St. Joseph, March 19th. At first the altars were erected in family homes, usually in thanksgiving for favors granted, such as deliverance from the ravages of war or the healing of body or spirit of a loved one. When the Sicilians emigrated to the United States over a century ago, they brought this custom with them. These altars flourished in the New Orleans areas where the tradition continues today.
There are many traditions associated with a St. Joseph Altar. One is the traditional dried, roasted and blessed fava bean. In Sicily, the fava was fodder for cattle. During the great famine, people resorted to eating them to survive. They were considered lucky to have favas to eat, hence the fava bean is also known as a “lucky bean.” The fava bean serves as a token of the Altar – a reminder of God’s provisions through the intercession of St. Joseph.
Another tradition is the blessed St. Joseph’s bread. Recipients keep the blessed bread in their houses for protection. If there is a storm, believers crumble the bread and scatter the crumbs to protect their homes. These breadcrumbs represent the sawdust of St. Joseph the Carpenter.